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Death is never easy and the loss of a loved one is always difficult to cope with especially as a senior. Here are some inspiring ways for seniors to cope with the death of a family member.
Why the Death of a Family Member is More Painful for Seniors
If you’re wondering why the death of a family member is so painful for seniors in particular, consider this. Younger people don’t usually experience as many deaths in the family. By the time you have reached your golden years, you will have dealt with more death than most younger people. Every loss is difficult, but when you compound that loss with multiple deaths over time every loss gets a little harder. Older folks eventually find themselves feeling alone as most of the people that they knew and loved have passed away. Every time someone in the family dies, a part of you dies with them. Seniors need care, compassion, and support to help them deal with each new loss. Another reason it’s important to offer seniors support when a death in the family occurs is thatseniors can sometimes experience a sensation similar to survivor’s guilt. For example, by the time elderly people find themselves with very few living relatives left, they might begin to wonder why they’re still here. When a sibling passes away, some seniors are so stricken by grief that they wish they could have taken their place.
Coping
While you will be overwhelmed with sorrow after the death of a family member, it’s important to get back on track as best you can and as quickly as possible. This doesn’t mean you’re not still mourning, but it helps avoid the onset of depression. No matter how tragic the death, you cannot let it affect you for the rest of your life.
When seniors wallow in their grief, they put themselves at risk of isolation and losing their independence. It’s a sad fact, but there are instances of family members that try to use the devastating situation to wrest control of theirfinances or in extreme cases have them committed.
The key is to find ways to cope, hopefully with support. Here are some helpful coping strategies to turn to when you lose a family member. Do something upbeat and find new surroundings. Even though it might not seem like it will help, you need to do something upbeat. Try leaving the area for a while and experiencing new surroundings. By traveling to a new place, you will feelliberated from the constant reminders of your loved one’s death.
Socialize
One of the most important things to do when coping with the death of a family member is to socialize, keeping communicating and not isolate yourself. Try inviting people over to watch a few funny movies and keep you company. Make your favorite dinner recipe and ask a friend to join you for a great meal. Call your neighbor and go for a nice long walk together. Socializing is an important coping strategy because it’s never good to be alone after the loss of a family member. When you’re alone, coping becomes more difficult. That said, it’s normal for seniors to need to take a few days by themselves but too much time is not healthy. One thing that you should keep in mind is that while it’s healthy to socialize after the death of a family member, you should not engage in new relationships with strangers. Although it can be good to meet new people, it’s never a good idea to engage with new people shortly after the loss of a family member, so stick to those you know and can support you. This is because your grief will put you at a disadvantage. After the death of a family member, you may have trouble thinking clearly which can make it easier for people to take advantage of you.
Dedicate Something to Honor your Loved One
While spending time with friends and family can be a helpful part of the coping process, another way to cope is to find meaning in your loved one’s death and do something to honor them. Honoring a loved one after their death is one of the best and most effective ways to cope because it helps bring closure. There are many different ways to honor a loved one that has passed. If you know your loved one’s favorite charity, you can make a donation of money or your time in their honor. Likewise, if your family member was a beloved member of the community, you can honor them by petitioning to have a street or public space named after them.You can raise money to honor your loved one by selling your life insurance policy. You’ll learn more about this later.
Do Something Nice for Yourself
Finally, once you have begun to cope with your loved one’s passing, you need to do something nice for yourself. If anything, death is a reminder that life is short and should be lived to its fullest! Remember all the wonderful experiences throughout your life that made you smile, laugh, relaxed and full of love. This means that you owe it to yourself to continue to enjoy life as much as possible while you can and keep making memories.
Once you’re feeling up to it, try splurging on yourself and take time to do the things that you have always wanted to do. Take vacations, buy a boat, take a cruise, visit long-lost friends, buy a more comfortable home or maybe something as simple as that fancy expresso coffee machine you have been thinking about for years. Do you have a bucket list? If not, maybe sit down and create one.
If you’re running low on money in your golden years and have no idea how to come up with the extra money to do such things, consider this. You may be able to free up a considerable amount of money simply by selling your unwanted or unneeded life insurance policy.
Anyone 65 years of age or older or terminally ill at any age can sell their life insurance policy. The transaction is called a life settlement. Why keep paying premiums on a life insurance policy when you could have access to all the money you need to live happily for the rest of your life?
Sell Your Life Insurance Policy with MRE Finance
MRE Finance is dedicated to helping seniors like yourself sell their life insurance policies to free up cash to use as you wish. If you want to honor your loved one with a large memorial or donation, we can help you to do that by selling your life insurance policy for a life settlement. Don’t forget you can also use the cash to make your dreams come true and the compassionate team at MRE Finance will walk you through the process. You can call 1-800-521-0770 or if you prefer, try the free life settlement calculator and find out the potential value of your policy in minutes.
Ask MRE Finance how a life settlement can help you!
