In Loving Memory
TRIBUTES TO OUR LOVED ONES
How to prepare a eulogy
Giving the eulogy
at a funeral is an honor as well as an intimidating responsibility. Particularly if you are not accustomed to publicspeaking, it can be difficult to know where to begin.
Well, take a breath and relax. With a little forethought, you can prepare and deliver a stirring eulogy. It is important to invest the time necessary to prepare in advance. Do not wait to “wing it” during the funeral. That is a recipe for disaster. You may freeze up, ramble on, and miss out on the opportunity to pay proper tribute to your loved one. If you plan ahead and organize what you intend to say, it will minimize those dangers. When the time comes, you may choose to digress a bit from your prepared statements, but you will at least have a framework to guide you.
Writing the eulogy
To help with your preparation, make sure you carry a notepad, smartphone or tablet with you for note-taking purposes. Whenever you hear a family member or friend make a relevant observation about the deceased, quickly jot it down. This way, you can keep track of quotations, humorous stories, and factual information. Later, when you sit down to organize your thoughts onto paper, you can use your notes as a reservoir of ideas. If you are have difficulty recalling information or getting input from others, don’t be afraid to ask outright. Spark conversations by asking questions such as:
• What is your favorite memory of your time with them?
• If you could sum up their life in one word, what word would that be?
• What kinds of hobbies did they have?
• What nicknames were they known by?
When you have gathered enough information, it is time to put it all
together. While there is no right or wrong way to prepare a eulogy, the following blueprint can help you get started if you are unsure.
To begin, describe your own relationship with the deceased. Explain how you are personally affected by the loss. Remember that many of the people listening to you will understand fully and may share many of the same emotions. Next, work in some personal details pertaining to the deceased, and include three or four anecdotes. Tell stories that included you, or that were shared with you by others. Heartwarming accounts of generosity are powerful when delivered in a eulogy. Stories that demonstrate the person’s character will resonate with the people who miss them. Humorous anecdotes provide much-needed comic relief from the tension of a funeral service. However, be sure to keep the humor respectful and appropriate. If the loved one was a person of faith, you can make note of that, too.
Talk about life lessons you learned from them as well as the qualities that
made your loved one special. Whenever possible, tie these lessons or qualities into your anecdotes. Beware, however, of the danger of turning the eulogy into a story about yourself. Keep the focus on the person you are honoring.
Near the end of the eulogy, consider addressing the deceased directly. For example, you can turn toward the casket and say, “Mom, I love you and I’m going to miss you. You taught me well, I couldn’t have asked for a better mother, and you will always be close to my heart.”
You may choose to end on that note, or you may opt to share a final poem or read a verse from a favorite hymn in closing.
Delivering the eulogy
You should prepare a complete manuscript of what you plan to say. Though the process may be difficult, it will force you to focus an dorganize your thoughts in a coherent fashion. Using this manuscript, you can practice delivering the eulogy a few times to see how it flows and to edit for length. In most cases, a eulogy of five to ten minutes (two to four
typed pages) is appropriate. If you expect that you will stray from the manuscript during delivery, aim for shorter. If you tend to speak faster when nervous, prepare a longer eulogy.
Whether you take the complete manuscript to the podium or condense the eulogy onto cue cards is your decision. If you are nervous about speaking publicly, bring the entire manuscript up to the podium with you. Just having it handy can relieve your anxiety about getting lost during the eulogy. If you are a confident public speaker, condense the eulogy to bullet points on cue cards. This will help you deliver a more natural, conversational tribute to your loved one.
If you invest the time and energy in preparing the eulogy, you can approach your responsibility with confidence. Step up to the podium, take a deep breath to calm your nerves and get your bearings, and tell everyone about this wonderful person you are honoring.
