Planning a service at funeral homes Johnstown, PA, takes energy you may not have. Losing a loved one is probably the most stressful experience one can have in life. It’s natural to feel overwhelmed by a rollercoaster of emotions but at the same time, there’re many details to be taken care of.
The bereaved have to take on the responsibility of arranging the final services of the lost loved one. We acknowledge that making funeral arrangements is difficult at a time when you are grieving the ultimate loss but indulging in funeral services makes the grief journey slightly better.
How to Arrange A Funeral Service
Here is a step-by-step guide on arranging a funeral — from confirming the death to bringing the financial and administrative matters of the deceased to closure.
1. Notify the Relevant parties
Soon after confirming the loved one’s death from the hospital or hospice care, start making the “first calls’ to the appropriate authorities. Depending on your state, follow the formal procedure to acquire the legal announcement of the death.
2. Arrange Deceased Transportation
The next step is to arrange for the transportation of the deceased from the hospital or place of death to a funeral home. If the loved one has died in another city, state, or country, you may need an air ambulance via a local funeral home to shift the body.
3. Check Loved One’s Will
Many people leave a detailed will of their end-of-life celebrations. It includes all the necessary information from choosing the type of final disposition – burial or cremation – to the associated services they would want to include in the funeral.
Honor their last wishes and try your best to personalize the funeral according to the will.
4. Arrange the Funeral Services
Start your hunt for a professional funeral director to make sure everything goes as planned. Discuss everything with the director about how you want the loved one to be cared for, the type of disposition, associated funeral services such as catering, music, flowers, and other personalized services you want.
It’s important to get the written pricelist of the services offered by the funeral home and have an estimate of the total cost of the funeral beforehand to ensure everything falls within your budget.
5. Shop for Individual Products/Services
You can purchase the necessary services from the funeral home but if you want and have enough time, hit the local market. Select and buy a casket, burial vault, online memorial, urn, grave marker, and so on.
Your funeral director can better guide you during the shopping process.
6. Handle Necessary Paperwork
After the death of a loved one, the bereaved need to put all their financial and administrative matters in order. It entails closing their bank accounts and canceling credit cards, filing for death benefits such as insurance claims or employer benefits, changing the title of the deceased’s financial assets. Similarly, distributing their property according to their Will or the State’s orders. If you feel confused, get help from your funeral director at funeral homes Johnstown, PA.