How to leverage technology to help manage grief
There’s no doubt about it; the digital age revolutionized the way people do things. One of the aspects that it also transformed is the way people mourn. Now, you have virtual rituals from Zoom funerals or cremations services to online obituaries as a way to manage grief. You can hear funeral songs and engage in eulogies even if you are thousands of miles away.
Definitely, technology is a game-changer in the way people communicate. It holds very true when it comes to grieving the death of a loved one. Though you may now worry about how to use social media properly when it comes to death, technology also serves as a powerful resource to help you move on. Here are a few ways wherein you can leverage modern innovation to assist in managing your grief.
Setting Up Online Obituaries
In the olden days, people had no other choice but to pay for printed obituaries in leading newspapers or local papers to announce the death of a loved one. Today, these still exist in printed newspapers, too. However, since most local papers have an online counterpart, you can expect to find the obituary online as well if you choose to work with a newspaper company.
Alternatively, you can save on costs by collaborating with a purely online obituary hosting site. These virtual obituaries offer more accessibility for people who do not live in your locality. Furthermore, online articles proffer better visibility because people can readily share them on social media. Besides, an online obituary can stay alive on the internet indefinitely.
That being said, make sure all the immediate family and close friends are aware of the passing of your loved one before publishing the virtual announcement. It will be very traumatic for any person to discover the death of a dear loved one via a website or social media.
Creating An Online Guest Book
In the same token, most people who set up online obituaries also create virtual guest books for people who drop by the site. Guests can leave sympathy messages for the family or share tidbits about the deceased. If you choose to set up an online guestbook, you will have a safe space for family and friends to convene.
Those who read the notes left by guests can relive fond memories of the deceased. When you share memories online, you get to grieve as one with a community, even if a big distance separates you.
Just be sure to practice proper etiquette and not reveal too much information that you would otherwise not say in person. Instead, leave a classy, memorable, and touching message that will warm the hearts of everyone who drops in.
Start a Crowdfunding Website
Death has no schedule, so the family members left behind often have to face it without enough preparation. In this tragic and unexpected time, you can turn to crowdfunding pages like Go Fund Me or You Caring for monetary support. After all, everyone knows that death care services are expensive, so a little extra money will help defray the funeral or cremation costs.
These crowdfunding pages are excellent tech breakthroughs that provide monetary assistance for the bereaved family. You can ask a family member or friend to help you set up your own donation page. Apart from monetary donations, those who pass through the page can also give words of comfort. Notably, if you create this page for someone, you have to check with the family members if they are okay with this idea.
Try Online Support Groups and Counseling Sessions
It is normal to seek support and comfort from family and friends when you are grieving. However, there may be some cases wherein you feel extreme depression. In this scenario, it may be more helpful to seek professional intervention. Thanks to technology, you can readily meet an online counselor via Zoom. A quick internet search will provide leads on counseling clinics that offer virtual appointments.
The same holds true for online support groups. If you have people undergoing the same situation as you, bonding with them will help you recover. For example, you can join special groups such as: moms of stillborn babies, parents who have lost young children, family members who lost someone to violence.
These helpful resources allow you to connect with groups of people who understand your situation because they had a somewhat similar experience. Apart from doling out advice, they offer you hope because you can see that the various members have also successfully handled the difficulties they faced.
Set Up Lives Streaming for the Services
When it is impossible for all your loved ones to attend the funeral or memorial services, you can leverage technology and do a live stream. This virtual solution can bridge the distance, whether important family members cannot attend because of distance, sickness, or military service. Now, it is common to live stream proceedings or even record them for later viewing. Similarly, guests from far away can now record eulogies to be shown during the services.
Though technology cannot erase grief, it certainly serves as a very helpful tool for helping you and your loved ones manage the unbearable sadness you are feeling. Innovation makes things a lot easier and provides that important connection that lets you mourn with other people. Tech, without a doubt, provides comfort and assures you that you are not alone, which are all vital components in your journey to healing.
