TrendsWide
Contact US
  • Home
  • Trending
  • Health
  • Life Style
  • NBA
  • Reviews
No Result
View All Result
TrendsWide
  • Home
  • Trending
  • Health
  • Life Style
  • NBA
  • Reviews
No Result
View All Result
TrendsWide
No Result
View All Result
Home News

Covid: How to help someone who’s grieving

by souhaib
January 26, 2021
in News
0
74
SHARES
1.2k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
ADVERTISEMENT


By Lindsay Brown
Newsbeat reporter

image copyrightAmber Jeffrey
image captionAmber set up her Grief Gang podcast after her mum Sue died

The number of people who’ve died with Covid in the UK has passed 100,000. It’s a devastating number and it leaves behind many thousands of grieving friends and families. So how can you support someone through the loss of a loved one?

“For every person who dies, around eight to ten people are significantly affected,” psychotherapist Julia Samuel tells Radio 1 Newsbeat.

Restrictions on going to funerals and rules around household mixing mean the normal support networks might not be as easy to reach.

Here’s what you can do to help someone dealing with grief.

Show up consistently

“Your friend will need your support for a lifetime,” Amber Jeffrey says. Amber set up the Grief Gang podcast and Instagram page after her mum Sue died. She says the idea was to reach out to others like her.

The 23-year-old suggests being specific when offering help. “Don’t use the phrase ‘let me know if you need anything’ – instead just do something.

“So be like, ‘I’m not going to ask you what you need, I’m going to bring round a lasagne and leave it on your doorstep, or pick up your washing’.”

She says anything that makes life easier for the person grieving is likely to be a big help.

image copyrightAmber Jeffrey
image captionAmber Jeffrey runs the podcast Grief Gang to help young bereaved people

Listen more than you speak

“The single best thing we can do as a friend is to listen – whether that’s on the phone, Zoom or Snapchat,” Julia says.

“Listen five times more than you talk. As a friend we feel we have to fix it and make it better, but then of course we say all the wrong stuff.”

Julia says acknowledging a person’s loss can be a huge comfort too.

“Just by saying sorry your grandfather or father or aunt died, it’s an act people will remember forever.”

image copyrightRosie Rawson
image captionRosie’s mum Trish died with Covid-19 in May

It was a combination of speaking and listening to others that helped Lobby Akinnola, who lost his dad Femi to Covid-19 last April.

“I started listening to podcasts – ‘Griefcast’ and ‘I’m Terrible Thanks for Asking’. Just hearing other people’s stories and hearing that they’d been through this kind of thing and it doesn’t have to be the end,” he says.

Grief counselling also helped. “Just that opportunity to talk. There’s always something of an expectation that kids will just bounce back, but it knocked me for six.”

Grieving isn’t like the movies

“There’s a Hollywood idea of grieving, so you might expect your friend to be sobbing and not able to get out of bed – and that’s true for some people,” Rosie Rawson says.

The 28-year-old’s mum, Trish, died after getting Covid-19 in May. Rosie says grief isn’t consistent. Some days are OK – you might be laughing and happy. Other times you want to curl up and watch a film.

“The best thing to do as a friend is not put your opinion on how someone should be grieving or how they should behave. Let them do what they need to do or say what they want to say.”

Julia agrees, adding that sometimes a grieving person may want lots of sex or want to dance and have fun. “Let them be whoever they are and let them say funny jokes,” she says.

image copyrightLobby Akinnola
image captionLobby says his dad Femi was supportive and funny and “a bit of a joker”

“When I first heard dad died, I just fell apart. Completely fell apart. I wasn’t doing anything, wasn’t getting up in the mornings, I was barely looking after myself,” Lobby says.

“What I’d say to others going through grief is, you’re going to feel what you feel.

“There’s no right or wrong way to grieve. Don’t pressure yourself that you have to be a certain way. The other advice I’d give is just talk about the person that’s gone. Not just about their death, there’s a whole life of a person before that. “

Remember significant dates

image copyrightRachel Wilson
image captionRachel set up The Grief Network after her mum died

“We’re very bad at talking about death,” says Rachel Wilson, who founded The Grief Network.

It’s an online community for bereaved young people, which she set up after her mum died.

The 28-year-old says checking in on dates like anniversaries, religious events or birthdays really helps. “It’s not just the first week or month your friend will need support – continue to check in – allow them to remember their lost one.

“If it’s a parent of your friend for example, even if you don’t have many memories, it’s really nice to hear about them so share those memories. And don’t worry about upsetting them, they already feel sad and it’s not your fault.”