In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Ellie O’Brien Abshire 1935-2025
Redlands, CA
In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Joel William Addink 1965-2025
Frederick Arth 1940-2025
Redlands, CA
George W. Barich 1928-2024
Riverside, CA In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Regina “Jeannie” Ayala 1948-2025
Redlands, CA In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Roger Jackson Bell 1935-2025
Redlands, CA
In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Virginia Boyd 1929-2025
Redlands, CA
La Jolla, CA In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Ruth P Barron 1929-2024 Colton, CA In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Fanny Ruth Blum 1935-2025 Murrieta, CA
In
In Loving
Loving Memory
Memory
William “Bill” Alden 1948-2024
Menifee, CA
Carmen Saldivar Alexander 1932-2025
Roberta “Bobbie” Babbage 1941-2025 Riverside, CA In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Mary Jane Bates 1941-2025 La Verne, CA
In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Louis A. Bolduc 1937-2024 Moreno Valley, CA
San Dimas, CA In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Nancy Jones Bacon 1934-2025 Alta Loma, CA In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Sally V. Beaty 1936-2025 Riverside, CA
Richard M. Bolin 1940-2024
Darlene Arendt 1933-2025 Davis, CA In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Louise
1954-2024 Corona, CA In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Edgewood, WA In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Catherine Ann Mancuso Brock 1929-2025 Upland, CA In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Darrell Brooks 1933-2025 San Bernardino, CA
John H. Brown and Sheila L. Brown 1931-2024/1936-2024 Rialto, CA In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Ann Bell 1952-2024 Front Royal, VA In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Dorothy Boone 1936-2025 Ontario, CA
In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Mr. James R. Brown 1949-2025 Pomona, CA
Vickie
Ballew
Linda
In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Sherrill Bullard 1943-2025
Upland, CA
In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Ellen Currie 1943-2024
Fort Collins, CO
In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Joseph P. Calderon 1961-2025
Riverside, CA
Peter Curzon 1946-2025
Charles O. Denton 1932-2025
Monmouth, OR
In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Roberta Ann Duncanson 1938-2025
Riverside, CA
In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Bobby Wayne Christian 1941-2025
Corona, CA
Cathy Lynn Coiner 1949-2025
Sophie Uribe Cardoza Felix 1930-2025
Grand Terrace, CA
Eugene, OR In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Diane Bryant Deal 1940-2025
La Verne, CA
Patricia Ann DeQuattro 1934-2024
Templeton, CA In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Nancy Ann Eckert 1932-2024 Charlotte, NC
Charles F. Finnie 1937-2025
Betty Deane McMath Dixon 1928-2025
Riverside, CA In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Jimmie Eisenwinter 1940-2025
La Verne, CA
Riverside, CA In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Charlotte Rose Colbert 1939-2025
Mary Ellen deBoer- Robbins 1935-2025 Rancho Cucamonga, CA In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Kenneth C. Duck 1931-2023
Upland, CA In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Catherine Falvy-McNamara 1933-2025
Rialto CA
Riverside, CA In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Mark S. DeNicolai 1954-2024 Redlands, CA In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Lucille
1926-2024 Riverside, CA In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Dodie Farmer 1942-2025
Redlands, CA
Riverside, CA In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Evelyn (Grannie) Flinn 1928-2025
San Bernardino, CA
Janet Lea Fowler 1937-2024 Redlands, CA In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Cheri Lee Fray 1945-2025 Hemet, CA
Charlotte
Dunaj, nee Swietek
Jay Freeman 1956-2024
Vancouver, WA In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Andrew Fuller 1948-2025 Hemet, CA
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Estella Ochoa Garacia 1941-2025
San Bernardino, CA
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Mary L Garcia 1937-2024 Colton, CA
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Barton C. Gaut 1935-2025 Riverside, CA
Philip Anthony Genaway 1937-2025
San Bernardino, CA In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Walter Melvin Gers 1928-2024
San Bernardino, CA
Juanita (Jennie) Trujillo Gomez 1938-2024 Ontario, CA In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Leandro Gonzales V 1966-2025 Colton, CA
Timothy P. Grotness 1956-2025 Riverside, CA In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Nancy Harmelink 1940-2025
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Timothy Gilbert Guck 1955-2025 Highland, Ca
Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Louis Guillou 1928-2025
San Bernardino, CA
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Josephine “Jay” Guzzetta 1924-2025 Riverside, CA
Redlands, CA In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Rita Heslop 1933-2025
