You might not like the idea of visiting a funeral home after someone's death, but it's important to remember that your presence can play a helpful role in helping the grieving family through the mourning process. Some funeral home attendees get anxious about expressing their sympathy, but there's really no reason to be nervous about how to show your support and care. Whether at a visitation or the service, you'll get a chance to stand face to face with the grieving family members and offer a few gentle words that show your condolences. Here are three elements of effectively conveying this message.
Say You're Sorry For The Loss
First and foremost, before you worry about which anecdotes you should share about the person's life and how much you should talk before moving along, it's integral to say that you're sorry for the family's loss. Some funeral home visitors might try to overdo this sentiment, but the reality is that as long as you make eye contact when you say it and sound sincere, you're doing your job perfectly. You can briefly follow up the concept of saying you're sorry by identifying with the family. For example, acknowledge that you understand that this is a difficult time and you're sorry the family is going through this.
Show Support In Different Ways
There are a number of ways that you can convey your support to the family at this difficult time. Just like with saying you're sorry about the loss, you don't need to overdo these methods. Simple sentiments such as telling the family members that your thoughts are with them is effective. In some instances, offering that you're praying for the family can be helpful, although it's best to be sure that the family is religious before you share this sentiment. You can also show your support by asking if you can help the family in a method such as dropping off food in the coming days or taking care of the family's young children for an afternoon.
Share A Lesson Or Memory
While it's ideal to keep your exchange with the family succinct out of respect for the fact that the family will be greeting many other mourners, you can share a lesson taught by the person who passed away or explain a happy memory you have. Make sure to keep this walk down memory lane brief – there will be time to share greater details during a future get-together, but the funeral home isn't the time for monopolizing the family's time.
To learn more, contact a funeral home like Fluehr Funeral Home.
Share16 February 2016
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