After losing a loved one, grief takes hold of every part of our lives. It makes it hard to make it to social gatherings, stay present at work, or even get ready for the day. That’s why it’s so important for funeral directors to be aware of the lingering grief families face.

In order to help families move forward, funeral directors should provide coping strategies and resources for their families to use even after the funeral is over. Since August 30th is Grief Awareness Day, we’re sharing some ways funeral homes can support their grieving families.

Start a Grief Support Group

The purpose of Grief Awareness Day is to eliminate the shame that comes with seeking help for feelings of grief. By creating a support group, you are encouraging families to share their stories of grief, which can help them move forward. If you have enough families, you could create different support groups based on the kind of loss. For instance, parents who lost a child are going to have a very different grief journey than those who lost a loved one to old age.

Host a Death Café

Death Cafés are when people gather to discuss topics of death and grief over a cup of coffee or another hot drink. If your funeral home has a space where food and drinks can be served, set up some tables and chairs, and invite your community members to stop by. By hosting this event, you’re helping to eliminate the taboo around death. Death is an inevitable part of life, so it’s important that people feel comfortable talking about it.

Plan a Holiday Remembrance Program

During the holiday season, families may feel especially sad about the loss of their loved one. To help them through this tough time, host a holiday remembrance program. This event is for families to gather and honor their loved one’s memory. Download our free holiday remembrance media kit to get started!

Provide Online Grief Resources

On your funeral home’s website, you should have a page that lists various grief resources for your families. Sometimes people don’t feel comfortable reaching out in person right away, so online resources are a great starting point. Here are some resources to share with families who lost a loved one to suicide.

How are you going to help your families this Grief Awareness Day? Share by commenting below!