Cremation Services with Viewings
You might not think about having a viewing if your loved one is being cremated, but there are some benefits to considering it as you are planning cremation services for them.
When you’re planning cremation services in Ferrum, VA, you may not even consider having a viewing before your loved one is cremated. But you should. There are some benefits to having viewing, even if your loved one is not being buried, but being cremated instead.
One reason why you should consider having a viewing for your loved one before they are cremated is because it gives family and friends an opportunity to say their final goodbyes to your loved one.
A viewing can give everyone an opportunity for closure after the death of your loved one. One of the things that can be disconcerting about direct cremations is that the last time you see your loved one is when the staff leave to transport your loved one to the funeral home.
Having a viewing before your loved one is cremated gives you the peace of mind that you will get to see your loved one again before they are cremated. Even if current COVID-19 restrictions limit the number of friends and family members who are able to attend your loved one’s viewing, those who are there will get to share a final moment with them.
Another benefit of having a viewing before your loved one is cremated is that it gives you and your family a chance to be together with your loved one. If your family is like most families in the United States, even immediate family members don’t live close by.
When your children leave to go to college or pursue their dreams, they often don’t come back home, but instead they settle in far flung cities across the country. As they settled down into careers and marriages and having children, you may see them only once or twice a year.
A viewing for your loved one will bring them all back together with you and it can give everyone an opportunity to pay their respects to your loved one and to comfort and support each other in loss and grief.
While you may choose to have a memorial service where your family can gather again at a later time, the viewing for your loved one before they are cremated gives all of your family a chance to be together when the pain and the grief of loss is fresh, so that you can bond and help each other out.
Another benefit of having a viewing for your loved one before they are cremated is that it gives people a tangible way to honor their memory. While our memories of people are indelibly imprinted on our minds (even in people with cognitive decline and dementia, even if they can’t get to those memories), people who attend a viewing are acknowledging the importance of your loved one in their lives and they are acknowledging that your loved one’s life was meaningful.
A final benefit of having a viewing for your loved one before they are cremated is that it can help with the grieving process. Death is a traumatic loss and it’s followed by profound sadness and sorrow.
If your loved one is cremated without a viewing and a memorial service will be planned at a later date, you may feel very alone with your grief because there’s no acceptable public outlet – such as a viewing – where you can express your grief and be surrounded by people who love you, care about you, and will give you a safe place to grieve without judgement.
For additional information about cremation services in Ferrum, VA, our caring and knowledgeable staff at Lynch Conner-Bowman Funeral Home can assist you.