Remind them they’re not alone

It’s lonely grieving in a pandemic, especially at a time when you aren’t able to meet up with friends and family and have a hug.

Hannah Brady’s dad Shaun died in with Covid-19 in May. She says it’s really important to stay in touch with your friends.

“I would encourage people to private message, drop someone a text, a call, or send a card. It reminds them that although they are alone in grief, that you’re there to walk through it with them.”

image copyrightHannah Brady
image captionHannah Brady’s dad Shaun died with Covid-19 in May

Don’t always expect a reply

Rosie says having to reply to all the WhatsApp messages, texts and letters she received was overwhelming. A simple message followed by the words “don’t feel you have to reply” relieved her of that stress.

“It takes the pressure off so I could respond when I had the headspace. There’s a lot of admin with having to reply – sometimes to people you haven’t spoken to in ages.”

And don’t give up on them!

“Even dropping a call without checking it’s OK allows the grieving person to decide whether they want to chat,” Rachel says.

“If you’ve tried a couple of times and there’s no answer – don’t give up. They may not be feeling up to it now – maybe a few weeks or months down the line they may well be.”

Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays – or listen back here.





Source link

You might also like

England v India: Sophia Dunkley will remember Test debut ‘for a long time’

Belgium’s ‘X factor’ proves the difference as Kevin de Bruyne shines

Why US millennials are quitting big cities

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • More
  • Pinterest
  • Telegram
  • Email
Tags: bbc
Share30Tweet19
Previous Post

ZQTHL 2 Pair of Ice Cleats Traction Cleats for Boots Shoes Men Women Kids Anti Slip Spike Shoes ice Cleats Snow Traction Cleats crampons

Next Post

Biden raises Navalny arrest, Russian hacking in first call with Putin

souhaib

Recommended For You

England v India: Sophia Dunkley will remember Test debut ‘for a long time’

by souhaib
June 18, 2021
0

As Sophia Dunkley raised her bat to celebrate reaching a half-century on Test debut against India, her mum was one of the many spectators applauding.So too were her...

Read more

Belgium’s ‘X factor’ proves the difference as Kevin de Bruyne shines

by souhaib
June 18, 2021
0

Belgium needed their 'X factor' substitutions to save them against Denmark and book their place in the last 16 of Euro 2020 after being "put to the test"...

Read more

Why US millennials are quitting big cities

by souhaib
June 18, 2021
0

Smaller cities around the US are offering incentives, sometimes up to $15,000, for young talent to move there. And with remote work on the rise, people are freer...

Read more

Once the future, US now captive to its past

by souhaib
June 18, 2021
0

At the top of Wall Street is the cemetery of Trinity Church, where one of the most storied founding fathers, Alexander Hamilton, is interred. Then I turn right...

Read more

The Gurkha veterans fighting for Covid care in Nepal

by souhaib
June 17, 2021
0

Covid has reached the remotest parts of Nepal – including the mountain village of Barpak, which is home to many British Army Gurkha veterans and their families. For...

Read more
Next Post

Biden raises Navalny arrest, Russian hacking in first call with Putin

No Result
View All Result

Recent Posts

  • Why Republicans feel little political pressure for stricter gun control
  • The end of free money means the end of SPACs in the United States
  • The cryptoactive firm Bit2Me starts a tour to explain the blockchain By EFE
  • Josh Duggar sentenced to 12 years in prison for child pornography
  • #AMLOTrackingPoll Approval of AMLO, May 26

Browse by Category

  • Australia
  • Automotive
  • Business
  • Celebrity
  • Cryptocurrency
  • Deals
  • Economie
  • Education
  • Euro
  • Forex
  • Gaming
  • Health
  • Life Style
  • NBA
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Sports
  • Switzerland
  • Trending
  • U.S.
  • Uncategorized

Categories

  • Australia
  • Automotive
  • Business
  • Celebrity
  • Cryptocurrency
  • Deals
  • Economie
  • Education
  • Euro
  • Forex
  • Gaming
  • Health
  • Life Style
  • NBA
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Sports
  • Switzerland
  • Trending
  • U.S.
  • Uncategorized

Pages

  • Contact US
  • Newsletter
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions

© 2021 - TrendsWide

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Contact US
  • Privacy Policy
  • Trending
  • U.S.
  • Economie
  • Deals
  • Reviews
  • Cryptocurrency
  • Health
  • Life Style
  • NBA

© 2021 - TrendsWide

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.