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Writer-s-Bloc

Planning for the future

By Lee Davidson

Death is never easy to discuss, and often funeral arrangements are left until there is no way to avoid dealing with them.

This can be stressful and can pull attention away from the grieving process for family and loved ones. A better alternative is to make pre-arrangement plans and have these plans in place with a funeral home, so your loved ones don’t have to make them.

What is a pre-arrangement plan?

A pre-arrangement plan is you taking the time to put your wishes in place and make payments on your funeral arrangements. Pre-arranging your funeral will make certain that your choices are respected and carried out, without leaving your family to wonder what your wishes might have been.

An advanced planning director will help you prepare a plan to outline for your loved ones what type of ceremony you would like, where you would like to be in-urned and even important details such as the music you want played or poem you might wish to be read at your service.

There are numerous decisions to make and the more you have in writing ahead of time will make the process much easier for your loved ones at the time of passing.

Do I need a funeral?

Whether you are planning for yourself or for a loved one, the funeral service is one of the most important elements of a person’s final arrangements. With the opportunity for great personalization, the funeral service can truly reflect the uniqueness of the life it honours.

Whether you or your loved one have opted for burial or for cremation, the funeral or memorial service fills an important role. It can honour, recognize, and celebrate the life of the deceased, allow friends and family to say their last good byes, provide closure after the loss of a loved one and allow friends to console the family of the loved one.

So, what is a funeral? In general terms, it is a gathering of family and friends after the death of a loved one that allows them the opportunity to mourn, support each other and pay tribute to the life of the deceased.

It often consists of one or more of the following components:

  • Burial plans,
  • Funeral service,
  • Visitation or viewing,
  • Memorial or tribute service
  • Graveside service
  • Scattering options.

There is no one, right way to plan a funeral service; we believe that each funeral should be as unique and memorable as the life it honours.

When should I make pre-arrangements?

As the word implies, you should make these arrangements in advance of passing. This is referred to as
“pre-need.” There is no age limit, so the sooner you begin to put a plan in place the better.

Even if a passing is imminent, it is recommended to speak with an advance planning director to begin to put plans in place. This simply helps reduce the stress involved around the time of passing.

Pre-arrangement plans are not only for the elderly, having a pre-arrangement policy in place is a prudent financial decision and a vital part of estate planning.

When you pre-arrange your funeral, you also have the added benefit of locking in today’s pricing, so the earlier you put these plans in place, the lower the eventual cost will be to your loved ones or estate.

Having a policy in place also ensures that funds are available to your family immediately after passing, which is not always the case with insurance policies or money set aside in trust.

The next step

Regardless of if you are thinking of setting up a plan for yourself or a loved one let’s have a chat. We will work together to ensure your needs are met and your wished honoured.

Lee Davidson is an advanced planning director at Providence Funeral Homes in Summerland. He can be contacted at [email protected] or 250-488-5910.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.



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About the Author

Welcome to Writer’s Bloc, an opinion column for guest writers to share their experiences and viewpoints with our readers.

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