Often, when families are planning cremation services offered in Adelphi, MD, there will be disagreements about the final wishes of their loved ones. Funeral homes see this more than you might imagine and it is one of the areas in which they can help you and your family amicably get past any differences you might have to come to a consensus about your loved one’s final wishes.
It’s important up front to say that these kind of disagreements can be avoided if each of us sits down with our families before we die and tells them all at once what our final wishes are (they should also be documented in detail).
When we’re still living, we can explain to our family members why we’ve chosen what we’ve chosen and we can address any issues or disagreements that might arise during this conversation.
In the United States, we don’t talk about death enough or openly, and that is the primary reason why family disagreements over a loved one’s final wishes happen.
The death of your loved one is an emotional and unsettling time for you and your immediate family. Perhaps you are making funeral arrangements for a parent, and you and siblings are trying to decide how best to honor them and their memory.
Family dynamics alone are seldom without some friction and tension. Old feelings, words, and actions – many of which may have happened years or decades ago – that were never addressed and never resolved often come to the surface in times of crisis.
The death of your loved one is a time of crisis, and it is very likely, that your family dynamics will surface as you try to work together to honor the memory of your loved one and fulfill their final wishes as they would have wanted them fulfilled.
The keys to defusing family disagreements during the funeral process are to be willing to listen, be willing to yield, and be willing to put aside hard feelings or hurt feelings from the past. The death of a loved one can actually be a time of healing for a family, but it takes everyone’s effort to listen, yield, and set aside grievances to make it happen.
The lesson you can take away from this experience is make sure that you preplan your funeral. Decide whether you want to be buried or cremated. Cremation services are a very popular method of final disposition and they give your family a lot of flexibility in using your cremation remains to fulfill your final wishes.
Decide on the kind of service you want to have. You can have a funeral service (you will be cremated after the service) or a memorial service or a celebration of life (you will be cremated before the service).
How do you want to be remembered? Document everything you want included in the type of service you choose that you believe encapsulates your life and your spirit.
Write your obituary. No one can tell the story of your life like you can. This will be the last story you ever tell. Make sure it’s a story to remember.
Once you’ve preplanned your funeral, gather your family together to tell them what you’ve decided. Listen to their input, address their concerns, and work to get consensus. Make sure they know where your funeral instructions are so that all they will have to do is take them to the funeral home to be carried out.
If you want more information about cremation services offered in Adelphi, MD, you can talk with our expert staff at Donald V. Borgwardt Funeral Home, P.A.