When a loved one passes away, you're quickly thrust into the position of choosing a funeral home that can accommodate the type of service you need. Although time is of the essence during this process, it's never the best plan to simply choose the first funeral home you visit. Instead, plan to visit three or four facilities and speak to a funeral director or other representative at each. Beyond the basics of asking about the price and availability, there are a handful of other factors to consider before you make up your mind.
Importance Of Size
Funeral homes come in all sizes, which means the one you visit isn't automatically conducive to the service you're planning. If your deceased family member had an enormous circle of friends and you expect the service turnout to be extensive, a funeral home with small rooms won't necessarily work. Conversely, a small service in a large room can feel empty and cold. Beyond the size of the rooms themselves, think of accessibility issues. Observe and ask about the size of the funeral home's parking lot. For a heavy-attended service, can the home accommodate potentially more than 100 vehicles? If not, is there an alternative parking location that is suitable?
Religious Or Not
Today, many funeral homes will cater to you regardless of how you wish the service to be conducted, but it's always important to confirm this information before you make a decision. Whether the deceased person would have wanted a religious service or didn't practice religion and wouldn't want it mentioned, it's best to share this information with the funeral director before you proceed. If there's any uncertainty, ask the funeral director how many services the home has conducted that suit your intended nature of service. For example, if your deceased family member was a Buddhist, it's ideal to partner with a home that has some experience in conducting funeral services for this religion.
Burial Vs. Cremation
Many people opt for cremation because of its cost-saving benefits, but there's merit to a traditional burial, too, if that's what your family member would have wanted. Ask the funeral director to go over these two options -- especially if you're unsure of how to proceed -- and you'll find that listening to the person talk will speak volumes about the business. Ideally, you want to choose a funeral home that has a director who provides plenty of helpful information but doesn't push an agenda on you. Asking an open-ended question, and then sitting back and noting the response, is an effective way to help you make your decision.
Share17 July 2015
After watching my mother navigate treatment for breast cancer in my early teens, I knew pretty much what to expect from my dad's diagnosis with prostate cancer. What I didn't know was how different chemotherapy and radiation can affect different people. My mother became very ill while my dad seemed to weather the treatments with few ill effects. I spent a long time researching the differences in treatments, types of chemotherapy, and how each one can react differently with the body. I created this blog to help others understand the same things, because I knew I couldn't be the only one unfamiliar with it. I hope it helps you if someone you love is facing treatment for any type of cancer.
