Losing a mother can be an unbelievably painful thing for people at any age. Supporting those through loss can be difficult but being there for those who lost their mothers is an important part of people healing through their grief journey.

These days it can be difficult to support a grieving friend or loved one due to social distancing. However, there are still many ways you can let them know you are there for them.

On Mother's Day or any other significant holiday, offer to go with your friend or loved one to lay flowers on their mother's grave, provided that all local social distancing restrictions are followed. Visiting a cemetery is seldom easy to do alone and your company may make a painful visit a little less difficult. If you were close to your friend's mother, you may wish to bring flowers yourself to honor her in your own special way.

Offer to attend grief meetings if that is the route they wish to go. For many, the loss of a mother is especially painful, and seeking the help of professionals and caregivers is a productive way for someone to work through their grief. Grief meetings can be daunting to do alone so offering your time and company may make the task a little easier. For the time being, grief meetings will likely be held virtually. If this is the case, simply ask if it is possible to attend the meeting that way along with your friend. Seeing a friendly face and hearing a familiar voice on the screen may make your friend feel more comfortable.

Have a Mother’s Day brunch meal delivered to your friend’s house. This delivery can be made into a personal memorial by the simple addition of another place setting for the mom who passed away. Send some flowers to your friend and let them know they can mark their mother’s spot with them. Even in death, mothers never lose their place at the table and honoring that treasured space may make your friend less alone in their grief.

Mother's Day can be difficult to deal with after the loss of a mother or grandmother. At times,grief can feel isolating but supporting those who lost their mother is an important task in empathy and understanding that can make a difficult loss a little less painful.