Dying Matters Week is the time of the year as a nation for reflection about death and dying, and encouraging each other to talk about it.
Surely it is better for someone to know your funeral preferences than for no one to know? We would like to encourage each and every one of you to talk about what your own funeral wishes are. This could be as simple as dropping into conversation with someone close, whether you would prefer cremation or burial. This is usually the easiest point to communicate since many of us already have an idea of which we would prefer.
Perhaps that will be the end of the conversation, but perhaps it will lead to an informal ‘when the time comes’ conversation where two people share their funeral wishes with each other. Sadly, many people die without having communicated their preferences and this can leave the family with a conundrum to solve. So we would politely urge you to please find a way to share what your most important wishes are – even noting them down on a piece of paper and leaving it where someone will easily find it ‘when the time comes’ will help.
The team at Dying Matters have prepared a useful PDF for those who would like more information on how to talk about what it means to be in a good place when we die, which you can download here.
If you do not want to talk to friends or family about your funeral wishes, talk to us! We can help you choose a Prepaid Funeral Plan where you can make sure all of your funeral wishes are communicated in a formal way. We will spend time with you to find out the details of what you would like, ensuring that you will be remembered the way you want to be. Our prepaid funeral plans do not cost the earth and can be broken down into manageable monthly payments if you like.
We understand that it can be difficult thinking about death, let alone one’s own death, and then planning for it. As funeral directors, we talk about death every day so we are used to it – we will help to make the process as easy as possible for you, and believe it or not, you may even find it therapeutic knowing that your wishes are known for when the day comes.
Have a look at our Prepaid Funeral Plans page and do get in touch if you would like to make arrangements. You can contact any of our branches for a free, no-strings conversation and advice.