Pre-planning funeral arrangements ‘a huge gift’ for families
In the hours and days after a loved one passes away, there are endless decisions for family members to make, not to mention beginning their grieving journey.
Making arrangements for one's funeral before that moment can ease the burden on those you leave behind, Charlie Fisher with Dahl Funeral Home says.
Some people just want the basics figured out, like whether they want to be buried or cremated, and others want to specify what the services should look like, who should be a pallbearer or speaker, and what music to play.
Dahl Funeral Home staff try to meet people where they’re at when talking about pre-planning their funeral arrangements, Fisher said, and just listen to what they want to do and talk them through the options.
Having your wishes down on paper so you can be sure they are followed is a benefit, Fisher said, as is taking that decision-making burden off your family members.
“Having the information down and having it paid for is a huge gift to the family,” Fisher said. “It’s just that piece of mind knowing that when it's done, you don't have to worry about it anymore.”
People interested in doing pre-planning can find information on Dahl’s website, at dahlcares.com, under the tab titled “Plan Ahead.” There, people can look at the “pre-planning checklist” and an online pre-planning form that illustrate some of the options.
The secure form asks things like the names of family members, your educational and work history and has boxes to fill in asking about what themes you want included in the service, any poems or special texts to be read, or any story, message or thank you that you want to be read.
People can fill out however much information they want, but Dahl asks for contact information so they can follow up with you later.
Some things the checklist encourages people to think about is what kind of service they want, where they would want to be buried or what kind of casket or urn they may want, where they want a service to be held and other details. Flowers, music, and whether you would want people to donate to a certain cause are also things to think about.
The checklist also suggests that people write an obituary, or make notes of what information they would want included in that when the time comes. Choosing who you want to be in charge can be helpful, Dahl suggests, like making sure someone has a copy of your will and people are in charge of canceling or closing accounts, subscriptions or utility services.
Having these details sorted out can not only make things easier in the days after losing a loved one, but can also cut down on any sort of arguments that might arise, Dahl says.
“The death of a loved one often brings about unwarranted stress and turmoil among families,” their website states. “One family member wants one thing, while another family member wants something different. By planning ahead, you help prevent those disagreements.”
Dahl estimates that there are more than 150 decisions that have to be made in the days following the death of a loved one. Taking care of some of those decisions beforehand can help your loved ones begin their grieving and healing process sooner.
Dahl offers for people to come into their funeral home and meet with a funeral director, Fisher said, or to have someone come to their home for that. Sometimes, Fisher said, people just want to get the process over with quickly.
Other times, Dahl funeral directors end up visiting with people for a while.
“We just try to be caring and compassionate,” Fisher said. “We try to talk to them and treat them like they are a friend and listen to them.”
Some people choose to pre-pay for their arrangements, which Fisher said can make things easier for the family. That prepayment is certified through insurance forms that Dahl keeps on file, Fisher said, and pre-planning gives you more options for funding.
“I’ve had so many people when they're done go ‘Thank God that's done. It's just such a burden off of me, I don’t even have to think about it anymore,’” Fisher said. “There are always more fun things to do than make funeral arrangements, but having it done is a relief to people.”
More information is available at dahlcares.com, and the funeral home can be reached at 406-586-5298.
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