Coping with the death of a loved one

Posted: 12.15.2010 at 5:19 PM

KIRKSVILLE, MO -- The holiday season is in full swing but for some, it’s hard to be cheerful. Losing a loved one around this time of the year can be very difficult. We talked to area experts to try and find some tips on how to make the best of the holiday season. According to Carla Hustead, an employee at Hospice of Northeast Missouri, everyone has their own coping mechanism.

“Well there’s really no right or wrong way to grieve and it’s very unique for everyone” said Hustead. “So we at hospice would say that if you plan to be alone for the holiday season that’s one thing but if you’re just alone for the holiday because of feeling depressed or having extreme difficulties with the loss then that’s a different thing.”

Hustead said it’s not so much getting over it but getting through it. One of those ways is to find a support group with friends and family. Keep close to them and continue to talk about the legacy of the loved one. Some families may even want to memorialize their loved ones to keep them close. And when it comes to traditions, it’s OK to switch it up.

“It’s OK to change tradition. One of the things people tend to struggle with is they always did the same thing and this might be a time in your life to change up that tradition.”

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