An Unforgettable Memorial Takes Planning

CARP APPROVED PARTNER SPONSORED CONTENT

In life, we plan for many things—vacations, retirement, our children’s education. Shouldn’t we also plan final arrangements?

Planning a life’s celebration.

While it can be difficult to talk about, making funeral, cremation or cemetery arrangements in advance can be a true gift to your family and bring you real peace of mind in knowing that you’ve taken care of an important responsibility. By making your arrangements in advance, you can plan a service or memorial of your choosing. And whether that means special music and flowers or a grandiose catered event with a string quartet, it’s all up to you. Choose a funeral home that will assist you creating a celebration to reflect your personality and passions. The result can be a beautiful and memorable event that allows family and friends to say good-bye in a unique way, knowing that they have carried out a loved one’s wishes.

Making your wishes known.

Plan everything in advance—and in detail—with the help of a professional. One of the most difficult things many families face is not being prepared for the loss of a loved one. The surviving family members are forced to create a plan while they mourn, which can make an emotional situation worse. There are over a hundred questions that need to be answered before a funeral can take place. That can be a lot to think about when you should be focused on coming together as a family. A plan can help your loved ones to better cope with the loss, allowing them to focus on what’s most important. And, you can feel comfortable in knowing that your personal wishes are known.

Personalized touches

Planning ahead also gives you the opportunity to highlight specific passions or hobbies in your tribute. If you’re passionate about the ocean, consider a seaside tribute complete with nautical décor and pathways made of sand. If you love football, a tailgate memorial may be the perfect way to bring the whole crew together. If gardening is something you love, consider an outdoor service resplendent with flowers—perhaps a beautiful floral trellis for guests to walk through. From simple details to a more elaborate affair, the funeral provider you choose should help you weave the essence of your life throughout all aspects of a ceremony.

However you choose to be remembered, record your wishes and share them with the funeral home of your choice—and your loved ones. That way, you’ll have peace of mind in knowing that your final wishes are known and may be carried out just as you envisioned.

Starting the conversation

So where do you start? Begin with the basics. Visualize how you would like to be remembered. The time to do this is now, when you can calmly and thoughtfully consider what is important to you. One way to make the discussion less difficult is to approach the topic as a means of everyone being prepared in advance. Set aside a time when your family can gather in a comfortable setting, and allow your loved ones to share their thoughts about your plans.

To help ease the discussion with your family, Dignity Memorial® funeral, cremation and cemetery providers offer a free Personal Planning Guide, a valuable planning tool where you can record and organize your final wishes. In it, you’ll find many questions that you and your family may not have considered and that can help to prompt a real conversation about your options.

Request a planning guide and learn more about special benefits available to CARP members and their families. Call 866-668-1841 or visit CARP.DignityMemorial.com today.