PLANNING YOUR FUNERAL: HOW BEING PREPARED HELPS THE LOVED ONES YOU LEAVE BEHIND

Death remains a mystery and for those left living, it can be filled with confusion, anger, and sorrow as grieving friends and family members learn to cope with their loss and begin to celebrate the life they once knew. To assist those left living, an increasing number of adults are viewing advance funeral planning, sometimes referred to as ‘preplanning’, as a natural continuation of preparing their wills and estate plans.

Because of our increasing social avoidance around discussing highly emotional issues, like death, dying, and funerals, all sorts of myths have been generated making a serious discussion nearly taboo. The truth is for anyone who has had to hastily arrange funeral services, it’s more difficult for the family if their loved one did not talk about their wishes for their final arrangements. Having an open conversation with family members and caretakers about end of life care and funeral arrangements make things easier for them to respect their deceased loved one’s – or your – wishes.

At Lee Funeral Home Funeral Services, we believe that planning a funeral in advance is a wise thing to do, and easier on everyone rather than an “at-need” or at time of death plan.

An “At-Need” funeral arrangement is made at the time of death, usually by surviving family members or by a trusted friend on behalf of the deceased. It’s difficult because the time frame is short and emotions are high as survivors are dealing with their grief. In addition to the arrangements, there’s also the expense – payment for funeral services is due at the time of the funeral which can cause added stress during a difficult time.

Making final arrangements in advance also ensures the funeral will be conducted according to your wishes, avoiding unwanted merchandise or services, and locks in today’s prices should they choose to fund their prearrangement. Planning ahead of time can help turn a funeral into a celebration of life while providing a sense of closure, and enables the family to begin the healing process.

Lee Funeral Home End of Life Planning program accurately advises on the realities of simple planning for the protection of your survivors, beneficiaries and estate, and we’ll guide you through the entire learning process. If you’re looking for answers or need help from trusted professionals, call Lee Funeral Services at +254 722 514 584 / +254 722 401 861 today to speak with a Pre-Planning Consultant today.