No one likes to think about death. No one wants to deal with what has to be done when the dreaded moment comes and a loved one passes away, but the truth is, we need to deal with it from time to time. It’s hard enough having to deal with the emotions and the people bombarding you with condolences, pressure about legalities and all kinds of conversations, but there’s also the funeral that needs to be taken care of. The silver lining in all this is that you don’t have to think about it because we’re providing you with the information you need to know about funerals.
What Your Burial Options Are
This is something that your loved one may have already specified in their will, or could have already made arrangements for before passing away. However, if this is not the case, then you’re going to have to look into what burial options there are and what the deceased may have preferred. There are generally around 3 options to pick from, and these fall under:
- Above Ground (either within or without a mausoleum)
- In-Ground
- Cremation
The final decision really all comes down to the beliefs and preferences of the departed and their family, as well as the funds available.
There Are Funeral Arrangement Services Available
If you’re feeling overwhelmed with the responsibility of arranging the funeral, you can always seek professional help. For example, in Australia there are services that specialize in sorting out funeral arrangements so that you don’t have to bear the weight of the responsibilities. The services provided at Funeralcare.com.au give you a general idea of the kind of help you should be getting from these kinds of services. They sort out the planning, and even provide the pre-planning option if need be in certain circumstances. Some services can even guide you and provide help with repatriation if your loved one died out of the country.
Involve Close Family Members in Decision Making
Emotions are certainly high at this point, but it’s important that if the funeral arrangement responsibilities fall upon you, it’s important that you make it a point to involve the closest family members. This not only shows a degree of respect that is necessary and will prove to be an advantage moving forward, but it will also help you a great deal in making arrangements. Perhaps there are things you don’t know about your loved one that they would have wanted done or said at their funeral, and surely those that were closest to them would have this kind of information.
The Financial Aspect
Generally, the funding for the funeral really does rely on how prepared everyone was for this unfortunate death. If it was expected, then there were probably arrangements made prior to the death, and the family had money set aside for the funeral arrangements. However, if it was a sudden death, then it’s important that you sit with the family and the funeral providers to work out how much you would need to spend so that you can create a budget, and see how this is all going to be paid for.
You Need Help with the Reception
In most cases, there will be a reception held after the funeral, this mostly happens at the host’s home or the funeral service provides a space in which you can have the reception. You need to hire a catering service along with servers because you’re not going to be able to cook and serve people after the funeral. You will be too emotionally and physically drained to do anything at this point, so definitely get help with all of this so that you don’t have to have another thing to worry about.
It’s incredibly difficult to think about logistics and be practical when someone you love and care about passes away. But the unfortunate truth is that there are things that have to be taken care of immediately. This is why the information provided here will go a long way in helping you cope with the funeral arrangements without having to think about it too much. It’s also extremely important that you get other family members and loved ones involved so that they can help you with both the arrangements and the financial aspect of it if this isn’t something that was already handled before the death. Try to find a fine balance between keeping the respect, giving your loved one what you think they would have wanted, and also sticking to a budget that you can handle.