Death is never an easy topic to discuss, this is especially the case when the time comes to talk to an aging parent, or other loved one about what they want to happen after they pass. Despite the difficulty of bringing up the topic, pre-planning a funeral or cremation arrangements and all the details could be one of the most important conversations you might have with your loved one.
Why Discuss Funeral Planning Ahead of Time?
Funeral pre-planning isn’t just about the death itself, it’s about ensuring that everyone is as calm as possible after the time of death so that the grieving process may take place in a healthy way. Pre-planning is about legal matters, tax issues, administrative details, and family rights. Most importantly, preplanning is a way to ensure that everyone is taken care of, so no unnecessary conflict or stress occurs after a loved one passes.
You also need to ensure expenses are covered, and that everyone directly involved in the planning and grieving process is aware of what’s happening. Of course, the main thing is that you want to have their wishes fulfilled, so including them in the process ahead of time is the only way you can know if their desires are respected.
Broaching the Topic
Funeral pre-planning doesn’t have to be a sad or heavy topic to discuss, though it will probably be uncomfortable at first. One thing that you can do is broach the subject casually or impersonally, discussing the funeral or situations of other people you know. For instance, you can find out what they think about so-and-so's memorial service, or ask them in general what they think of cremation or other types of services. Casual conversations about death-related topics can ease both of you into the subject without it having to be a shock.
Sometimes you might even find a bit of humour in the conversation, if that’s your loved one’s style. Just try to go with the flow, even if it feels a bit odd at first. Bear in mind that this may be a very private matter, so try to keep the conversation discreet and be sure to bring it up respectfully and in the right context.
Difficulties You May Encounter
You might find that your loved one is dismissive, reluctant, or even angry when you bring up the topic of their death. Be sure to bring it up gently, and be completely clear that the idea is about respecting their wishes.
There are legal and financial elements to consider, which may be a source of stress for your loved one, and that could also make them resistant to talking about it. Thus, you may want to get all of the information on pre-planning ready ahead of time, so that they understand you are doing it out of support for them.
Consider All Options
Most people already know about the two primary options to choose after death: direct cremation or burial. But there are actually many more details and even a few alternative options that your loved one may not know about. For instance, a person may wish to request a Northern Wake or a Celebration of Life i nstead of a traditional funeral service or cremation. Or, if they would like to be cremated but also placed in a cemetery, an affordable option for them could be having a cremation niche in a cemetery.
At any rate, it's essential to start the process of funeral pre-planning as early as possible. It's important to talk about while the situation is relaxed and your family member is alive rather than after they fall ill or pass and you are in a state of shock or incredible stress.
If you’re researching what happens through the funeral process, take a look at our preplanning too l (or download your own ), and contact Miron Wilson for more information.
Micheal J Wilson is the the Managing Director and owner of Miron Wilson Funeral Home and has been a licensed funeral director for over 25 years. Mike and the staff at Miron Wilson are committed to helping their clients during the difficult time, when a loved one passes away.
On the personal side, Mike is a dedicated father and husband, an avid fisherman and a Leaf’s fan (we can’t all be perfect). Although there is hope for the Leafs this season!
I was scrolling through Facebook the other day and was shocked by what I saw. People wishing a recently deceased person Happy Birthday on their Facebook page!
It was obvious that the people were not aware that this person has passed away. This lead me to a few questions:
• What happens to a Facebook account when someone dies?
• How do you close a deceased Facebook account?
As it turns out, there are ways to close or memorialize your Facebook page in your account settings. Check out the link below to see how its done.
https:// www.facebook.com/help/408583372511972/
As the world changes and technology evolves, there will be more and more new issues that need to be dealt with when someone passes away. Lots of things we never think of:
• answering machine messages
• cell phone accounts
• social media accounts
Do you have all your important documents, passwords, accounts in one place?
Planning ahead for how your digital assets are handled after you're gone, has become almost as important as all your other assets.
Along with all the more tradition documents that should be kept together in a safe pace (will, life insurance policy, investment documents, property deeds, etc.), you should also keep a list of usernames and passwords for all your online accounts, including:
• email accounts
• financial accounts (banks, insurance, investments, Paypal)
• social media accounts (Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Snapchat)
• monthly online subscriptions (Netflix, Itunes, Audible, Google, Weight Watchers)
These accounts need to be closed or transferred to avoid undue costs. They need to addressed the same as all your more traditional assets and documents.
For more information about putting all your affairs in order. Please contact us at info@mironwilson.com
Micheal J Wilson is the the Managing Director and owner of Miron Wilson Funeral Home and has been a licensed funeral director for over 25 years. Mike and the staff at Miron Wilson are committed to helping their clients during the difficult time, when a loved one passes away.
On the personal side, Mike is a dedicated father and husband, an avid fisherman and a Leaf’s fan (we can’t all be perfect).