Banning, CA In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Gene Maurece Harper 1923-2024 Ontario, CA In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Jean Holtz 1944-2025 Oceanside, CA
Shirley Beitzell Harrison 1943-2025 Riverside, CA In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Jeannine Hart 1929-2025 Riverside, CA
Phillip Howard 1943-2025 Hemet, CA In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Shawn Holden Huber 1970-2025 Zion, IL
CA In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
2025 San
Loving Memory In Loving Memory
1950-2025 Temecula, CA
Carol Hernandez 1947-2024
Riverside, CA In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Kenneth Jack Hudgins 1951-2025 Richland, WA
Jesus (Chuy) Gonzalez
Bernardino,
Glenda Haas
In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Gordon Hurst 1945-2025
Sage, CA
In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
John David Kevari 1963-2025
San Bernardino, CA
In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Kathleen Ann Ingenhousz 1954-2024
Fontana California
In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Lovey Macias Garcia Kiefer 1929-2025
Riverside, CA
In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Mary Lou Johnson 1941-2025
Yucaipa, CA
In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Truman Johnson, M.D. 1933-2025
San Diego, CA
Maria Cristina McVittie Keegan 1941-2024
Joy Klopf 1941-2025 Riverside, CA In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Jacqueline (Jackie) Elaine Knight 1941-2024
Randall “Randy” John Lafrenz 1961-2024
Upland, CA In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Ruth Lenz 1934-2025
Rancho Cucamonga, CA
In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Rudy Colunga Luna 1939-2025
Bloomington, CA
Frances Pauline Langford 1932-2025
Hickory Creek, TX In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Lt. Colonel Vance A. Lerner 1931-2025
Riverside, CA
In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Sandy (Sandra) L. MacAulay 1948-2024
Nipomo, CA
Patricia “Trish” Dorothy Lawler 1936-2024
San Bernardino, CA In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
San Dimas, CA In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
William Julius Lopez 1954-2025
Apple Valley, CA
In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Frank Maka 1936-2024
Banning, CA
David Lawrence 1935-2025 Redlands, CA In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Glen Lyle Ludwig 1932-2024
Indian Wells, CA In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Harold L. Kund 1942-2025 Riverside, CA In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Graham
San Bernardino, CA In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Hope Vivian Malgra 1931-2025
Upland, CA
2025 Riverside, CA In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
William G. Luna 1954-2025
Lake Arrowhead, CA
In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Waldean Elaine Martens 1941-2025
Austin, TX
William
Leedy, Jr.
In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Lou Ella Johnson Martin 1931-2024
Murrieta, CA
In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Charlotte A. Martinez 1924-2024
Karen Taylor McKeever 1943-2024
Grand Terrace, CA
Walter Raymond Mook 1931-2024
Yucaipa, CA In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Richard Morris 1938-2025
Riverside, CA
Hon. Thomas F. Nuss 1932-2025
San Bernardino, CA In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Marcus M. Millen 1987-2024
Rafaela Martinez 1931-2025
Eastvale, CA In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Ella Jean Moore 1932-2024 Redlands, CA
Bobbie Moseley 1928-2025 McKinney, TX In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
San Bernardino, CA In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Michael Allen Miller 1949-2025
Palm Desert, CA
Loving Memory In Loving Memory
William (Bill) Moore 1949-2025
Fontana, CA
In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Karlyn Sevil Moudy 1937-2025
Loving Memory In Loving Memory
David McDaniel 1960-2024
Riverside, CA
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Bernice Henrie Miller 1936-2025
Riverside, CA
Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Terry L. Moreno 1956-2025
Rialto, CA
Riverside, CA
Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Francis W. McIntosh 1949-2025 Corona, CA
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Dwight A. Montano 1963-2025
Lake Elsinore, CA
Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Charles (Charlie) A. Morgan
1943-2025 Hemet, CA
Lawrence Alan Mumma 1929-2025
Riverside, CA In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Phyllis Bryant Munday 1935-2025
La Verne, CA In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Ruth Ann Covington Williams Nydam 1943-2025
Redlands, CA In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Priscilla Obst 1926-2025
Loma Linda, CA In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Jesus Olivarez 1944-2020 San Bernardino, CA
Claremont, CA In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Michael Dean Ostermann 1972-2024 Beaumont, CA In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Jr.
