Monthly Archives: November 2020

Mistake Funeral Directors Should Avoid

Being a funeral director or working at funeral homes Waite Hill, OH, demands the utmost professionalism and sincerity in your profession. You have to deal with people suffering from emotional pain and grief of losing a loved one. Not everyone has what it takes to run and be professional in the funeral industry.

Trying to be a Superhero

Some funeral directors try to be everything to everyone. Truth is, you can’t. and if you try too hard, you will embarrass yourself.

You indeed want to help the bereaved as much as possible, but no one can do all the tasks associated with funerals. We all have our strengths and weaknesses. Try your best to create a supportive environment at a funeral service, but if you’re not good at anything, simply refuse and ask someone else in the team to do the task. No one will judge you.

Taking Things Personally

Needless to say, funeral service is an emotional-based profession and sometimes you have to deal with not so friendly people. It is highly likely someone will shout at you, send you angry mail or voicemail, even if it was not your mistake, but you should never take it personally.

Yes, it is difficult, but seeing it from the lens of someone who has just lost a loved one will give you enough courage to absorb less than friendly remarks. Instead, you can consider any criticism as a way of improving and expanding your services and business.

Remember, never hit back at customers and ignore their undue criticism or remarks.

Least Concerned with Self Care

Funeral directors have to provide over two-dozen services in a day or two and often put too much energy into it and face stress, anxiety, or even depression. You may be the most hardworking, caring, and talented person on Earth, but not caring about your health will get you sick – and cannot be meaningful for your family and the bereaved family you are serving.

So, always put your health at the top priority. Be committed to your job and serve the customers, but never compromise on your health and take rest when it’s due.

Not saying ‘No’ Enough

Many families will present a never-ending list of services they want for the funeral. You should try to comply with all of them, but you have to draw a line somewhere. Otherwise, you might not find time to eat or breathe.

A prudent funeral director knows when to say no and how to say it. You should communicate your argument in the best possible way about why you can’t fulfill a specific request – to help retain the customers.

Putting Too Much Burden on Yourself

A funeral director has an emotionally-charged job and you have to go above and beyond to fulfill the wishes of the bereaved. Many managers take too much responsibility and even try to do the job of other team members in trying to share the feelings of the bereaved. While some get emotionally carried away.

In the long-term, it is a dangerous and energetically draining process and you should try to alleviate your emotions and create boundaries to avoid being sick or depressed. Funeral homes Waite Hill, OH, are necessary to the community.

What to Do When You Can’t Overcome Grief

Cremation services Willoughby Hills, OH, can trigger grief, a natural phenomenon that accompanies a range of other emotions as well including anger, depression, anxiety, despair, disbelief, and pain, etc. The grief of losing a family member cannot be explained in words. The pain and stress it accompanies are devastated and overwhelming. Nothing is scarier and tougher than losing someone you love or care about. It is, indubitably, the toughest period of our lives, even if the death was expected.

But it is necessary to get over past this period quickly and accept and adapt to the new reality. Because getting trapped in intense mourning and sorrow for long-term may engender complicated grief, an emotion that slows down the healing process and pushes one deep into despair and endless bereavement.

So, let’s discuss simple ways you can handle your emotions and cope with grief.

Indulge in Healthy Activities

To overcome grief, you should be fit and healthy – both physically and mentally. Grieving over a longer period can seriously impact your physical and emotional well-being. Never quit your favorite hobbies or fun activities. They divert your attention from the memory of the lost loved one and expedite the healing process.

Spend more time doing exercise, eating healthy foods, and getting more sleep.

Don’t Alienate

Many people alienate others when they are depressed. Avoiding social settings only makes the pain worse for you and compounds your depression and anxiety. Instead of alienating yourself, take part in social gatherings and let the pain out. You will feel better when you are in the company of friends and family and any discussion will provide a sense of release of pain and anxiety.

Express Your Feelings with Friends and Family

If you’re feeling too overwhelmed and falling apart, get closer to your friends and family, and share your emotions and feelings with them. No one will judge you. That’s what family is for. After all, you’re not a robot. Be kind to yourself and do whatever it feels right to relieve pain and suffering.

Have a shoulder to cry on and shed away a few tears to relieve the burden of your heart.

Get Help from Faith

Religion can help people get past critical times. Regardless of your religion, you can seek comfort and relief by embracing its mourning rituals such as meditating, praying, going to church or demagogue, etc. Also, you can directly talk to a religious clergy member to get spiritual support, if you can’t overcome grief.

Have Fun

Having fun in your life doesn’t mean that you have dishonored the memory of the departed or forgotten them altogether. It rather gives you strength and hopes to cope with the never-ending pain that can take a toll on your body. Playing your favorite sports or watching the favorite TV show might be a necessary distraction you need, or else spend more time with your pets.

Grieving is a natural process that we all face at some point in life. Cremation services Willoughby Hills, OH, are a necessary reality.

Why Memorials Are an Important Part of the Healing Process

The pain and stress of losing a family member and planning for cremation services Mentor, OH, are among the toughest experiences of life. You are vulnerable and helpless and the pain can be overwhelming. During such moments, we need the support of our family and friends more than ever.

