Create a Funeral Plan Now
You may not want to think about your own death, but you should. When you don’t think about your death and funeral arrangements before you die, you leave the burden to your family.
Planning funerals at a funeral home in Glade Hill, VA is probably not something you and your loved ones want to do while you’re still alive. However, when you make funeral plans now, you save your family from having to go through the entire process, including trying to make decisions about what they think you might have wanted for your funeral.
Since you know that one day you will die, now is the time to talk with your family about your death and what you want for your funeral. By opening up the discussion about your death with your family, it will give everyone an opportunity to share their wishes, their ideas, and, perhaps, even their fears or concerns about death.
Talking about your death can also get you and your family thinking about how to emotionally and financially prepare for the inevitability of your death. However, you may need some ideas about how to talk with your family about your funeral and then putting your plans in writing.
First, you should talk with your family about what kind of funeral you want. You may want a green burial instead of burial in a traditional casket. You may want to be cremated and you may have specific things you want done with your cremation remains.
You may want to have a funeral service or cremation service or a celebration of life. If you’re being buried, you may want just a graveside service.
Don’t be surprised if talking about your death with your family generates a strong emotional response. Some of your family members may not want to hear any of it, because the thought of you being dead is more than they can bear to think about.
Some of your family members may be sad and cry at the realization that someday you – and they – will no longer be alive. The emotional responses are normal, and it’s a good idea to let everyone express them because it’s healthier and because you will understand how all your family members feel about death.
While you are talking about funeral plans, you should also bring up your end of life wishes. If you don’t yet have any end of life legal documents, such as a medical power of attorney and a living will, make sure that you document everything you do and don’t want done at the end of your life.
This would include making sure your family knows where you want to die. Many people have their parents say, “Don’t put me in a nursing home” when they’re younger and healthier. Those wishes should be honored when they’re older and not so healthy.
You may decide that you want hospice care at home at the end of your life. Let your family know that and be sure to document your preference. Some people get as specific as saying, “When I get to this point (whatever that is), I don’t want any more medical treatment.” If you have such a point where you want hospice care to begin, let your family know.
Once you’ve discussed everything regarding your death with your family, you should document it and make sure the document is stored with your important papers (and your family knows where they are and have access to it).
It’s a good idea to meet with the funeral home and give them your funeral arrangements as well so they will have them on file to help your family after you die.
For information on making funeral arrangements at funeral home in Glade Hill, VA, our compassionate and experienced staff at Conner-Bowman Funeral Home & Crematory is here to help.
