Archive for the ‘Funeral Planning’ Category

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Cemetery Visits Provide Healing and Grief Therapy

Tuesday, May 25th, 2010

Cemetery Visits Provide Healing and Grief TherapyBurial options are more diverse today than they have ever been before. People are opting for everything from traditional cemetery plots and urns to more unusual choices like donation for the advancement of science and medicine. All of these are part of the natural process of passing on, and the decision of which one to choose ultimately rests with the deceased and the family he or she leaves behind.

One important consideration when choosing which type of burial method to use involves taking into account the power of having a place to bereave. The process of grieving the loss of a loved one is a very personalized and individual one. No two people will handle the process in exactly the same way, and there is no real way to prepare for the pain of losing someone you care about. However, one of the features of grief that is almost universal is the power of having someplace you can go to say your goodbyes and heal properly.

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Practice Your Ethical Beliefs with a Green Funeral

Sunday, May 16th, 2010

Practice Your Ethical Beliefs with a Green FuneralAs environmental awareness has grown, the idea of green funerals has become more and more appealing to those who wish to lessen their impact on the earth. From green coffins to funeral homes that have adapted an entirely eco-friendly approach, those who choose to live an ecologically responsible lifestyle may be both sur prised and pleased to learn about the variety of green funeral options that continue to emerge.

Green Funeral Options

· Green Coffins: Caskets can create a problem when it comes to planning a green funeral. The heavy, polished wood and metal coffins that are commonly chosen are not easily biodegradable and can significantly inhibit the process of returning ones remains to the earth. So-calle d “green coffins” have a lower impact and biodegrade much more quickly and easily. A number of options are available for those looking for green coffins, with bamboo, cardboard, and jute being good choices. Some choose to forego even a green coffin, opting instead to be buried in only a shroud.

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Online Store for Burial Pre-Planning

Tuesday, May 11th, 2010

Online Store for Burial Pre-Planning

With the Internet, it’s a new world for pre-planning your final wishes and making advance arrangements. Many sites offer pre-planning advice, guides, and more. Good pre-planning resources can also be found on our resource section at www.iMortuary.com. But, when it comes time to make your burial pre-arrangements, there is something new – burialplanning.com.

It used to be that consumers visited a number of cemeteries to learn about their options and make purchases based on their plans. Along the way, they dealt with a myriad of sales people and mingled alongside grieving families making arrangements for someone who had recently passed. The entire process of pre-planning is changing dramatically.

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Legal Issues That May Arise After Death

Thursday, January 14th, 2010

Legal Issues That May Arise After DeathThe death of a loved one can be one of the most trying times in a person’s life.  Between planning for the funeral, gathering friends and family together to grieve and dealing with your own emotions, it can undoubtedly be an exhausting and trying time.  However, it’s important to remember that the time after your loved one’s death is crucial to your own financial and legal well-being, and there may be several issues and affairs of the estate that need to be addressed once the funeral is over.

Of course, one of the most common legal issues that arise after the death of a loved one is that of finances, especially when it comes to any debts or unpaid bills that are left behind.  If your loved one leaves behind a will and an estate with clear instructions as to how assets should be allocated, then there shouldn’t be many legal ramifications for you and your relatives.  If there’s no will, however, then it might be a good idea to hire a lawyer and an accountant, as you’ll encounter several legal and financial issues when dividing assets amongst relatives, creditors and lenders.

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Simple Preparations For The Day Of The Funeral

Monday, January 4th, 2010

Simple Preparations For The Day Of The FuneralPlanning a funeral can be such a grueling and stressful task, especially during such a sad and trying time.  Between arranging which funeral home the service should take place at, ordering flowers for the service and coordinating the arrival of friends and family members, you may dread the additional stress that the day of the funeral may bring.  However, if you’re planning a funeral for a dearly departed loved one, there are tips and techniques that you can use to make the day run more smoothly – so you can spend more time with friends and loved ones who are there to support you.

Take Care Of Little Details. This is where a funeral home can come in handy, since you’ll need assistance in making sure that all little details are seen to with exacting care and attention.  For example, will you use family members as pallbearers, or will the home provide their own?  Have you already chosen music to perform at the service?  What about any eulogies that may be read during the service?  Go over the details one last time with the funeral director to make sure that nothing is skipped over.  Staff members at the funeral home will usually take you aside before the beginning of the service to make sure that everything will go according to plan, so wait for them to take the initiative.

