Whether a loved one is lost expectedly or unexpectedly, planning for a funeral service and burial can be overwhelming and stressful. Planning ahead of time will help to ease the burden for those left behind. There are many things that can be discussed, decided and documented well in advance. This will allow time for friends and family to grieve and support each other, instead of scrambling to figure out how best to honor their loved one and ensure that plans and arrangements are as they wish.
Knowledge is Power
Discuss Now. It’s much easier to make decisions about funeral arrangements if you’ve consulted with your loved one about their wishes before something happens. Or, if planning for yourself, you can lift the burden of these important decisions from your family members. With pre-arrangement, you give your loved one the opportunity to choose from options with no pressure and with plenty of time to carefully think through these important decisions. They are in full control and can choose the services and specifics that mean something to them. The more information you can get ahead of time, the more personal the funeral will be.
Burial or Cremation. The most basic question, of course, is burial vs cremation. It is important for this to be decided by the deceased when they are still able to make a sound decision. The final method of disposition is a very personal choice and is usually influenced by an individual’s values and faith beliefs. The final choice should be clearly discussed with family members and then specified in a prearrangement document. Additional specifics like music, special readings, videos, photographs, a shared meal, and the involvement of family and friends can be documented as well. Keep a folder with copies of the prearrangement document and other related important papers in a place that is accessible to all involved family members.
Consider Prepaying for Arrangements
Prepaying for funeral arrangements enables your loved one to make a comfortable financial decision and minimize the future financial costs for surviving family members. Pre-planning funeral arrangements, and prepayment, cannot only finalize all of the details but can also take care of the actual expense in advance. Keep in mind that these services are subject to inflation so prepaying makes good financial sense by securing pre-inflation service costs.
John F. Fluehr’s family has been serving the funeral needs of the public for 121 years. The homelike atmosphere of our beautiful funeral home offers a spacious stateroom, handsome details and provides comfort and dignity for the bereaved. Please call us at 215-624-5150 or visit our website for more information on our services. Sí, hablamos español!
