Is Direct Cremation Affordable?

AdminJanuary 23, 2023

If you are preplanning your own cremation services in Aurora, CO., or need services for a loved one, you may be considering direct cremation. With cremation quickly rising and being chosen more and more over traditional burials, more people are choosing this option every day. However, unless you have looked into this service before, you probably have questions. One of the most important being, is direct cremation affordable?

The answer to this is yes. Not only is direct cremation affordable, but it is also the most economical option you can choose. The reason for this is due to the fact that this is a very basic, very minimal service. While this is fine for some, others may prefer an option with more services included such as visitation. Let’s look a little more at what makes direct cremation affordable so that you can decide if it’s the right choice for you or not.

What is Included in Direct Cremation?

As stated above, the reason direct cremation is less expensive is that it only offers basic services. These services begin with the collection of the body. Once the body has been collected, the paperwork is then filled out and completed. Next, the cremation will take place and the remains are then returned to the family in a temporary urn.

What is Not Included in Direct Cremation?

You can see that direct cremation is a simple process moving from one step to the next. While many families appreciate this, as they feel it brings them closure faster, other families may wish for time for services such as a viewing. With direct cremation, there is simply no time for a viewing or any other type of service.

More Services Mean More Money

When you start adding more services, such as viewing, the overall cost is going to increase. For example, with viewing you will be adding on costs for things like embalming and preparing the body, purchasing or renting a casket, and a fee for the funeral home hosting the service. When you keep things simple with a direct cremation, the costs stay low.

Should I Choose Direct Cremation?

With direct cremation being the most economical choice, it still may not be right for everyone. While it has a lot of pros, there are still some cons as well. Let’s compare some of these to you can have a clearer picture is this is the right choice for you.

Pros

Budget-friendly – It is the least expensive option.

Less stress – The simple process eases some of the burden families can feel at this time.

More time to plan- With the body being cremated and not at risk for decomposition, it gives families more time to plan a service afterward if they wish

Cons

Strict timeline – With the process being quick, there is typically no time for the family to say final goodbyes

No time for visitation – Families do not have time beforehand for any services such as a visitation

When you are considering cremation services in Aurora, CO., and want an affordable option, ask about direct cremation.

How to Personalize a Memorial Program

AdminJanuary 16, 2023

If you are planning a funeral service for a loved one with funeral homes in Aurora, CO. you may be looking for ways to make it more personalized. With the services being a time for friends and family to come together and pay tribute to the deceased, it is a wonderful time to add personal touches to express what your loved one was all about. One way to do this is in the designing of the funeral program.

The funeral program is a printed pamphlet that details the order and flow of the service. Each guest will be given one and they are typically a four-page program with a front cover, middle section, and back cover.

They typically include a picture of the deceased, an outline and details of services, a short obituary, a poem or passage, as well as a place that acknowledges anyone who the family would like to thank. While this is great information and you can certainly still include all of this, there are many ways to add a little extra and make it much more personal for your loved one.

Front Cover

Most programs will have one single image of the deceased on the front cover and while this can make a beautiful bold design, consider adding more images. You could make a collage and include images from your loved one’s life that were from major milestones such as their wedding or an award ceremony.

Perhaps they were an avid traveler and you could add images of them in the different cities or countries they visited. Maybe they loved music or dancing and you could show that in the images chosen. Think about what could display your loved one’s core personality and find images that express that to the guests.

Inside Pages

Inside the program is where you will find the details of the services as well as an obituary. This is most commonly designed on a two-page spread with the obituary on the left page and the order of services on the right page. If you would like to keep this length and layout of the program but want it more customized, you could consider the colors, fonts, or background image and tailor it more toward your loved one.

If you want to take it up a notch and add more personalization, you can certainly add another page or two to allow for more room to do so. With more space you could add things like:

Painting or drawings that your loved one made
Poems or song lyrics that they wrote
A list of their favorite charities or causes and ways people can help
A longer, more detailed obituary
Interesting facts about them. For example, if they traveled, you could create a list of all the places they visited

Back Cover

The back cover of the program is where you will find any acknowledgments as well as a list of any pallbearers. This is pretty standard and not much of a place to add extra information. Instead, to make it personalized, once again consider the colors, fonts, and perhaps a background image.

While planning services with funeral homes in Aurora, CO. there will be many things to think about, and designing the funeral program is one of them. Designing one that is unique and truly shows off your loved one’s personality is a wonderful way to honor them and their life.

Healing With a Grief Support Group

AdminJanuary 9, 2023

After your loved one’s cremation services in Wheat Ridge, CO., it can sometimes be difficult to know where to go to get help. You are grieving and going through a very difficult time. Your friends and family have the best of intentions, but just may not be able to help. They may struggle to find the right things to say or do. Because of this, you may find that you begin to isolate and seclude yourself from others. After all, it’s hard to be around other people that just don’t understand what you are feeling.