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Planning Your Travel To A Funeral

Sunday, December 13th, 2009

Planning Your Travel To A FuneralPlanning your travel to a funeral can be a stressful and burdensome task; between grieving for the loss of a family member or loved one and alerting others to the service, comparing the best airfare hardly seems like an activity that you want to give your time and energy to.  However, there are certain tricks that you can use to not only get the best airfare, but to make traveling to a funeral a smooth and stress-free experience for everyone involved.  Use these techniques when it’s time to plan your travel, and you’ll spend less of your precious time playing part-time travel agent and have more time to grieve and remember the life of the deceased.

Unless your loved one was gravely ill for some time, purchasing airfare to attend a funeral can often be quite costly, as funerals are usually held less than a week from the date of death.  You can end up paying a lot of money for last-minute airfare tickets – unless, of course, you ask for bereavement airfare discounts.  Bereavement airfare is typically available for family members of the deceased who are traveling to a funeral, and can be booked right up until departure time.  You won’t be able to secure bereavement airfare through travel websites, so call airlines and ask about their special discounts.  You can grab airfare for a discount of up to 50 percent off, with some airlines even offering 75 percent off a full fare.  However, if your travels require more than one airline, your bereavement airfare will only be available on the requested flight.  Call the other airlines to ensure that you’re being offered discounted airfare.

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How To Write A Moving And Heartfelt Eulogy

Sunday, November 1st, 2009

How To Write A Moving And Heartfelt EulogyFor many, writing and reading a eulogy at a funeral is a way of not only paying homage to the life and memory of the deceased, but also as a way to say farewell to a loved one.  A moving eulogy allows the audience to become at peace with the memory of the deceased, as it gives ample opportunity to celebrate what made that person so special and unique.  A eulogy can be as simple as reciting the person’s favorite poem, or as personal as reading special memories out loud to the audience.  Whatever option you choose, if you decide to write a eulogy, you’ll have the opportunity to give a fitting tribute for your loved one, since the eulogy marks the process in which family members and friends can become closer to the deceased while letting go at the same time.

However, many people find writing and giving a eulogy to be a burdensome task, especially if they’re dealing with their own grief.  In this respect, a moving and heartfelt eulogy can be difficult to compose and recite, so if you feel as though you won’t be able to handle the task, then you shouldn’t feel pressured into giving one.

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Caskets: Should You Buy at The Funeral Home or Online?

Friday, June 26th, 2009

Caskets: Should You Buy at The Funeral Home or Online?Choosing a casket for a friend or loved one is not a simple process – between choosing a special casket that represents the tastes of the deceased to deciding what materials the casket will be made of, many grief-stricken family members are too exhausted to object to the price.  While funeral planning is a trying time for all, it’s important to remember that you do have certain rights when choosing a casket, which are enforced by the Federal Trade Commission – and it’s important to know what exactly those rights are.

Consumer advocates and funeral homes lobbyists have long battled over the rights of individuals to purchase third-party caskets, since many consumers found the inflated prices of funeral home caskets to be particularly deceptive.  In response to complaints, the Federal Trade Commission passed the “Funeral Rule” in 1984, which states that a consumer has the right to purchase a casket from a third-party vendor – and the funeral home must use that casket according to your requests.  While many funeral homes have grown to accept this new law, many homes will only mention these cheaper alternatives when you request more information.  It’s worth knowing the FTC’s “Funeral Rule” and your rights before meeting with a representative about your loved one’s service, especially if you want to secure as fair a price as possible.

If you’re still not sure whether or not you’d prefer to buy online or at the funeral home, here are a few important points to consider:

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Tips On Gathering Friends and Family for a Funeral Service

Wednesday, January 14th, 2009

Tips On Gathering Friends and Family for a Funeral ServiceMany funeral homes offer plenty of services to help grieving family members and friends of a deceased loved with funeral planning – but what about when it comes to finding long-lost friends and relatives for the funeral service?  In many cultures, it is a tradition to hold a gathering after a wake or funeral in order to continue the mourning and celebration of a loved one’s life; in fact, several funeral homes even have a large space that’s used specifically for after-service dinners.  However, it can be difficult and time-consuming to gather everyone together for the funeral and after-service, so you’ll need as much help as you can muster from both relatives and the staff members of  funeral homes.

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