Facing grief is one of the most challenging events of the human experience. Knowing how to show up and support someone grieving can be difficult. You may ask yourself, “What if you say or do the wrong thing? What if you upset them more? What if they just want to be left alone.” Making your presence known is rarely a bad thing. Grief-stricken people need all the love and support they can, so please do what you can to show up. You don’t have to worry about saying the right words—there aren’t any. Your actions will be enough. Whether you can be there in person or not, sending a thoughtful gift to someone who is grieving can bolster them with strength, courage, and love. Here are fourteen ways to make a difference in a bereaved person’s life.

Gift Card

When someone is experiencing grief, handling simple, routine tasks like eating can be overwhelming. They have a lot on their mind with a truckload of decisions to make. Sending a grief-stricken person a gift card to a favorite restaurant is a thoughtful way of taking some of the load off their shoulders. It gives them clear direction on how to proceed, eliminating unnecessary guesswork.

Flowers

While extremely traditional, flowers are a popular gift to the bereaved. Flowers are a powerful symbol of love, support, and sympathy. Flowers' soothing sights and smells can help lower stress and bring much-needed balance to the mind. When you can’t be there in person, flowers can let someone suffering a loss know that you still care and support them.

Massage

Everyone can use a good massage! For most grief-stricken people, self-care, such as a massage, is the furthest thing from their minds. It may not occur to them to even attempt to be good to themselves. Grief can be all-consuming. A massage will give them an hour to relieve their stress, which can be a huge relief!

Cleaning Service

There’s no telling how grief can affect a person. Each instance is unique. Simple chores can fall by the wayside as a grieving person tries to reconstruct a life without a loved one. Paying for a professional cleaning service for even one day can dramatically improve the bereaved's life. Their emotional and physical energy may be maxed out. Having someone to manage the home's laundry, dishes, and overall cleanliness for a short period of time makes for one incredible gift.

Grocery Delivery

As a person contends with their grief, they may lose their appetite and the will to eat. If this happens, they won’t expend energy creating a grocery list, buying the ingredients, and cooking them. Sending over some simple meals that can be easily heated and served can help keep the bereaved’s strength up, allowing them to face the challenges of their new life better.

Ride Pass

Grieving individuals can easily hole up in their homes or find excuses to shun the world. Supplying them with an Uber or Lift pass may encourage them to head out somewhere to get a change of scenery.

Hotel Night

The bereaved's home may present several challenges: It may be a place they shared with the loved one they lost, serve as a painful reminder of their new life, or simply present a chaotic environment. In any case, a night out in a nice hotel may be just what the doctor ordered. It has valuable amenities and can provide a change of venue from the current living situation.

Donation

If the bereaved’s loved one had a particular cause or passion they were championing, supporting that legacy with a donation may be a very considerate gift. It reminds the bereaved that their loved one impacted the world and can continue to do so.

Bench Plate

Park bench plates can be a beautiful way to honor a loved one’s favorite spot or keep the memory of a special moment alive. Bench plates can be a permanent placeholder for the bereaved’s lost loved one. Loved ones, friends, and even strangers will know that a seat is always reserved for the departed.

Memorial Jewelry

Memorial jewelry is quickly becoming one of the most popular ways to hold a loved one in eternal remembrance. Picking jewelry is a very personal endeavor; however, if you know enough about the grief-stricken person’s style, you may be able to present a very touching piece to them. Consider their loved one’s birthstone, a necklace, or even a remembrance bracelet to let them know their loved one is always with them.

Journal

Grief can bring up an overwhelming amount of emotions. Processing those emotions can equally be challenging. Presenting the bereaved with a journal may encourage them to put it all on paper. Journaling can often be a therapeutic way to make sense of loss, offering a healthy path forward.

Lavender Bath Salts

The bathroom is one the only real places a person can enjoy privacy and shut out the world for a few moments. Lavender is a very soothing and comforting aroma. Adding them to a hot bath can help release a grief-stricken person's stress.

Blanket

In times of grief, curling up on the couch with a comfy blanket can be invaluable. Consider a large blanket made of heavy cotton or even fleece for an all-encompassing “hug.” If you wish, you can even have it monogrammed for the recipient!

Your Time

Ultimately, the best gift you can ever give the bereaved is your time. Grief can be scary for both the person experiencing it and those looking to support them. It can be easy to leave them alone in their suffering but try not to. They need you now more than ever. It’s not about what you say but what you do. Helping to prepare a memorial can be a beautiful and thoughtful way to show immediate support. Standing by those engulfed in grief can help to raise them out of the clouds and set them on the path to peace and comfort.