How to Get Help Planning a Funeral

Funeral planning help

You want want funeral planning help if you have never managed a funeral. Fortunately, there are multiple sources.

Memorial society

A memorial society is usually a low service, or do-it-yourself, option. You will need to do the research and make the decisions based on the information offered by the memorial society. You may or may not get to speak to someone in person or get a quick response. A memorial society may work best for pre-planning funerals as opposed to at-need funerals.

A memorial society is a non-profit educational organization whose purpose is to help people plan funeral arrangements. The focus is on funerals that are simple, dignified and affordable. Memorial societies first appeared in the U.S. in the 1930s in response to the Great Depression. At that time, just when many people were out of work, funeral service costs increased dramatically due to the introduction of expensive embalming procedures and elaborate caskets. The rising cost of funerals let to the formation of memorial societies that gave individuals and families more control over their funeral choices, including choosing cremation instead of burial. Memorial societies encourage individuals to plan their own funeral and after-life care, lessening the burden for their family and loved ones.

• Memorial societies are nonprofit groups that are not associated with any professional funeral company.
• Memorial societies are usually staffed by volunteers.
• In the U.S. and Canada, there are currently over 150 Memorial Societies.
• Those in the U.S. are joined together in an affiliation called the Funeral Consumers Alliance. The Funeral Consumers Alliance (FCA) has a website (www.funerals.org) with a state-by-state listing of local memorial societies.
• The FCA emphasizes consumer rights in relation to funerals, educating the public on more economical and eco-friendly funeral options.
• Memorial societies offer articles about planning funerals, a bookstore and a forum.
• Memorial societies may negotiate lower prices and package deals with commercial funeral providers.
• Memorial societies may offer referrals to commercial funeral providers.

Funeral advocate

A funeral advocate is a mid-service option like a memorial society. It tends to differ from a memorial society as follows:

• Focus on the processes and financials
• No liaisons with commercial funeral providers
• Personal representation
• Fee based

Home funeral service agency / Death doula

Home funeral service providers are a mid-level option. They can connection you with a death doula. A death doula, also known as a death mid-wife, is trained to help a family prepare for and conduct a home funeral – from end-of-life care through final disposition. Death doulas may be fee based or volunteer.

Crematorium

A crematorium is a mid-service option. In addition to cremation, it will offer transportation and death paperwork. It may offer a facility for a service and a selection of urns

Funeral home

A funeral home is a commercial and full-service option. It can take care of everything including: transportation, preparation of remains, death paperwork, funeral service, final disposition and a final resting place.