Sending a sympathy card to a family who has just experienced a loss is a kind and low-cost way to show your support. Because too many funeral flowers can be overwhelming—and because many people would rather not receive financial support or gift baskets—sympathy cards allow you to share your regrets without overwhelming the family.
Because of the nature of death and dying, most sympathy cards and the messages for sympathy cards are religious in nature. However, not every family appreciates spiritual sentiments at this time, or you yourself may be agnostic/atheist and don’t wish to send a religious card. (more…)
From time to time, those of us at iMortuary find great resources from within the industry we are delighted to share. Une Belle Vie Memorial Urns, is a company we admire for their commitment to customer service and quality to the consumers they serve online and over the phone. They empathize with their customers’ challenges in managing estate finances and administration; to help families facing these tasks, they have developed a free downloadable guide to managing a loved one’s finances after they’re gone.
When a loved one passes, the family’s first and most pertinent task is to organize the funeral and/or memorial, which can be daunting during this time of mourning. After the funeral, families often struggle with what to do next regarding their loved one’s possessions, property and, most importantly, their finances.
Une Belle Vie Memorial Urns, a company that offers unique and custom cremation urns, offers a free downloadable step-by-step guide to managing a loved one’s finances after they are gone. The guide includes how to contact the appropriate government and financial agencies, how to close or transfer accounts, and how to claim death benefits.
Especially during a time of mourning, everyone can use some guidance and direction.
After the funeral planning is finished and the deceased’s remains have been taken care of, one of the top recommendations for the newly bereaved is to find a support group. Although everyone experiences grief differently, there is much to be said for talking through the pain and finding a group of like-minded individuals who can help you cope with your loss.
Why Bereavement Groups Matter
The loss of a loved one is something no one can prepare for. You never know how it will affect you until it happens, and the overwhelming surge of emotion that results is often more than the average person knows what to do with.
Funeral planning typically lasts anywhere from three days to two weeks, depending on your religion, your advance planning efforts, and the time (and place) of death. Although funeral homes and medical services have streamlined the way they provide funeral planning options to the public, there is still quite a bit of decision-making and coordination that goes into it, and even the generous end of the timeline can seem like a blur when you’re facing your recent loss.
While everyone grieves differently, it is important to take some time during these funeral planning days to simply unwind—whether that means carving out some time alone or doing an activity you love.
Whenever the subject of funeral planning comes up, the topics almost always revolve around the what, where, and how of the process. What did the deceased wish to have done to his or her remains? Where will the funeral and interment be held? How will everything be paid for?
One question often overlooked is who. Who is responsible for planning the funeral? While it might seem like there’s a simple answer to that question (the Executor of the estate or next of kin), there are a lot more complex layers involved—especially if the deceased had a large family.
There are many reasons why you might need to say “no” while planning a funeral. Maybe intrusive family members are making it difficult for you to plan the small, intimate memorial service the deceased asked for. Perhaps you’re feeling pressured to buy larger and more elaborate caskets from the funeral home. It’s possible that you might even need to go against the advice of others to forgo a military funeral or close the funeral to the public.
Loss and death are very personal things, and no one can tell you how the grieving process will affect you as an individual. You might be the type of person to break down, unable to function for the first few weeks as you navigate life alone. You might veer in the opposite direction, clicking into a “get things done” mode until you’re emotionally ready to confront your loss. These are both valid responses—as are any other reactions that fall somewhere in the spectrum between the two.
You’ve said goodbye to your loved one the best way you know how, tied the loose ends up from the funeral planning, and are getting ready to face the most difficult task ahead of you: the first year. Although everyone grieves in a different way, and there is no way to prepare for the emotional hardships that lay ahead of you, most people agree that the first few months are always the hardest.
And while no one can tell you how best to handle your grief, you can at least rely on the support of financial advisors to help you get your personal affairs into order. (This is most important when you’ve recently lost a spouse or life partner, although dealing with a parent’s finances might also be a factor for adult children.)
There is no question that bereavement and loss take a toll on a person’s mental well -being. Countless resources exist to help families and individuals cope with the emotional ramifications death, including grief counseling, support groups, and books. These kinds of options are vital for the newly bereaved, and exist to help others begin moving through their grief.
One of the greatest gifts we can give families as they prepare for the loss of a loved one is assistance with funeral planning. These days, most funerals cost in excess of $10,000 and require dozens of decisions related to the type of interment, a final resting place, and how to celebrate the life of the deceased.
When people have been given the chance to put their affairs in order in the days, weeks, or months leading up to death, all these choices become a little easier. That’s because in addition to having more time to make the difficult decisions, families can also ensure that they make the most out of the funeral planning.
Sending a sympathy card to a family who has just experienced a loss is a kind and low-cost way to show your support. Because too many funeral flowers can be overwhelming—and because many people would rather not receive financial support or gift baskets—sympathy cards allow you to share your regrets without overwhelming the family.