In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Barbara Pike 1934-2025
Highland, CA
In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Enrique Lechuga Rangel 1924-2025
Pomona, CA
In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Brent C. Rieger 1970-2025
Redlands, CA
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Christina Samano 1977-2024
Bakersfield, CA
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James Arthur Simmons 1942-2025
DeLand, FL
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In
Michel Plaa 1929-2025
Upland, CA
In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Richard M. Reid, II 1943-2025
Loma Linda, CA
Celia Miranda Escarcega Rios 1937-2025
Rancho Cucamonga, CA In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Judith Schubert 1948-2025
Suffolk, VA
In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Harriet Singer 1934-2024
Riverside, CA
In
In Loving
Loving Memory
Memory
Carmen Plasencia 1927-2025
Fontana, CA
In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
John Pollard 1950-2025
Rancho Cucamonga, CA
Robert D. “Bob” Raney, Sr. 1930-2025
Luke Matthew Reynolds 1992-2025
Riverside, CA In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Barbara Leora (Thomas) Roach 1931-2025
Riverside, CA In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Walter Schuett 1935-2025
Redlands, CA
In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Nancy Layton Skousen 1934-2025
Redlands, CA
Teresa Rezek 1937-2024 San Bernardino, CA In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Mary Root 1931-2025
Diamond Bar, CA In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Steven Raymond Shaw 1952-2025
Highland, CA
Paula Anne Smith 1953-2024
Ellsworth, KS In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Ricci 2025 Hemet, CA In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Donna Roth 1931-2025
San Bernardino, CA In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Sally Shearer 1944-2024
Riverside, CA
Riverside, CA In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Manases (Chechi) Soto 1926-2025
Banning, CA
Daniel
In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Mary Ann Steele 2024
Hemet, CA
In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Elaine Violet Theiss 2025
Riverside, CA
In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Julianne Vagnozzi 1956-2024
Rancho Cucamonga, CA
In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Marsha Steinhauser 1950-2025
Rancho Cucamonga, CA
In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Elizabeth (Macintyre) Thiessen 1930-2025
Redlands, CA
In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Sherry Valdez 1950-2025
Shirley J. Vieths 1935-2025
Redlands, CA
In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Robert E. Webb 1933-2025
In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Edith Rene Sturman 1930-2025
Riverside, CA
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Chino Hills, CA
In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Redlands, CA
In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Kevin Coridon Sweet 1974-2025
Frederick D. Tinsley, Jr. 1963-2025
Washington, DC
In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Mercy T. Vasquez 1934-2025
Gerard Vuist 2025 Corona, CA
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Shirley K. White 1938-2024
Redlands, CA
In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Upland, CA
In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Richard Dennis Walker 1949-2024
San Bernardino, CA
Donald Bryan Taylor 1952-2024
Beth Troxel 1956-2025 Moreno Valley, CA
Deanna Vega 1959-2024
Lancaster, CA
In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Janet Louise Wiest (Rice) 1939-2025
Phoenix, AZ
Upland, CA In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Isabella Urena 1930-2025 Rialto, CA
Redlands, CA In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Shela Jane Wallace 1942-2024
Las Vegas, NV
In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Patricia Lynn Williams 1935-2024
Riverside, CA
In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
John Adrian Verwiel 1940-2025 Riverside, CA
In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Drage Hall “Bud” Watson 1932-2025
Redlands, CA
In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Alma May Bolla Winstead 1933-2025
Banning, CA
Patricia Jo-ann Wood 1934-2025
Riverside, CA
In Loving Memory In Loving Memory
Norton Younglove 1929-2025
Riverside, CA
In Loving Memory
In Loving Memory
Brenda Carol Worrell (Mendes) 1949-2025
Riverside, CA
In Loving Memory
In Loving Memory
Marilyn (Merf) Lee Jones 1930-2025
Brea, CA
It is never easy for someone who has lost a member of the family, even when it comes at the end of a long life or a prolonged illness. The loss is always deeply felt and followed by a period of grief.
