Grief Care Package Guide

By Westchester Funeral Home ~ 20 June, 2018

Benefits of a Care Package

Losing a loved one is a difficult time for everyone. While trying to deal with stress and emotions that follow grief, many people often find they have very little free time. With much of the focus on mourning a loss and making preparations for the funeral service, it’s common to feel like you don’t have the time or energy to run extra errands.

If this is the case for someone you know, consider making them a grief care package. What is that exactly? Well, a grief care package is filled with some of the things necessary for basic needs. It includes items like toiletries, food, and resources to help ease the burden and make managing grief easier.

Not only does creating a care package show that you care about the bereaved, it will actually help them through the grief process. After the loss of a loved one, it’s normal for some people to want to spend time alone. Filling a care package with resources and items to help them cope can make this time easier. After a loved one’s passing, the bereaved often hear condolences and gestures of assistance if they need anything. Too often though, people simply offer to assist with anything but never really follow through after the funeral service.

A care package shows that you have made an effort to help the bereaved cope. It shows that you care about them and their wellbeing. Lastly, it presents the opportunity for you to check in on them and be there to help them through such a difficult time.

What to Include in A Care Package?

If you’re interested in creating a care package for someone you know, you might find yourself wondering what to include in it. Truthfully, the possibilities are endless. Try to select things that you think will help the bereaved cope with their loss. You are one of the people that knows them best so use that knowledge and build the package accordingly.

In most cases though, the following items are pretty standard for most care packages.

Benefits of a Care Package

What to Include in A Care Package?

In most cases though, the following items are pretty standard for most care packages.

Toiletries

Think of the basic necessities and items that you often replace in a bathroom. Your list of toiletries items should include things like: toilet paper, packets of tissues, travel size shampoo, toothpaste, a toothbrush, soap, and lip balm.

Food

In the case of food, you want to select things that are easy to make or can be snacked on quickly. For the most part, stick to non-perishable food items as you don’t know how long they might sit before they are eaten. Items to include are things like: canned goods, granola bars, nuts, instant oatmeal, or cereal.

Gifts

Besides the necessities you have included, many people like to add small gifts as well. Examples of gifts you could include are: candles, a cozy blanket, photo frame/album, or bath bombs. If the family has young children, you might want to include things like coloring books, a stuffed animal, or children’s grief books.

Grief Resources

Because the purpose of this care package is to help someone cope with grief, make sure to include some grief support resources. This could include brochures, contact information for support groups, a journal to record their thoughts or links to helpful online resources like grief blogs.

A Little Effort Goes a Long Way

If you’d like to learn more about care packages or things that could be included, make sure to reach out and ask the funeral home. They may be able to offer ideas and resources to include within the package.

Don’t feel like you need to purchase everything yourself. Consider talking to other friends of the bereaved and ask them if they would like to contribute to it. By turning it into a group effort, you will likely be able to create a larger care package or at the very least, save on the cost.