What to say to someone who has been bereaved
Back to Topic
Click to Print
Useful Websites
Glossary Term Selection
Things that can be helpful
Say how sorry you are
When someone is grieving, it’s important to acknowledge what has happened and express your sympathy. This can be as brief as saying ‘I’m so sorry for your loss’, or ‘I heard about your dad, I’m so sorry’.
Share a memory
If you knew the person who has died, you could also share a memory or say what they meant to you. You might say something like, ‘I remember your mum’s brilliant speech at your wedding’, or ‘I’ll miss your grandad’s wonderful sense of humour’.
Offer them space to talk
Many bereaved people say it helps to be able to speak freely about how they’re feeling. Saying ‘how are you doing?’ gives them a chance to talk about it if they want to.
If you know the person quite well, you could ask them directly, ‘Would you like to talk about it?’. Let them know you’re happy to listen to any feelings they want to share.
Tell them however they feel is OK
People who are grieving can experience a huge range of emotions, including shoc...
Want to see the rest of this article?
Would you like to see the rest of this article and all the other benefits that Issues Online can provide with?
- Useful related articles
- Video and multimedia references
- Statistical information and reference material
- Glossary of terms
- Key Facts and figures
- Related assignments
- Resource material and websites