In times like these, you may need to surround yourself with people who are also grieving the loss of a loved one. People who understand the feelings of sadness, anger, confusion, and loss you may be experiencing.

Reaching out and finding a support group you can connect with can really help you start to heal. Luckily, today, there are a ton of options both for in-person groups as well as online. Before we talk about where to find these groups, let’s first talk about how in-person and online groups differ and which one might work best for you.

Should I Attend In-Person or Online?

Both in-person and online grief support groups can be amazing resources to help you in this difficult time. However, since these formats differ, some people may prefer one over the other.

For example, with in-person groups, you can create more of a connection with the other members of the group. You may even make friends with some of them and do things together outside of the group. However, these groups are held at a set day and time so if you have a busy schedule, it may be difficult to attend.

On the flip side, while online groups don’t allow that in-person connection, many, like Facebook groups, allow you to post and be involved anytime day or night. So, if you have a hectic schedule, a group like this where you can “pop in” when you have time, might be helpful.

Once you decide which option may be best for you, here are some places to contact :

Churches (In-person) – Many churches offer a variety of in-person groups and counseling. If you are a current member of a church, reach out to them and ask if there is anything available. If you do not belong to any certain church, that is okay as you do not need to be a member to attend these groups. Simply look up churches in your area and see if they have any grief support groups you can attend.
City Health Districts (In-person) Many cities offer in-person groups through the city health department. Simply call your local city health office and inquire about any groups or resources they may have.
Facebook (Online) There are hundreds of support groups on Facebook. Many of them are specific to the type of loss that has occurred such as “Grieving the loss of a dad”, or “Grieving widows”. These groups are free and typically aren’t structured like a group session would be, which may or may not be something you like.
GriefinCommon.com (Online) – This website is an online resource where you can have individual help as well as find group sessions. There is a slight cost with the group sessions running about $25. There are also many other sites like this one. Simply do a Google search and it will yield a long list of options.

Whichever type of group you find after your loved one’s cremation services in Wheat Ridge, CO. know that you are taking an important step. It is not always easy to reach out and seek help and in doing so you are already starting the healing process. If you need any further resources or help in any other way, please do not hesitate to reach out to us. We are always here to help.

How Funeral Services Help Us Heal

AdminJanuary 2, 2023

When talking to funeral homes in Wheat Ridge, CO. about services for your loved one who has passed, you may not realize just how important the funeral service is. Funerals are much more than just a way to say goodbye to our loved ones. These ceremonies also provide a system of support with our friends and family, allow us to reflect on the life of the deceased, and help us process the act of life and death.

If you are attending a funeral service for a friend or relative, let’s look a little deeper at some of the ways this ritual can help you in the healing process.

Acknowledge the Death

Although never easy, acknowledging the death of our loved ones is something we must face. Attending a funeral service helps us in facing and acknowledge the reality of death. It allows us to begin the process of grieving and do so in a safe space with friends and loved ones.

Be Surrounded by Support

With everyone at the service being there to show support and respect for the deceased and their family, it creates a wonderful space for support and love. Funerals allow everyone to feel this love and support and realize they are not alone in their grief. It’s a wonderful place to come together and help one another during this difficult time.

Pay Tribute to the Person Who Passed

During the services, there will most likely be eulogies given and perhaps other stories of the deceased will be shared. This gives everyone a chance to remember the loved one and hear stories about them that they may not have heard before.

As the services end, many people may stay behind sharing stories and more memories of the deceased. This gives a wonderful opportunity to really honor and pay tribute to the loved one and their life.

Ceremonies Give Us Comfort

With funeral services being a ritual or ceremony, this in itself can bring us comfort. With ceremonies having a structure, and a specific order of things, it can provide a sense of ease. In this difficult and uncertain time, having a ceremony that follows a structured outline can make us feel a little more stable and grounded. We know what to expect and we have something to focus on and follow.

Help Us Begin to Heal

Funeral services are a way to say goodbye to the deceased and realize and accept the loss. These services also mark a time when we begin to heal. While the healing process will look different for everybody, the funeral service and being surrounded by love and support is a wonderful way to begin the journey.

Final Thoughts

Funeral services are ceremonies that not only pay tribute to the deceased but also allow friends and family members to be surrounded by love and support. When you are discussing services with funeral homes in Wheat Ridge, CO. know that this ceremony will help begin the grieving and healing process and is an important step in the journey, as it will help provide support, healing, acknowledgment, and closure.

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Month: January 2023