A funeral or cremation service, like any other ritual, is a symbolic activity that helps us cope with the grief of the lost loved one, express our emotions, and move on with life. In all cultures and religions, funerals are held to honor the dead and comfort the deceased.

Here, we discuss a few of the ways that memorial services help you process what happened to the deceased.

Accept the Reality of the death

The death of a loved one comes as a great shock and as a natural defense mechanism, we refuse to accept the reality. By arranging a funeral, you conform to your cultural or religious traditions and acknowledge the fact that the deceased has left you forever, and adapt to the new reality.

It begins the healing process and helps us to move on with life.

Honor the Deceased

Funerals are the best way to give the send-off your lost loved one deserves. It gives us time to reflect on the good times spent with them and pay them tribute in front of friends and family. A eulogy is the best way to help the community to acknowledge the contributions, sacrifices, and services of the deceased for the community.

Many people personalize the funeral in a way that perfectly demonstrates the life of the deceased. Events such as playing the favorite music of the deceased, bringing flowers, customizing the casket, etc. honor the memory of the departed soul.

Express Your Feelings

Funerals provide you an opportunity to express your grief, frustration, and overwhelming emotions. By shedding a few tears and opening up about your inner feelings with friends and family help you initiate the healing process quickly.

Develop a New Self-Identity

Another primary goal of a funeral is the development of a new self-identity. When you publicly announce your loss and get a new identity. Our identity is shaped by our relations such as a father, brother, sister, mother, wife, etc. and when a family member dies, it changes, and funerals help us to accept it.

Receive Ongoing Support from Community

Funerals are the public means of expressing and sharing our emotions with friends, family, and, the rest of the community. They let us physically ask for support and it is a critical part of the healing process. Gaining empathy from the community and spending more time among people relieves your heart of extra burden and you start coping with the grief.

The very purpose of inviting guests and clergy members to a funeral is to spend more time with close friends. You get condolences and words of empathy and caring hugs that help you cope with the irreparable loss.

In many religions and cultures, the funeral or cremation services Mentor, OH, are obligatory.

Most Popular Flowers for Funerals

People are often looking for the most popular flowers to send to a funeral when they hear of someone passing. Funeral flowers are an important part of the process of grieving and mourning. The type of flower that you choose to send can be a way for you to express your condolences, love, or support.

A question that captivates the mind of everyone who plans to attend a funeral service in Mentor, OH. What flowers should I bring? Well, you can bring any type of flowers to a funeral as they speak the universal language and fits every occasion.

most common flowers for funerals

If you are looking to send flowers for a funeral, there are many options when it comes to what type of flower arrangement is most appropriate. These arrangements can range from simple and elegant, such as an urn full of beautiful white lilies, to more complex arrangements that include other symbols like crosses or roses. The right choice will depend on the person who has passed away and their personal preferences in life. What do you think? Let’s discuss!

Most Common Flowers for Funerals

Below are some of the most requested funeral flowers and what they tell loved ones about your final wishes.

1. Roses

The name rose needs no introduction. They are considered to be the most popular and versatile flowers in the world. They convey a multitude of messages.

Each rose color has its inherent meaning such as white roses show the power, valor, strength, purity, and honor of the deceased. Red roses are a perfect representation of love and respect for the deceased and sympathies with the bereaved. Yellow roses symbolize friendship and demonstrate strong bonds or ties, while the dark pink roses reflect thankfulness to the deceased. Overall, roses, regardless of color, convey enduring love and appreciation.

2. Lilies

When it comes to funerals, no flower is better suited than lilies. It’s because of their extensive use in funerals, they are called funeral flowers and show the purity, radiance, and innocence of the departed soul.

Widely dubbed as the ‘go-to funeral flowers’, lilies offer sympathy and hope to the bereaved family. It has a strong fragrance and also suggests that the departed has returned to a more peaceful and happier abode. The white lily sub-breed is the first choice for funerals.

3. Daffodils

Daffodils represent rebirth as they come into bloom in the spring. Their golden yellow color indicates joyous events and symbolizes hope and happiness for future endeavors.

4. Carnations

Carnations offer a profound sense of grief and affection. While most funeral flowers are often delivered in small bunches, carnations can be given in large numbers so that more people in the grieving family get to participate or share their condolences and comfort others. It conveys an important message – we care about you; we cherish our memories together with you; we will miss your presence very much.

Carnations come in multiple colors each having its own meaning. As one of the most popular traditional funeral flowers, Carnations are mostly used for funeral wreaths and standing sprays and symbolize admiration, remembrance, and innocence of the deceased.

5. Orchids

Orchids are ranked among the best funeral flowers available. They show the immense love of the visitor for the deceased. Irrespective of their color, orchids connote the universal meaning of, ‘I love you now and always. These orchids also symbolize mourning and grief.

6. Tulips

Tulips bloom in many colors which have made them extremely popular as funeral flowers. Their lovely colors speak volumes about the life of a man and his achievements. However, red tulips are most frequently associated with death and mourning, so you should be careful while choosing them as per your requirement.

