Facing loss is rough, but you’re not completely helpless when it comes to assisting someone you care about in processing it.
Loss is one of the worst things that anyone can have to deal with. And it is unfortunately a normal part of life, and something we all have to face at some point. When you see a close friend or family member struggling with loss, you probably wish that you could do something to help them.
You can never fix what happened or help your friend get automatically better, but you can get them a few things that will make this time for them just a bit easier. Even though you can’t personally take away their issues the way you would want to, lessening their burden just a bit by helping them relax will be a great help. You can make each day just a bit easier with a few helpful items.
There are many things you can get for a grieving person that can help them out on some level. Some things can always help you make things somewhat easier for your loved one and give them some relief in the midst of their grief. A meaningful gesture from someone who cares can really lift someone’s spirits even while they are going through the toughest of times. Certain gifts can help your loved one immensely as they work through their feelings of loss over their loved one. We’ve compiled a list of gifts that will really help someone in your life who is dealing with the pain of grief.
Gifts for someone who lost a loved one
When things are hard for someone you care about, you will want to make them feel better, and there are a few gifts you can get to do that. Loss is not something that is easy to handle, so your contribution can help a lot. From heavy blankets to massage tools, this list will help you make your loved one feel much more comfortable right now. Anything on this list is something your loved one will likely be very thankful you were thoughtful enough to get them.
Weighted Blanket
A warm and cozy blanket can get someone through a lot of rough nights. A weighted blanket is designed to provide stress relief. It provides therapy by putting pressure on the body that induces calmness. The pressure makes you feel as if you’ve been hugged or swaddled.
If your loved one is feeling lonely and wants to feel embraced, a weighted blanket can make them feel hugged despite being in bed alone. They can use the blanket anywhere in their home when they want to feel some warm, comforting pressure. If you get someone a weighted blanket from Amazon, you can manage to find them in different sizes, styles, and colors. A struggling friend will get a lot of great use out of this exceptionally comfortable blanket.
Picture Frame
When someone in your life has lost someone, memories are some of the only things they will have left of that person. Picture frames can help hold great memories that your loved one doesn’t want to forget. They might be spending lots of time dwelling on the person they once knew, so commemorating great moments with a picture frame can feel soothing in a way. With one or more really nice picture frames, your friend or family member can commemorate great memories or simply display a nice picture of the person they once loved.
Picture frames can make good pictures look even better. The type of frame you get for your friend can set a certain mood for the picture that’s put in it. The right frame will look great in your friend’s home and be enjoyable to look at. You should get the kind of frame that will suit their home and represents something about their deceased loved one. If they had loved boats, find a frame that is boat themed. If they loved the color red, try getting a red picture frame. There are so many options available to choose from when looking for a great frame.
Alexa
When someone is grieving, they often have a hard time getting mundane things done. They will need a little help with very simple things sometimes. Alexa is a digital personal assistant that can do a number of useful things. It can play music, make to-do lists, set alarms, play audiobooks, play the news, and so much more. All someone has to do is use their voice and Alexa will answer and help them out with what they ask. Alexa responds to its name, so as long as your loved one calls out “Alexa," they will have access to a number of useful things.
With Alexa, if your loved one even wants to call someone, all they have to do is use their voice, and that is a really convenient function for someone who is struggling. Alexa can even control the television and the lights, so a person can manage to take care of multiple things hands free. Alexa will also do Google searches for people. Your friend or family member won’t have to lift a finger if they don’t want to. They can leave that up to Alexa.
Back Massager
Anything that can help your loved one relax in this tough time will be helpful in some way. One thing that can help them out physically is a back massager. Grief can take a physical toll on somebody, and a back massager can help to relieve some of their pain. It can reduce any stiffness or tension in the body, which is helpful when someone who has been tense for a while needs to get their body to feel better. When your friend is laying down in bed after having a long day, grabbing this back massager is something they’ll probably look forward to.
A back massager makes it so your loved one can take care of their aches and pains on their own without anyone’s assistance. One benefit of that is getting more rest. Your friend will need a lot of rest during this time, and any gift that can help them get it will make things just a bit easier to handle. Back massages can also increase blood flow and circulation, something that is beneficial for many reasons. Getting a massage even releases endorphins, which are known as a feel good hormone. It will be just what a grieving person will need to lift their spirits.
Meal Train
An amazing way to help someone out during a tough time is by setting up a meal train. A meal train is when a person’s friends or family prepares and delivers meals to them during times of need. Eating is something everyone has to do each day, and the process to prepare food can be time consuming and costly. It can take hours to plan and prepare a meal to enjoy, and that often isn’t a pleasant way for someone who is struggling to get through each day. Daily activities can feel like a burden when life is filled with hardships. A great thing you can do for a friend struggling with grief is set up a meal train.
A meal train can be helpful any time a friend or family member is having a hard time. And Give InKind is there to help you through the whole process of setting up a meal train for your loved one. Everything you need to set up a successful meal train can be found right on the website. You can create an InKind Page for your friend in only five minutes. And then you can share photos, food and delivery preferences, and much more.
You will need to write down your friend’s favorite meals on the InKind Page you’ve set up for them. Then anyone who wants to help out has to pick a meal and choose how they will have it delivered. They can choose to make and deliver it themselves, have it delivered by a restaurant. Either directly from the restaurant, via GrubHub, or by paying for a gift card from a specific restaurant.
Slow Cooker
Whenever the meal train is over, your loved one is going to have to work on making food themselves. Grieving people can have a hard time taking care of themselves. Grief can take away motivation and the will to take care of themselves. That is why a slow cooker would make a great gift. With a slow cooker, your loved one can make easy meals without having to do much work for it.
When using a slow cooker, simply throw all the ingredients in and let the food cook for a few hours while you pay attention to something else. And after four, six, or eight hours, some delicious food will be ready to be enjoyed. Slow cooking makes meats really tender and makes sure flavors really meld together. So many great recipes for slow cooker meals can be found online. Having the ability to make food with minimal effort will make self-care so much easier during a depressing time period.
Scented candles
Scented candles can change the mood of a room and make people feel really comfortable and relaxed. There are candles you can find with all kinds of amazing scents. Each will have a different effect on a person when they light it up in their home. Some scents will make your friend feel more energized and some will help them feel more relaxed. Make sure to get them candles that can help them relax at this time.
One good place to get a candle from is Yankee Candle. Yankee Candle has every scent you can think of to have your friend’s place smelling great. They offer a variety of scents and sizes, so you can easily find something that your friend will really appreciate. They also offer personalized candles, signature candles, and original jar candles. If you really want to make the gift personal, customize a scent for your friend based on scents they love.
Some of the scents they offer include Twilight Tunes, Cucumber Mint Cooler, and Honeycomb among others. They also offer scents that don’t come as candles in case that is something your friend will prefer. You can get them room sprays or plug-ins.
Everyone could use a hand sometimes, especially when they are dealing with a tough loss. Suffering loss can drain someone of all their energy. Leaving them unable to do very much to take care of themselves. That’s why just any useful gift from you can make a pretty big impact. Let this list inspire you to help out your loved one in the best way that you can.
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