Making Funeral Plans for the First Time
Getting Prepared a Funeral Ceremony of a Loved One
Mar 22, 2009
America's population is aging. As the baby boomer generation's parents enter the ranks of the elderly, many people find themselves making funeral arrangements for the first time for loved ones. However, few know the steps to take when a loved one does pass.
Death of Loved One
The first step to take depends on where the loved one dies. If the loved one passes at home, the family should contact a funeral home and be prepared to stay with the loved one's body while several essential pieces of official business are completed. Usually, the funeral home will arrange to have someone come to the home to pronounce the official death and perform the necessary paperwork before conveying the body to the funeral home. If the loved one dies in a hospital, the nurses will prepare the body, allow any family present to spend a few moments with their loved one, and then have the body transferred to the morgue. From here, a funeral home will be contacted.
Funeral Home Services
If the loved one has passed without making specific arrangements, the family will need to be prepared to make decisions regarding casket type, transportation (if necessary), flowers, obituary releases and other items. It is important to take a moment to remember the funeral home is a business. While they may be very compassionate, they will also want to present options for every budget. Families may find it helpful to appoint one person with a certain amount of business acumen to make these decisions. Most importantly, the choices should reflect the choices the loved one would have likely made.
From this point, the funeral home will handle the body's preparation including dressing the loved one in clothes provided by the family and preparing the body for viewing. Generally, the funeral home will also provide obituary releases as requested.
Ceremony, Floral Arrangements and Viewings
The family will be expected to select a viewing time and coordinate a church or chapel to handle the services. Many funeral homes provide full service ceremonies including a chapel, chaplain and even pallbearer's if necessary. However, if the family prefers a certain church, the church and its pastor or elders will need to be contacted and the time reserved for the ceremony.
Finally, it is important to contact a florist to coordinate displays and provide floral arrangements. Again, many funeral homes have florist options available. However, the family may wish to select an "official" florist and notify the florist of the arrangements so people wishing to send condolences may be assured of flowers reaching the correct ceremony.
After these arrangements have been made, it is time to focus on comforting each other and remembering the loved one with plenty of family time scheduled for receptions at the viewing and lunches before the funeral.
It's difficult to lose a loved one and even more difficult to have the responsibility of arranging the funeral. Being aware of the first steps to take will alleviate much of the worry. In addition to being aware of what funeral home services encompass, it helps to know the items which will fall to the family to handle.
Funeral homes bear the brunt of the necessities but bringing the personal touch to the funeral is a family's responsibility. The funeral clothes, church choice, floral selections and obituary specifics are parts of the funeral the family will handle. This assures the loved one's passing is handled in a manner reflecting the love, dignity and character of the loved one's life.
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