7. Peonies

Peonies are some of the most amazing flower memorials that can be offered at any time during these hard times for bereaved individuals. They bear full, numerous blooms and their color palette is astonishingly rich and diverse ranging from delicate pinks to vivid orange-reds and bold yellows – a tribute to every shade of life’s beauty!

8. Chrysanthemums

Mums are the most popular flowers for funerals. They have a long history and almost every country has some significance attached to them as per their culture. They come in various sizes, colors, and forms so you will never be disappointed with such an investment.

9. Carnations

Carnations can be presented with utmost sincerity during trying times of grief like a funeral because they express compassion better than any other flower memorial! Their stems are very sturdy so people use them while making arrangements or bouquets at home or even while decorating the church where the service is going on. They look incredibly gorgeous wherever placed, no doubt about that!

10. Hydrangeas

Hydrangeas are a wonderful flower option for funerals. They look really attractive as a whole arrangement or even in small, simple bouquets. Come winter and these stems are so hard that they can be kept for months without losing their petals! Therefore, it’s very easy to pick them up from the local florist shops. you’re sure to get hydrangea flowers at an inexpensive price too!

11. Daisies

Daisy is one of the most popular funeral flowers. Also, arranging them alone in small vases to placing them in corsages and bouquets. You can get these flowers at your local grocery store or even online.

12. Gladioli

These beautiful flowers are 4-feet tall and display the strong character and resilience of the deceased. Also, they convey a host of meanings in general, but in funerals, they reflect courage, high morals, and the strength of character of the deceased. It also conveys hope and upliftment during times of grief and sorrow.

13. Nasturtiums

The vibrant colors and cheerful appearance of the nasturtiums represent enjoyment and happiness. These flowers are short-lived, which is a metaphor for how quickly life can change. They last for only three weeks after being picked so they’re also an expression of saying goodbye as their beautiful flowers will soon wither away.

14. Fuchsia

The fuchsia symbolizes the enjoyment and happiness of one’s life. It also represents vibrant beauty and perpetual youthfulness, giving a sense of immortality. In addition, the bright colors contrast well with the all-black attire of funeral clothes. This flower’s meaning is most prevalent during times of high mortality rates due to wars or plagues. As they were used in such events to represent that people’s lives will bloom again once their passing is over.

15. Freesia

The freesia is the flower of eternal life. It blooms in cold weather and its long, lasting vase life is an indicator that it will last through eternity too. Freesia expresses love and devotion as well as respect for the departed.

16. Gerbera Daisy

Gerbera daisy signifies gratitude and affectionate remembrance which would be fitting for a funeral arrangement. The flowers present at a funeral can carry meanings such as “you’ll never be forgotten,” “thank you for being part of our lives” or even “I love you”. These floral messages are more comprehensive when one brings either white.

17. Violets

Violets smell fresh and sweet just like the feelings of sympathy we feel for those who have passed away. These little flowers are perfect to be placed in an arrangement. They also come in various colors such as white, pink, or purple depending on your budget.

18. Dendrobium Orchid

This beautiful flower is a symbol of eternal life and this is why it’s most appropriate to use dendrobium orchids when sending floral arrangements as funeral gifts. One can compose a lovely casket spray using these light plants which will brighten up any room in the house. Added perk: their scent won’t overpower everyone’s senses because they aren’t too strong-smelling plants like roses and tulips are.

19. Sunflowers

These bright yellow flowers are very popular not only because of the cheerful color they come in but also because sunflowers can last for days. Flowers like these make your home feel more welcoming, and when visiting a funeral service it’s always best to have a pleasant atmosphere around you.

20. Lavender Flowers

A bunch or a single lavender flower in a casket can be very comforting to one who is mourning and ease the tension he/she feels. If you’re planning on taking these as funeral gifts, make sure that it’s fresh and not wilted. Otherwise, it will just bring down the beauty of the arrangement.

21. Petunias

They say that Petunias symbolizes respect and is the most popular funeral flower. The bright colors of red, pink and mauve match almost every casket and can be used for arrangements of different styles.

22. Hydrangeas

This flower is widely used during funeral services. Also, with its rich colors and simple designs, it can be mixed with other flowers or by itself.

23. Rosemary

Though not as popular as the flowers mentioned above, rosemary is still included in this list. The fresh green color of this flower will last for a long time and can be arranged easily.

24. Jasmine

Jasmine has a fresh and delicate fragrance that symbolizes luxury, elegance, and refinement.

25. Hyacinths

From a classical point of view, hyacinths represent friendship and innocence. They are very versatile to be used during services since they can be arranged in any way possible.

Key Take-Away:

sympathy flowers for funerals

You have a lot of options when selecting flowers for your loved one. The most important thing is to choose something meaningful and make sure the colors are appropriate. You don’t want it to be too difficult or rushed! If you need assistance selecting funerary flowers or florists for the occasion, don’t hesitate to reach out to our staff at Orlando-Donsante-Previte Funeral Home.

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