Monthly Archives: December 2020

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Helping Children Express Their Grief

Whether it is the loss of a parent, sibling, or a beloved friend or family member, cremation services Mentor, OH, are different for children and they may face overwhelming emotions. every child grieves in his own way and often hides his feelings from elders.

During such times, it’s incumbent upon parents, caretakers, and educators to help them cope with the grief of losing a loved one and bring them back to normal. Just remember, children are vulnerable to grief and sorrow and if their feelings are not shared by a caring elder, they may plunge into depression or remain stuck in past.

We can guide you on how to help children express their emotions and inner feelings about sorrow and grief.

Talk Honestly About Death

You shouldn’t try to protect them by shielding information from them that is necessary to help them understand the hard truths of life. If you avoid talking to them about death, they won’t share their feelings and will wear the cloak of silence. As a result, they’ll take longer to get past the loss of a loved one.

So, encourage them to ask questions, express their feelings, invoke the memory of the lost loved one, and so on. Your supporting behavior will motivate them to open up about their grief and sorrow.

Correct Their Misconceptions

While coping with the loss of a close one, children are often embarrassed, less communicative, confused, guilty, and angry at the same time – and these emotions are part of the grieving process. Unlike adults, they have little knowledge about the realities of life, which makes it difficult for them to handle and share these emotions.

If you notice any unusual behavior like guilt, fear, misconceptions, or extreme worries in children, talk to them ASAP and address their queries. Reassure them that it’s not their fault the loved one has gone – rather it’s the cycle of life and we all have to go through it.

Don’t be Too Euphemistic

Adults often try to be overprotective of the children and while trying to do so, they shield valuable information from them. Avoid using euphemistic language around death all the time. Terms like ‘passed away’, ‘moved to a better place’, etc., and instead use simple, concrete language to apprise them of the realities of the world. Use words like ‘died’, ‘left us forever’, to help them expedite the healing process.

Remember, children can’t process such sensitive information in just one conversation. You have to inject the information slowly but regularly and thoroughly notice their understanding and response. Assure them you’re always available whenever they need you to listen to them.

Use Creative Ways to remember the Lost Loved One

Remembering loved ones and preserving their memories encourages children to express their emotions. find ways to honor their memory like planting a tree, throwing a dinner party, doing charity work, and notice how the child responds to these activities.

Also, you may ask children to draw their sketches, write them letters, or make a memory box. Such fun and creative activities will clear out their doubts and help them be more communicative.

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Share Your Own Feelings

You should share your own grief and emotions with the child about the lost loved one. It’s ok to shed a tear or two or be sad in front of them. It will make them believe that grief is a natural process and one should talk about emotions and feelings with friends and family. Cremation services Mentor, OH, can start the process.

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How to Personalize Funerals in the 21st Century

Funerals and cremation services Willoughby Hills, OH, have undergone significant changes in the last few decades, and with the introduction of the internet, personalizing a funeral has become a standard in today’s world.

More and more families try to make a funeral service a truly meaningful event that reflects the life of the deceased. And most often, you can personalize a funeral in just a few minutes. A funeral is the single most important event for the bereaved and everyone wants to make it unique and memorable.

Let’s discuss a few ideas to customize the funeral of a lost loved one.

Pick Funeral Flowers

Flowers are the best way to commemorate the memory of a lost loved one. Each type of flower carries an inherent meaning and speaks words that cannot be said by mouth. You can arrange a unique and beautiful floral arrangement containing the favorite flowers of the deceased.

Some common funeral flowers are lilies, roses, gladioli, carnations, etc. that reflect the bravely, purity, and upright character of the lost beloved.

Create a Memory Counter

One of the easiest ways to personalize any funeral service is to create a memory table and showcase the favorite items and belongings of the deceased. You can place his medals, shields, uniform (if he/she was a service member), pictures, and other personal items to help everyone better understand and give honor to the deceased.

You can also arrange multiple tables in stations to represent various phases of the deceased’s life. You may also request close family and friends to bring the flowers in the favorite colors of the deceased.

Embrace the Deceased’s Community

A community where the person spends his adulthood carries invaluable treasure in his/her life – and it should be honored in his/her final services. A community can be an organization, club, friend group, or military service. You can easily represent the person’s interaction with a specific community by showcasing their emblem, flag, color, or trademark logo in the funeral décor or ‘memory table.’

If the deceased was a veteran or a serving servicemember, you can display his uniform, his medals, and shields in the décor, or hang the American flag in the casket and may even bury them in the American flag.

Light Candles

Lighting candles to honor the lost loved one is a centuries-old tradition and all cultures and religions embraced it in one way or another. This activity demonstrated your feelings of sadness and shows how much you care for and miss them.

Lightning a few candles will add meaning and healing aroma to the funeral and make it special for both the family and the deceased.

Play Their Favorite Music

Who doesn’t love music in the 21st century? It is a well-known fact that music heals the pain and grief of the bereaved. So, you should play the favorite music of the deceased at the funeral service and give everyone a chance to dance and reminisce about the memories of the deceased.

Personalizing a funeral of your lost loved one provides you emotional strength and accelerates the healing process. It also gives the perfect sendoff your loved one deserves. Your loved one’s cremation services Willoughby Hills, OH, can be unique.

