Nearly 5 years ago, my husband’s precious maternal grandmother passed away. This special woman had an amazing sense of humor and a flair for life. Without saying a word, she could make me laugh with just a look. Several years before her death, she visited a local funeral home in order to plan her funeral services. When she passed away, the family didn’t have to deal with the stress of organizing her farewell services. They could relax, grieve, and concentrate on the wonderful memories they shared with her. I've grown to appreciate this. On this blog, you will discover the steps required to plan your own funeral.
Planning Your Funeral
How long do you need to plan a funeral?
Nora Mitchelle
Have you been given the responsibility of organizing a funeral? If so, it could be that you don't know where to begin or for how much time you need to plan a funeral. So, it is absolutely normal to feel confused and unsure. When it comes to the time you have before a funeral is held, the answer is fully dependent on you, your close family members and the last wishes of the deceased. There are no formal rules on the amount of time you should spend on funeral planning. The more you want to include in the program, the longer you could wait to complete the process. Some of the key things to consider and act upon include the following.
Get a death certificate
This document should have the sign of a medical doctor or other trustworthy authority. If the deceased passed in a hospital or a nursing home, the death certificate will be issued without question. On the other hand, if the death occurred in a private home, ensure that you call a family doctor to issue a death certificate. When the cause of death is mysterious, the police should take over the matter. An autopsy may have to be done prior to the issuing of a death certificate. The process may take longer to be completed and can mean that your funeral planning process will be slowed down a bit.
Decide whether there will be a body viewing
This is another procedure that will affect your time. If you want to give friends and family a chance to view the body or to hold an open-casket funeral, make arrangements shortly after the loss. If the time between death and funeral service is around one to three days, then allow body viewing to happen as soon as possible. Waiting a bit longer might mean that the body will begin to decompose and will no longer be presentable for viewing. But, if there are enough financial resources, the body can be embalmed to preserve it for longer. This will allow all the visitors that have to travel long distances to participate in the open-casket funeral.
Do a normal funeral service
This is a closed-casket funeral service where the body is not presented for viewing. In such a case, you can take all the time you wish to complete the funeral planning process. This can give you time to plan ahead without feeling as if your decision-making process is rushed. If you aren't looking to include the "celebration of life" in your program, then a closed-casket funeral will be great. Another benefit to holding this sort of service is that the venues are unlimited. You can even pick a casual venue where the deceased was fond of, such as a beach.
Consider the deceased's traditions or religious beliefs
Was the late person a religious person? Did they have any traditions or cultural beliefs? If yes, then it will be alright to follow these when planning their funeral. Look for their religious leaders if they had one. On the other hand, if they were agnostic or atheist, plan their send-off how they would have preferred or in the best way you can.
If you feel overwhelmed by emotions, don't do funeral planning alone. Seek for a funeral director, who can guide you through the entire process and help you finish making arrangements in plenty of time. This will give you more time to accept the loss and start the healing process. For more information, visit sites like http://www.fosterwarnefuneralhome.com.
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