How to Talk to Your Family About Pre-Planning Your Funeral

We always hear about the many benefits of pre-planning for your own funeral, but what they don’t tell you is how hard it can be to discuss your plans with your loved ones. Spouses and adult children don’t even want to think about your passing, let alone get into the details of a funeral service, but that doesn’t make it any less necessary. As difficult as it may be to approach the subject of death and final arrangements, when the time comes, your family will be grateful you did. If you’re ready to talk to your family about pre-planning your funeral, here are a few things that might help make it easier:

• Know what you want: Don’t start a discussion with family about your final wishes until you are certain what those are. Take time to research your options for funeral plans in Lake City, FL. Ask yourself what type of service you want, what you want done with your remains and what the budget should be. Once you are certain of what you want, it will be easier to express those wishes to your loved ones.
• Be prepared for a lot of emotions: By the time you’re ready to approach this subject with your loved ones, you’ve probably had months if not years to get used to the idea. Remember that this is a new subject for everyone else, though, and your family will have a lot of emotions to process. They may be sad, angry or even in denial, so it’s important to allow them to work through those feelings. If things get too emotional, it may be best to take a step back and come back to the subject at a later time.
• Listen and be ready to answer questions: Even though this is about you and your final wishes, your family will probably still have a lot of input and questions for you. It’s important that you are ready to listen to their concerns, feelings and questions. If you like, reach out to our staff ahead of time and we can provide you with tools and information to help explain to your family about your options for funeral plans in Lake City, FL.
• Stay firm: Although it’s important to listen to your family’s concerns and wishes, remember that this is ultimately about how you want to be remembered. Don’t be afraid to stand up for yourself and let your family know that, although you appreciate their feedback, ultimately the decisions are yours. It’s always smart to put your plans in writing in a legal document to avoid conflicts later on, as well.

Pre-planning your funeral can give you peace of mind, help alleviate stress for your family and even relieve some of the financial burdens. But discussing your funeral plans with those dearest to you can be difficult. Just remember that the friendly and knowledgeable staff here at ICS Cremation & Funeral Home is always ready to help. Contact us whenever you need information or assistance with arranging funeral plans.

Categorised in: Funeral Plans

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