What should I do if death occurs in the middle of the night or over the weekend?
If your loved one is under hospice care or in the hospital, trained medical staff will assist you in calling a funeral home if one has been chosen at the appropriate time to release your loved one into their care. If your loved one dies unexpectedly at home, first call 911. Note not all facilities have a place to keep your loved one so a decision has to be made as soon as possible. Nursing homes, assisted living require upon admission a place to be named.
What is the purpose of a funeral or memorial service?
Funeral and memorial services are an important step in the grieving process, as well as an opportunity to honor and celebrate a life lived. They offer surviving family members and friends a caring, supportive environment in which to share thoughts and feelings about their loved one. Often funerals or memorial services are the first step in the healing process.
What is the difference between a funeral and memorial service?
Both funeral and memorial services are ceremonies to commemorate a life lived. The primary difference is that the body is present during a funeral service, and is not present during a memorial service.
If cremation is the choice, can a visitation and funeral or memorial service still take place?
Yes. When choosing cremation, you can have all the same choices and services that you would have with a burial; the only difference is the final disposition.
Is embalming required?
No embalming is required by Tennessee state law, unless there is going to be a public viewing of the deceased.
Should I bring my children to the funeral?
You should use your judgment to determine whether your child is old enough to comprehend death, whether attending the funeral will be meaningful to them. It’s important for children to be allowed to express their grief and share in this important ritual. If you bring young children, explain beforehand what they will see and experience.
Why do I feel like the funeral home is taking advantage of me at my most vulnerable time?
Some families feel this way because so many things have to be done in a short time and they feel rushed. Not knowing the full disclosures of everything leaves a bad taste and at the end a more expensive bill than what was expected.
Why are funerals so expensive?
Like everything else in today’s society the cost of living goes up sometimes two or three times a year and that includes funerals. We encourage families to pre-plan and pre-pay in advance so this will help keep the cost from increasing.
Why do I need a funeral consultant?
We are here to help educate you and or assist you in making the arrangements for your loved one. We have the experience and the knowledge that our families don’t have when making arrangements and the know how to keep costs down.