Considering this, how can you help support a friend who has suffered such a loss? Here are seven simple suggestions.
1. Be there for your friend
Expressing your support by being physically present with your friend is perhaps the single most appreciated action you can take. Because of the sensitive nature of the situation, many friends fail at this most basic task. Be sure to devote some time to spend with your friend in the days and weeks following the loss.
2. Don’t talk; listen
Your friend is likely experiencing a number of thoughts regarding the deceased, and you can be their sounding board. It is appropriatefor you to offer the occasional comment in order to share personal recollections, express sympathy, and provide encouragement, but most of the time you should just listen to what they have to say, and empathize with the feelings they share.
Allow your friend to work through volatile emotions, freely express grief without fear of
In Loving Memory
In Loving Memory
Robert Allen Wyatt 1953-2020
Highland, CA
In Loving Memory
In Loving Memory
Jim Mathy 1950-2024
Yucaipa, CA
In
Memory In Loving Memory
Rachel Thomasson Yamada 1936-2024
Riverside, CA
May the constant love of caring friends soften your sadness.
May cherished memories bring you moments of comfort.
Shirley Anne Young 1933-2024
Menifee, CA
May lasting peace surround your grieving heart.
How to support a friend who has lost a loved One
judgment, and tell you how the deceased had an impact on his or her life.
3. Provide childcare
If your friend has children, volunteer to take care of them for an afternoon or evening. Particularly if your friend has to make funeral arrangements to handle, your offer can allow them to focus on those responsibilities without the hassle of arranging for a babysitter.
4. Drop off a meal
Prepare a home cooked meal and deliver it to your friend. There are enough things demanding their attention—preparing meals doesn’t have to be one of them. However, don’t pressure your friend to invite you to stay to share the meal. Rather than intruding on family time, simply drop the meal off and leave.
5. Show up for visitation and for the funeral
A day or two prior to many funerals, there are times designated for visitation. Often called a wake, this is an opportunity for people togather to view the body and to express their condolences to the family. Show up for at least a few minutes during one of these times,and then do your best to attend the funeral itself. If you are unable to attend the funeral in person, at least check in periodically over the phone or online.
6. Offer to help out with the reception
If your friend is responsible for organizing a reception following the funeral, volunteer your services.
There are a variety of ways you can help out. For instance, you can offer your home as a possible location. You could also help with preparations if the reception is to be held at another location. If sandwiches or sweets are desired, you could offer to prepare some. During the reception, you could assist as a host. Afterward, stick around to help clean up.
7. Check in
Grief doesn’t simply end after the funeral. In fact, after the funeral is when the journey through grief truly begins. Check in with your friend regularly after the death. Remember the anniversary of the loss and ask your friend how you can support them on this day. Offer your company, assistance and support through the months and years to come.
Allow your friend to relax and show honest emotions. Losing a loved one can be an intensely stressful and exhausting experience. Your friend should not have to put on a brave face or attend to your needs. Give them the space and freedom they need to process the loss, even if it extends well beyond the date of the funeral.
