Having a Plan in Place for your Funeral

HAVING A PLAN IN PLACE FOR YOUR FUNERAL

Planning anything is an important first step in making sure that whatever the event is, it becomes the kind of event you wanted.  Think of the hours that are spent planning a wedding or a major event of any kind.  You would never begin the planning process just a couple of days before the wedding, have someone else to do all the planning, and then expect that it will be an event that honors the wedding couple.  Now think about what happens after your death and all the planning that must take place in a very short period of time.  Do you really want to put your family in the position of having to plan your funeral with just a day or two’s notice, with no input from you, after you are gone?

There are over 125 decisions that must be made within just 48 hours after your death. The person making the decisions is often grief stricken and is not thinking clearly. These decisions will have a lasting impact on your family for the rest of their lives as they begin to heal in a world that you are no longer a part of.  We have found from our experience that when a family has preplanned their funeral, they are able to make wiser decisions, and are not pressured by time and the effects of grief. Having an intentional plan in place before your death will benefit your family greatly after you are gone.

Here are some important questions that you should take some time to consider. Have you given any thought as to what type of funeral you would want? Would you want a burial or a cremation?  Would your family know your wishes after you are gone?  Have you ever even discussed it with them? How are the decisions that you make about your funeral going to help them to begin to heal?

A prearrangement counselor can help you sort through all these questions.  They can help you begin to formulate an intentional plan for your funeral, so that your family is not left to wonder what you would have wanted.  Everything can be decided ahead of time.  Then, rather than having to spend time making decisions, your family can concentrate on being there for each other, supporting each other, and celebrating the life that you have lived. You will empower them to have a healthy grief experience.

When you meet with a prearrangement counselor, they will not only help you begin to get your intentional plan in place, but they will also gather all the information needed for your death certificate and obituary.  They will be able to show you payment options for prepayment of your funeral, thereby locking in the prices on many items.  The more things you can get done ahead of time, the easier the whole process will be after your death.  Why not start the planning process today, by calling the funeral home to schedule a prearrangement appointment? It will be one of the best gifts you will ever give your family.

Sharon Rickaby, CPC

Certified Preplanning Consultant

Anderson-Marry Funeral Home, Adrian

Anderson-Rudd Funeral Home, Blissfield