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Speaking to a family member about their funeral will likely be difficult, so you need to approach your loved one in a kind, respectful manner. Although it will be challenging, the benefits of speaking to your loved ones about funeral pre-planning can ensure that the memorial service is a time to honor the memory of your loved one.

What Are the Benefits of Pre-planning?

Planning Minimizes Stress

Once a family member passes, there’s a limited time to make arrangements for your loved one’s memorial service. Planning a funeral can take up to a week, and trying to schedule a service in this amount of time can be stressful. With funeral pre-planning, family members already know how to proceed with the details of the memorial. Having this extra time will enable everyone to take the time they need to mourn the loss of their loved ones.

Planning Reduces Guesswork

If you don’t speak to your loved one about funeral pre-planning, you and your family will have to decide what they may have wanted for their funeral service. Guesswork could create disagreements about how best to honor your loved one, and this can cause tension instead of promoting healing. If cremation versus traditional burial, who can give a eulogy, and open versus closed casket is decided beforehand, you can concentrate more on spending time with your family, instead of arguing with them.

How to Speak to Your Family About Pre-planning

Listen More Than Speaking

funeral pre-planning Cincinnati, OHNo one wants to speak about their death, and the conversation may be awkward. It’s essential to approach the situation as kind and caring as possible, as it is hard to discuss death. Show them you're an active listener by letting them speak more. Listen to their concerns about death, the funeral, and their plans for their memorial service. Ask them questions about what they want, and get them to elaborate on what their concerns are.

Keep an Open Dialog

If you notice that they don’t want to speak about the subject, keep an open dialog and let them know you’re ready to listen at any time. Don’t push the conversation if you see they aren’t saying much, as this could show a lack of empathy on your part. Let them know that you’re here to speak about funeral pre-planning whenever they need to. If they still don’t want to talk about this subject, ask them why that is, and explain to them that you’re approaching from a place of love and that you understand this subject is difficult to talk about. Acknowledging their feelings may help them open up more about funeral pre-planning.

 

When you’re ready to speak to your loved one about funeral pre-planning, suggest Gilligan Funeral Homes in Cincinnati, OH. Their friendly staff welcomes clients from all backgrounds and religions and will make sure you have the resources you need to plan a funeral. If your loved one requests cremation, they carry a wide variety of urns, as well as caskets and other after-life products. Call (513) 281-8311 to speak to a director, or to schedule a consultation. Visit them online to learn more about their full list of memorial services, or connect with them on Facebook.

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