Funeral Guidelines in Advance of a Death

Thinking about death and funerals is something people tend to delay till they are seriously ill or they are in their senior years. Here are some Funeral Guidelines to plan ahead in case of the unexpected.

While we are healthy and young, it is the furthest thing  from our mind, but the truth is death doesn’t keep a timetable and it doesn’t remember birthdays. Death claims young and old at the most unexpected times. According to one cardiologist from the USA, it is believed that more than 350,000 people die unexpectedly every year, and this is due to cardiac arrest alone.

Your Funeral Guidelines don’t have to go by the Book

It can be a relief to have funeral guidelines in place which have been  communicated in advance of a death. You have the opportunity to coordinate your own future funeral at the appropriate time. When creating funeral guidelines for others to follow, remember that it is a personal experience. The guidelines should include your preferences. It is quite appropriate for your funeral guidelines to include elements that are not listed by the funeral home.

It is perfectly in order for you to omit and add to the funeral guidelines as you see fit. Take for example Hunter Thompson, a famous writer. In his funeral guidelines he required that his ashes be shot high into the heavens. It was to be fired at evening time in a remote desert. All of his family and friends were present.

This type of request can be comforting to the family if they know that all has been carefully arranged and finances were available well in advance, before the person died. Make it clear whether you want to be interred or cremated. Families facing the loss of a loved one who left no guidelines can end up spending thousands on a funeral that their loved one wouldn’t have chosen.

Know all the Options Available to You

There are so many options of burials today that people aren’t even aware of. These can be traditional wooden-coffins to green burials where sustainable caskets are made using biodegradable materials.

Here are a few examples of what you might include in your Funeral Guideline:

●   The visitation or wake. Some consider this to be a very important guideline as it gives loved ones a chance to spend a bit of time with their departed loved one. It is important though that your funeral guidelines are specific about your wishes for a visitation ceremony.
●   The funeral ceremony. Lists are provided on who will speak, what songs will be sung and even certain rituals.
●   The burial ceremony or cremation – you’ll want to state where you want your ashes scattered. Maybe you only want certain family members to be present. This is all up to you.

Funeral Guidelines in Advance of a Death – Part of Responsible Planning

To list your wishes in a funeral guideline is all part of responsible planning, suffice to say, it’s just the thing anyone would do who wants to avoid anxiety, stress and friction amongst family members once you are gone.

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All info was correct at time of publishing