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Common Myths About Funerals

Funerals and funeral homes Willoughby Hills, OH, are the least talked about event among Americans. Almost 84% never discuss funerals with family and friends until they have to attend one. Well, it makes sense as no one would like to discuss death.

That is why people have many misconceptions about the funeral industry and its managers. You will find countless myths and wrong information about the nature of the funeral industry and people associated with it. We have decided to debunk some common myths and give you a true perspective of this business.

Funerals are Very Expensive

Funerals can indeed cost a fortune if you make unscrupulous decisions. But an average burial funeral can be very affordable and the price can be reduced significantly if you think out-of-the-box and hire a prudent funeral director. A good director will help you customize the funeral as per your family’s wishes and traditions within your budgetary allocations and save you a lot of money.

Similarly, a cremation funeral has a low and it is a perfect solution for families looking for affordable memorials services.

Funeral directors Have No Personality

This couldn’t be further from the truth. Being a funeral director is one of the toughest jobs there is. and you have to provide services to the families who are suffering from overwhelming pain and grief for the lost loved one. At this emotionally critical time, funeral directors have to show a peak of professionalism and can’t utter words or show behavior that may hurt their feelings.

Similarly, they have to make arrangements in a day or two and create a funeral event that truly honors the memories of the deceased and fulfill the wishes of the bereaved as well. That is why they seem so serious and sedate. Your funeral director isn’t a robot, he or she is simply someone who is trying very hard to be a calm, soothing presence.

Embalming Services are Mandatory

Many people believe that every deceased person needs to be embalmed for public health reasons. However, it is not required in any state if you are having the funeral services in less than 24 hours. Also, many states allow other methods of storing bodies like refrigerating.

But you always have the option of embalming if you desire.

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It is Useless to Hire a Funeral Director

It is a general perception that hiring a funeral director to cost extra money. But in reality, a good funeral director can save you thousands of dollars. When you have lost a loved one, your ability to make rational decisions is clouded and you are likely to make bad decisions that put a strain on your bank account.

Funeral directors are aware of ins and outs of the industry and provide you all the quality services at the lowest price possible – not to mention the emotional comfort and ease it brings you.

All funerals are the Same

A family can customize a funeral according to the wishes of the deceased. There are no hard and fast rules on how a funeral should go – except in some religious families. Most families tend to be creative and personalize a funeral to make it a unique and memorable event for the deceased and the living as well. Funeral homes Willoughby Hills, OH, can accommodate your request.

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How the Funeral Industry is Changing with Time

Humans can adapt to changing needs and time, and so can cremation services Waite Hill, OH. A funeral is a centuries-old tradition and the funeral industry has been changing to meet the requirements of the customers.

Online platforms are filled with discussions pertaining to changes in the funeral profession and the truth is, it is changing only as the customer is changing and because funeral managers are committed to inspiring leaders of other industries to change for the BETTER world by introducing creative changes.

Here are five ways that the funeral industry is adapting to honor the customers’ wishes. Every funeral director should be willing to implement these changes.

The Bereaved Family Calls the Shots

Many funeral homes are putting the bereaved family in the driver’s seat and give a big role in planning the funeral services of the lost loved one. A funeral is the most important event for the family and making them more empowered in decision making will help them overcome the grief and pain quickly.

During the ongoing pandemic, funeral homes are providing upload links and live funeral services so the bereaved family can invite ever family member and friend to attend the final services of the deceased and give them the tribute they deserve.

Promoting Healthy Grieving

Many people downplay the importance of religious and cultural tradition while attending the funerals and often utter words that might hurt the feelings of the bereaved, albeit inadvertently.

But now many funeral homes are taking creative steps like creating a sign for all attendees to read to refrain them from negative statements like “All things happen for good reason” or “I know they’re in a better place”.

Also, they guide visitors about the religious traditions of the family. For example, ’Don’t bring flowers to a Jewish family’ and in doing so, promote the healthy grieving process.

Multi-Functional Funeral Homes

Funeral homes are adapting to the changing needs of the customers and many have transformed into a multi-use space for organizing weddings, funerals, and celebration parties. Many people love to feel the happiest days of their lives close to the lost loved ones.

A woman narrated that she chose the same funeral where her parents were buried home for her wedding because she wanted to feel their presence on her memorable day. Funeral home managers are doing an excellent job of fulfilling peoples’ wishes.

Introducing Death Cafes

Given less than 16% of Americans talk about death in social settings, funeral homes have now hosting death café to bring people together to talk about death. These people eat their favorite food and talk about their death ceremonies and how they want their final services to be implemented.

Also, it helps people understand the basics of funeral services and foster a close relationship with funeral home workers and managers.

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Personalized and Pre-Planned Funeral Service

Many funeral homes are now using modern technology to help people plan their final services. They have developed informative and innovative websites containing all the details and options from funerals to funerals festivals to inspire people for their inevitable goodbye.

You can pre-plan every service of your funeral and I remember a young lad in 30s who decided to have pizza at his funeral and another wanted to have a poetic goodbye. The rationale is to make cremation services Waite Hill, OH, less stressful.