10 Useful Funeral Tips and Facts

By: Glenda Erceg
Submitted: 2007-01-17 16:40:01
Print this article | Tell a friend | For publisher | Social Bookmarking
Rating:
 

1. Don't use your will or safety deposit box to hold a description of arrangements you have made for your funeral! Funerals usually take place (including disposal of the body) less then a week after the person dies. The Will does not even get officially read until after the funeral has taken place! By then it is too late. So a Will, in itself, is no guarantee that you will have the funeral that you want.

2. Final expense insurance for burial arrangements does not protect against inflation. It is just an insurance policy designed to deliver a predetermined lump sum.

3. You're possibly thinking, "I wouldn't know what to do". Strangely enough, the first instinct most people have is to call the family doctor, and as it happens, this is the first thing to do if the death occurs at home. The family doctor (or a locum if necessary) will attend and confirm the fact of death, and will later complete a death certificate (and a cremation certificate if required).

4. Many funeral homes require embalming if you're planning a viewing or visitation. But embalming generally is not necessary or legally required if the body is buried or cremated shortly after death. Eliminating this service can save you hundreds of dollars.

5. There are a couple of reasons why funerals are important. The first is technical - a funeral makes sure that a body is legally buried or cremated. The second reason is that a funeral helps the family come to terms with the death. It is important to remember that a funeral is not for the dead, it is for the living.

6. Scattering the cremated remains after cremation can leave family and friends without a place or manner in which to pay tribute. You can satisfy both your wishes and those of family and friends through permanent memorialization. This gives your family and friends a place to visit, which often helps in the recovery process. Keep in mind that federal, state and local regulations may limit the areas where cremation remains may be scattered.

7. Children should be given the opportunity to attend a funeral, especially that of a close relative. However, they should never be forced to go. It is always helpful to explain what to expect at the funeral before the child is asked to decide if he or she wants to share in the experience. As parents are the best judge of the character of their children, they are usually aware if a child is likely to be 'too sensitive' to attend or is likely to become hysterical.

8. Helping a grieving friend often means that you too will share some of the pain. This takes courage and a special kind of friendship. Your friend may want to talk, cry, share, reminisce or even just sit in silence with you. A good time to visit a bereaved friend is "after the flowers have died", that is after about a week or two. It's also important to maintain regular contact with your friend six to eight weeks after the death.

9. Floral tributes can either be sent to the funeral home or the residence. If sent to the residence, usually a planter or a small vase of flowers indicating a person's continued sympathy for the family is suggested. The florist places an identification card on the floral tribute. At the funeral home the cards are removed from the floral tributes and given to the family so they may acknowledge the tributes sent.

10. Extra funeral services may include embalming, other preparation of the body, and transfer of the remains from the place of death to the funeral home in town or to or from a location out of town. Facilities and equipment may include use of the funeral home for a viewing or visitation, funeral ceremony, and use of the hearse and flower car, limousine and other automobiles. Merchandise may include the casket, the vault, or the urn.

Copyright Glenda Erceg.

For more funeral and cremation resources visit http://funeralandcremationinfo.com

This article may be used without permission as long as it is shown in its entirety with links intact.

Article source: Expert Articles

Most Recent Articles in Grief Loss category

  • The Gift - By: Angelique Ellerman
    This article was written to help those who are dealing with the loss of a loved one. Death is just another stage in life, one that can be learned from and help each of us to evolve. Know that you are not alone and it will get better with time.
  • Crisis - How Will You Cope? - By: Tamara Johnson
    Summarizes the grief process after crisis. Outlines the natural grief process that leads to healing.
  • Acknowledging and Supporting the Difficult Life Transitions of Those We Care About - By: Chellie Bonebrake
    From the end of a relationship with a person, house, or job to the diagnosis and treatment of a serious illness, we all encounter struggles in our lives. A hug, a laugh and a supportive message from someone who cares go a long way in providing comfort to a heavy heart. Many people are unable to be with a friend or loved one as they adjust to a difficult situation.
  • For The New Widow - Three Things To Remember - When The Moon In The Sky Hits Like An Axe In The Eye - By: Linda Della Donna
    It’s the end of the day, the end of the week, the end of the month.The cat’s in the cradle and the dog’s in the yard.Or, is it the other way around?
  • If Drinkin' Don't Kill Me (Her Memory Will) - By: Earl Erickson
    A song written by R. Beresford and H. Sanders and sung by country music’s living legend, George Jones , entitled, If Drinkin’ Don’t Kill Me (Her Memory Will) , has a much different meaning for me today.
  • Balloons... To Release, Detached And Let Go? - By: K Amber
    The past is over and nothing can be changed. We cannot accept the happening in the past so we tend to cling hard to that experience. We just let our future and present move fearing the past would repeat.
  • Communicating With Deceased Loved Ones - By: Yvonne Perry
    My interest in the Afterlife and spirit communication began in earnest in 2000, when my life literally fell apart. There was an entity that began to manifest to comfort and console me as I was going through my divorce. Whenever I cried, this loving presence touched me in a warm and motherly way.
  • What Does God Have To Say About Death? - By: Jennifer C
    The day we are born, we begin to die. It’s a given fact of life, yet one which we spend much of our lives trying to ignore or defy.The writer of Ecclesiastes wrote “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die ..
  • I Will Never Die! - By: Yvonne Perry
    That is a bold statement, but you see, I no longer believe in death. My body may demise and my spirit may depart from it, but who I am (my essence) will NOT die.Some people view death as a fearful tragedy, the end of a life, a sad finality.
  • Life on the Other Side - By: Yvonne Perry
    If only we knew what was on the Other Side of this life! Knowing for sure what lies ahead might make a difference in how we view dying and aging and how we handle the death of a loved one.Much of our fear about death is rooted in delusions and distorted ways of looking at life and the world around us.