The loss of a loved one means that family members must quickly familiarise themselves with the numerous available funeral options. While a funeral should be as unique as the person it's commemorating, you might feel that many of the traditional options simply don't offer the most appropriate farewell for your loved one. You might believe that it's more fitting for your loved one to be farewelled at home, but is this actually possible?
Practical Aspects
A home funeral (which is also often called a family-directed funeral) is certainly permitted, although it might not be practical for you and other family members to handle the entirety of the arrangements. When consulting a funeral director, the assumption is that the service will be arranged by the director and held at the funeral home. Funeral directors offer a range of funeral planning solutions, and even though the service is to be held at your family home, a funeral director's help can be invaluable.
The Bureaucracy of Death
A funeral director can help you with the necessary bureaucracy of death with the filing of a death certificate being the most relevant example. Additionally, the ultimate destination of your loved one's remains, whether this is cremation or burial, must be arranged, and relevant documentation and permissions also need to be filed.
Transportation of Your Loved One
In addition to bureaucracy, engaging the services of a funeral director can be extremely beneficial for the transportation of your loved one. Your loved one's remains can be kept in cold storage at the funeral home's facilities, being transported to your home for the service and then being taken away for burial or cremation afterwards. Experience counts here, and you need to be sure that your loved one's remains are handled safely and respectfully, which can be difficult to accomplish yourself.
Additional Services
The funeral home may also be able to provide you with a cold plate to preserve your loved one's remains for as long as possible. This is extremely valuable if your loved one will be brought home for a viewing or visitation prior to the funeral. This cold plate can be installed in the casket prior to transportation.
The details of the service, and whether it's a formal funeral or an informal celebration of life, are all entirely at your discretion. While a home funeral might be the most fitting solution for your loved one, having a funeral director handle the bureaucratic and logistical concerns will ease your burden during an incredibly difficult time.
Share23 September 2021
Irving Berlin famously sang, "The song is ended, but the melody lingers on..." Anyone who has been in charge of funeral arrangements knows the importance of striking the delicate balance between reverence and celebration which helps us remember the true heart of a person. We admire incredible examples of funerals that faithfully commemorate a person's life such as those for Nelson Mandela and Joan Rivers. Unfortunately, funerals for our own loved ones often end up being generic or "cookie cutter" because sadness overwhelms us. This blog is designed to help by outlining the ways that funeral directors can personalise a service and providing imaginative ideas.