If you know someone who is grieving the loss of a spouse, you might be wondering if there are ways that you can help him or her out. Even though you might have thought of sending flowers to the funeral, you should know that there are other things that you can do for someone who is grieving the loss of his or her husband or wife, too. For example, you can give "gifts of time" that can be helpful during these difficult times.

1. Child Care

Transitioning from a household with two adults in the home to being a single, widowed parent can be a lot for a person to deal with, especially while grieving. One thing that might be an issue, for example, is child care. If you have the time, consider offering to babysit the kids while the grieving person is handling funeral arrangements, running errands or otherwise getting things done outside of the home.

2. Cleaning

After someone dies, it's not uncommon for the spouse to receive a lot of visitors. When these people come in and out of the house, messes can be made in the home. Plus, the grieving person probably doesn't want company to see the house in a mess -- and might be stressed out by a not-so-clean house, too -- but might not have the energy to dedicate to household chores. Offering to clean up the house yourself can be a wonderful gift for someone who is going through this difficult time.

3. Cooking

Again, it can be challenging to do basic household things when grieving, and cooking healthy meals might feel like way too much for someone who is overwhelmed with grief. Offering to come in and prepare meals for the mourning spouse, bringing a plate or two of something that you have prepared for your own family or preparing a few freezer-friendly meals can be the perfect way to ensure that the mourning person gets plenty to eat without having to go through the trouble of cooking. As an added bonus, you can also drop off disposable plates, cups and cutlery to go with the meals, too.

As you can see, there are a few gifts of time that you can offer to someone who is grieving from the loss of a spouse. If you are looking for a way to chip in for someone who is going through a difficult time, these are a few of the many ways that you can do it.

Talk to a service like Morris Nilsen Funeral Chapel for more information.