By being sensitive to your friend’s mental and emotional state—and by taking some responsibilities upon yourself—you can help remove some of the weight from their shoulders. Your support in these ways will go a long way toward helping your friend through this time of loss. -
Caring for an ailing parent with confidence
Reversing the roles of caregiver and dependent is complicated and emotional. Adult children can become caregivers of their parents inthe blink of an eye, and it can lead to doubt and anxiety for all.
As unfortunate as it may be in the moment, taking over the care of ailing parents is simply a part of life. It is the natural progression that most have to face.
Here are some tips to help you deal with progressing from someone’s child to their caregiver:
1. Accept what is happening. As difficult as it may seem, it is important to know the facts of the illness or condition that needs to behandled. If it is an illness that will eventually lead to death (whether immediate or long-term), making arrangements for a written will, funeral, and legal determinations is crucial. Completing these steps will reduce future stress and worry.
2. Have open communication with your parent. Explain that you will be handling the situation and stepping up into the caregiver role, so that there is no question or uncertainty. It is important to take over this responsibility while also aff ording your parent dignity, respect and any autonomy they can still have over their own care.
3. Prepare yourself. It will be a rough road to travel. Surround yourself with a reliable support system, plenty of positive energy, and tissues. Know that you will shed tears; you will fall; you will get back up; and you will do what needs done for your parent.
4. Approach your parent with love. Be gentle, loving and understanding, but be strong and courageous. When you are in the last moments with your parent, show them how much you love them. Let that message overshadow the message of fear. Assure your parent
that they have had a wonderful life, and their pain will soon end.
5. Reach out to others. There are a number of helpful organizations whose mission is to help caregivers. Don’t hesitate to reach out for
help. Investigate your local social services organizations and speak to representatives about your situation. Take the help theyoffer. The stronger you are, the better you will take care of your parent during this difficult time.
You have a window of opportunity to make lasting memories and to develop your parent’s hardships into a unique loving and bonding experience. Your parent brought you into the world, nurtured and enabled you to become the adult that you are today. This can be yourturn to nurture them in return. Caring for your ailing parent may seem unnatural and stressful, but being prepared and approaching the situation with a full toolbox can help turn it into a natural, even beautiful, experience.
DIRECTORY
Acheson & Graham Mortuary ..................... www.achesonandgraham.com
Akes Family Funeral Home......................... www.akesfamilyfuneralhome.com
Arlington Mortuary ...................................... www.arlingtonmortuary.com
Bobbitt Memorial Chapel ........................... www.bobbittchapel.com
Cortner Chapel ........................................... www.cortnerchapel.com
Evans Brown Mortuary ............................... www.evans-brownmortuary.com
Final Tribute ................................................ www.finaltribute.net
Forest Lawn Cathedral City ........................ www.flcoachellavalley.com
Ingold Funeral Chapel ................................ www.ingoldfuneralandcremation.com
Inland Memorial, Inc. .................................. www.inlandmemorial.com
McAulay & Wallace Mortuary ..................... www.mcaulaywallace.com
McWane Family Funeral Home .................. www.mcwanefamily.com
Miller-Jones Mortuary................................. www.miller-jones.com
Murrieta Valley Funeral Home .................... www.murrietavalleyfuneralhome.com
Norco Family Funeral Home ....................... www.norcofamilyfuneralhome.com
O’Connor Mortuary .................................... www.oconnormortuary.com
Pierce Bros Mortuary.................................. www.piercebroscrestlawn.com
Preston and Simons Mortuary.................... www.preston-simonsmortuary.com
Rubidoux Mortuary ..................................... www.rubidouxmortuary.com
Sierra Memorial Chapel Mortuary .............. www.thomasmillermortuary.com
Sunset Funeral Care ................................... www.sunsetfuneralcare.com
Thomas Miller Mortuary ............................. www.thomasmillermortuary.com
Todd Memorial Chapel ............................... www.toddmemorialchapel.com
Weaver Mortuary ........................................ www.weaver-mortuary.com
Wiefels & Son Mortuary .............................. www.wiefelsmortuary.com
