Tag: cremation services in Lakewood CO

Dealing with the loss of a loved one is never easy. Even if you are aware that it will be happening due to illness or aging, it can still leave you feeling lost and overwhelmed. While it’s never easy, if you prepare ahead of time as much as you can, it will help ensure everything is handled correctly when the time comes. As providers of cremation services in Lakewood, CO., we have these ways you can help you and your family prepare.

Call a Family Meeting

Call on your family members and get together for a family meeting. This could be just your immediate family, or if you wish, you can have your extended family involved as well. The choice is yours on who you would like to have been involved with.

During this meeting, you will need to discuss key issues such as:

• Who will be responsible for making the funeral arrangements?
• Who will be the main caregiver?
• Who will help to handle their affairs and make sure they are all in order?
• How will their memory be honored?
• Are there any special final wishes the loved one has and who will ensure those happen?

Make sure to note everything that is said and assigned so there are no questions or confusion once the time comes.

Gather All Important Documents

Making sure you have all the documents you need to complete and organized can go a long way in helping everything run smoothly later. Some of the documents you should have are:

• A Power of Attorney (POA) – This document allows you the right and legal authority to make decisions on behalf of your loved one. These decisions can be financial and/or medical should they become incapable of doing do.
• A Will – This document is important as it outlines any final wishes your loved one has as well as how they want their estate to be handled and divided.
• An Advance-Directive – This document will outline any wishes your loved one has when it comes to their end-of-life care. This also includes things like DNR (Do Not Resuscitate).
• List of Passwords – Having a list of your loved one’s passwords will help immensely when trying to handle their accounts
• Any paperwork from cemeteries or funeral homes – If your loved one preplanned any arrangements, make sure to have any and all paperwork and contracts

Spend Time With Them

Making sure you have all of the important documents and tasks delegated is great, but make sure you spend as much time as you can with your loved ones before they are gone. You can use this time to talk to them about their life. Ask them questions like what was their proudest moment, or what are they most happy about. Learn about their childhood by asking about their school and friends. Learn all you can about who they were and what their life was truly like.

By taking the time now to plan for what comes later, after their cremation services in Lakewood, CO. you and your family will be able to focus on honoring your loved one rather than having the stress and anxiety of trying to organize everything then.

Losing a spouse can be devasting. They have been your partner in life. They were the person you saw each morning when you woke up. They were the ones that you shared your secrets with and the ones that you loved with all of your heart. Figuring out how to navigate this new reality after their cremation services in Lakewood, CO. can just seem overwhelming.

One aspect you will need to figure out is what to do with your wedding ring. Should you still wear it? For how long? Are there other options of things you can do with it to still keep it close to you? With this ring being such an important piece of not only jewelry but of history and representation of love, you want to ensure you treat it with the respect it deserves. Keep reading for ideas to do with your wedding ring after the death of your spouse.

1. Move It to Your Right Hand

It is very common for those who have been widowed to move their wedding ring over to their right hand and continue wearing it. This can be a good option if you are not ready to stop wearing your ring completely.

Many people who move the ring to the right hand do so and wear it there indefinitely while others may choose to only have this be a temporary move before removing the ring completely.

It is important to consider that many times, although wearing your ring on the right hand signifies you are a widower, it also is portrayed by many that you are ready and open to date again. If this is not the case, you may wish to keep your ring on your left hand until you feel ready.

2. Place it on a necklace

Wearing your ring on a necklace can make a great option for those who wish to keep the ring close to their heart. It can also be seen by others and will represent your current status so that you won’t have to explain so much that you are a widower.

3. Put it Away

If you are not sure what you want to do with your ring or you simply feel as if right now you are not ready to see it every day, putting it away in a safe place is an option. This could be a safe or other secure location. Having the ring in a secure spot will give you the peace of mind that you still in fact have the ring and it is available for you at any time. In the meantime, it is safe and will be protected from damage.

Final Thoughts

Knowing what to do with your wedding ring after your loved one’s cremation services in Lakewood, CO can be a tough decision. Know that you don’t have to decide right away and even what you decide may change several times as you move through processing your grief and learning how to adapt to this new reality.

After your loved one’s cremation services in Lakewood, CO. you may wish to hold a memorial service. An important item in this service will be the memorial program. This program is a pamphlet that is given to guests to let them know the order of service. This program may also include additional information as well as serve as a keepsake of the service.

While creating this program is not difficult, it can be a little overwhelming if you haven’t made one in the past. If you find yourself needing to make one, keep reading for step-by-step instructions to guide you right along.

1. Gather the Information

Even though memorial services may be customized and unique, the programs typically follow a pretty standard format. This format is:

• Front Cover – Includes an image of the deceased as well as birth date, date of passing, and any information about the service including date and location
• Inside Pages – Here you will find the order of service as well as possibly the obituary
• Back Cover – This space is used for special acknowledgments and announcements from the family

Looking at the format you can see what information you will need to gather. Things like:

• Portrait of deceased as well as birth date and date of passing
• The order of the service
• Names of anyone delivering any parts of the service (such as the eulogy or music)
• Name of the officiant
• The official obituary
• Name of any pallbearers (may appear on the back cover)
• Any special thank you messages or acknowledgments from the family

2. Design the Program

Don’t worry if you are not a graphic designer by trade. Luckily today there are hundreds of online templates you can choose from. These templates come in several formats such as Word, Photoshop, Canva, and more, and can be easily customized. Simply add the information and images that you have gathered to replace the ones in the template and you are ready to go!

If you would like to have an original program designed, you could do so by reaching out to a graphic designer either locally or online as well as talking with print shops as they often have in-house designers.

3. Print the Program

All that is left is to print the programs. If you only need a small amount, you might be tempted to print these using a home printer. While this may sound like a good idea, it is not recommended. It is true that home printers have come a long way and can print in very good quality, but they are still no match for a professional printer. With this being such an important item, you want it to look it’s very best so make sure you take it to the professionals.

Final Thoughts

After your loved one’s cremation services in Lakewood, CO., holding a memorial service is a wonderful way to honor and celebrate them. Having an informative and beautifully designed memorial program is a lovely addition to this service. It offers guests a way to know what the service will be consisting of, and who will be speaking at various times, as well as serve as a memorial keepsake.