COOPERATIVE MEMORIAL SOCIETY
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Grieving Together

In tough times we are more vulnerable to stress, worry, anxiety and depression. It’s important to take care of ourselves and those we know. Be kind.

Death of a friend, family member and even someone we didn't know well, can have a significant impact on our mental and physical health. Remember, it’s normal to feel stress. Everyone who goes through a traumatic event is affected in some way. Sometimes these stresses may not appear for weeks or months following an event. It is important to watch for warning signs.

Alberta Health Services offers many free resources listed here:

Get Help NowCrisis/Distress Line
  • Edmonton 780-482-4357
  • Calgary 403-266-HELP (4357)
  • Distress Crisis Centres in Alberta
  • Text: Calgary Connect Teen
  • Online Chat: Distress Centre

Important Phone Numbers
  • Health Link – 811
  • Mental Health Helpline – 1-877-303-2642
  • Kids Help Phone – 1-800-668-6868

Grief Support

Visit these MyHealth.Alberta.ca resources or call 811 for information on grieving and helping children/teens during times of loss:
  • Recovery After a Disaster or Emergency Resources
  • Grief and Grieving: Overview
  • Coping with Grief
  • Unresolved Grief
  • Complications of Grief
  • Grief Dealing with Feelings of Insecurity
  • Obstacles to Grieving
  • Grief Counselling
  • Stop Negative Thoughts
  • Grief: Care Instructions
  • Grief: Losing a loved one
  • Grief: Helping Children Understand
  • Grief: Helping Older Adults With Grief
  • Handling Sadness and Yearning After a Major Loss

Supporting Others

The most important thing to do is simply be present, listen and show that you care:
  • Be tolerant 
  • Discover the gift of silence
  • Be accepting 
  • Allow the bereaved to express unhappiness
  • Don’t be distressed by differences in grief responses
  • Be aware 
  • Be respectful 
  • Refer to the person who has died by name
  • Be considerate
  • Allow people to grieve in their own way
  • Don’t interrupt; keep your comments brief and simple
WHAT TO SAY:
  • I’m sorry
  • I have not had the experience of losing a spouse/parent…
  • This must be a difficult time for you…
  • How stressful (or what a shock, or how sad) for you and your family… 
  • I cannot imagine what you are going through…
  • Ask non-invasive questions which reveal interest…then be quiet
This information was shared by The City of Calgary. 
WHAT NOT TO SAY:
  • I understand…
  • I know how you feel…
  • It was likely for the best…
  • It is God’s will or it was his (or her) time to go…
  • Be strong for the family
  • Avoid “Buck Up” messages
  • Be happy you had him/her for this long
  • You must keep going
  • Keep your chin up
  • Time will heal
Cooperative Memorial Society (CMS)
Suite 204A, 223-12th Ave. S.W. Calgary, Ab. T2R 0G9 Canada (Appointments required)
1-403-248-2044 
​Toll free: 1-800-566-9959
admin@calgarymemorial.com

​
​The Cooperative Memorial Society of Alberta would like to acknowledge that what we refer to as Alberta is the traditional ancestral territory of a diversity of Indigenous peoples and home to Treaty 6, 7, and 8. We honor the Blackfoot Confederacy – Kainai, Piikani, and Siksika, the Cree, Dene, Saulteaux, Nakota Sioux, Stoney Nakoda, the Tsuu T’ina Nation and the Métis People of Alberta. This includes the Métis Settlements and the Six Regions of the Métis Nation of Alberta within the historical Northwest Métis Homeland. We recognize and give thanks to the many First Nations, Métis and Inuit who have lived in and cared for these lands for generations, all who continue to grace these lands, and all future generations. We are grateful for the traditional Knowledge Keepers and Elders who are still with us today and those who have gone before us. We make this acknowledgement as an act of reconciliation and gratitude to those whose territory we reside on or are visiting.
  • Home
  • About
    • Mandate and Action Plan
    • History
    • We're a co-op >
      • Memorial societies
      • Funeral co-ops >
        • Business Case: Funeral Co-op in Calgary
    • Legislation
    • Governance >
      • Board of Directors >
        • Bylaws
        • AGM Materials
        • Join Board
        • Policies >
          • Privacy policy
          • Terms & conditions
        • Contact us
    • Become a Volunteer
  • Membership
    • Purchase Online
    • Purchase by Cheque
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Request Presentation >
      • Testimonials
  • Partners
  • Registry
    • About the Registry >
      • Troubleshooting Login >
        • Dealing with 3rd party cookies
    • Member Login
    • Hard copy forms
  • Advance Planning
    • Must-Have Documents >
      • Personal Directive
      • Enduring Power of Attorney
      • Will >
        • Association des juristes d’expression française de l’Alberta
    • Manage Your Estate >
      • Be Prepared
      • Adult Guardianship & Trusteeship
      • Selecting an Executor
      • Executor Duties
      • Executor's Checklist
    • Palliative & End-of-Life Care >
      • Hospice Care
      • Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID)
      • Alberta Organ and Tissue Donation
    • Body Donation
    • Family-Led Deathcare
    • Funeral / Memorial Service >
      • Funeral homes with CMS plans
      • After-death Documentation
      • Funeral Benefits
      • Cremation
      • Green Burials
      • AB Municipal Cemeteries >
        • Red Deer and Area
      • Obituary - Writing
  • Dealing with the Death of a Member
    • Death Benefit
    • Last Post Fund
    • Grieving Together
    • Useful links