If you were to ask any funeral service director or funeral home, “When is the best time to plan a funeral?”, the answer will always be “If time and circumstances permit, any time before you have to actually plan a funeral”.
Pre-planning funeral services may sound very morbid as the topic of potential death is often considered very sensitive and in most cultures, a taboo.
In such instances, it’s natural that initiating a conversation about pre-planning funeral services may bring up many emotions among family and friends. However, it’s important to remember that pre-planning funeral services is actually quite common nowadays, especially among the older population.
With it being more common now, many are now starting to understand the practicality and the emotional relief that pre-planning your own funeral service can bring, not only to you but also to the people that you’re leaving behind. Even though for some, the topic of death can be uncomfortable, for others, pre-planning their funeral services can offer peace of mind. Here’s how.
1. Provides emotional relief to loved ones
If your loved ones have to take on the daunting task of planning your funeral immediately after your death, it can be extremely overwhelming as they won’t have enough time to process their emotions—there’s no room for healthy grieving when there’s so much to take care of. However, hiring professional funeral providers to pre-plan your funeral will remove a lot of the burden off of your loved ones’ shoulders, providing them with emotional relief to deal with their loss.
2. Lets you personalize the funeral arrangements
Have you ever attended a funeral and wondered whether it’s what the deceased would have actually wanted? Although most of us may not voice out what we would want our final service to look like, we still have our preferences. An advantage of pre-planning funeral services along with a funeral home is that you’ll be able to personalize your funeral arrangements, reflecting your values and personality, resulting in a very authentic tribute to you that will leave your loved ones with peace of mind.
3. Settles the financial aspects of a funeral
The finances involved in pre-planning a funeral is an important factor that must be handled to bring peace of mind to your loved ones. Pre-planning your funeral allows you to get your funds in order and ensures your loved ones won’t have to worry about it later on. Once you have communicated what services you expect from your funeral home when pre-planning your funeral, you’ll receive a quote. It would be helpful to do some research on which funeral services better fit your budget.
4. Prevents family disputes
When there are unclear instructions about funeral arrangements, family members who may have different thoughts or opinions may clash, especially when emotions are running high. By making your preferences known in advance, you can reduce the likelihood of disagreements and make sure that your loved ones won’t have to make difficult choices during an already trying time. Pre-planning your own funeral will also create a safe space for your loved ones to grieve in a healthier environment.
Offer your loved ones peace of mind by pre-planning funeral services with assistance from a funeral home
Your loved ones can have peace of mind thanks to forward planning—they’ll be comforted knowing that they’re following your plans and granting your requests. Also, it allows them to process their emotions, grieve their loss, and help one another.
It’s okay to be unsure of how to plan a funeral service; that’s where a professional funeral home can step in and make the process easier on you as well. With communication and trust built with the funeral services provider, you’ll be assured that your funeral will happen according to your wishes.
