Funeral Guidance in the Age of Covid-19

Arranging cremation services Richland, PA, has extra challenges in 2021. The outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic has fundamentally altered our social lives and made almost life’s events much more challenging – to which funerals are no exception. The implementation of social distancing measures by the government has changed altogether the way we mourn.

But of all the things, the inevitable realities of life and death cannot be put on hold during the pandemic. That’s why CDC has outlined a comprehensive set of social distancing guidelines families and mourners need to follow during funeral services.

Here’s how people should celebrate loved ones at funerals and memorial services.

Go Virtual

Live streaming a funeral service isn’t a new concept in the funeral industry – but Covid-19 has given it a renewed stimulus and made it more acceptable and mainstream. Many funeral homes are offering the complete live streaming of memorial services and visitations.

Online streaming allows all friends and family to attend the services and it brings an emotional touch and authenticity to the event as services may be witnessed from different angles using multiple high-definition cameras. The attendees can express condolences virtually without putting anyone at the risk of contracting the virus.

Create an Online Memorial Space

Condolences from friends and family play an important role in helping the bereaved get past the grief journey quickly. In the absence of in-person condolences, people are using the internet to share the grief of the bereaved.

The family or a close friend can create a website or a Facebook page and request the loved ones to share any photos, videos, and anecdotes involving the deceased. People can also share thoughtful eulogies to offer sympathies with the bereaved.

Arrange a Small Ceremony If Possible

The CDC recommends people conduct a small funeral or memorial ceremony inviting just close friends and family – and plan a large service for a later date. You can also choose an intimate, immediate family-only service and deliver invitations to the friends and family with a “date to be announced” message so, everyone knows that they’ll be invited to the ceremony in the future.

It also spares the bereaved family of the ordeal of arranging the service for many attendees at the time of heightened grief and stress. Additionally, they get enough time to plan and conduct a perfect service for the departed soul.

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Follow Social Distancing Guidances

If you plan to conduct a memorial service anyway, then make sure every guest follows social distancing protocols, which may include:

  • Holding the ceremony in an open or well-ventilated place – if possible
  • Wearing mask
  • Maintaining social distance
  • Avoiding handshake or hugging
  • Using hand sanitizer after every few minutes
  • The elderly and those with weakened immune systems shouldn’t attend the ceremony but if they have to, special seating arrangements should be made for them
  • Anyone who is currently ill should avoid attending the service

The easiest way to ensure social distancing at cremation services Richland, PA, is by inviting fewer guests than the total capacity of the funeral home.