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The Three Biggest Mistakes In Choosing A Funeral Home

If there comes a time (which there does for most people) when you find it upon you to plan final services for a loved one who has passed on, you will need help from one of the funeral homes in Daytona Beach, FL. But businesses in this region of the country are plentiful and there are lots of options, even in the funeral industry. You can get anything you need, if you look for it. But you also have the opportunity to make mistakes you might regret later. Here are three of the biggest mistakes you could make in choosing professionals.

#1: Focusing Only On Cost

Of course you are going to be concerned with cost when you are planning final services for a loved one. You want the best for them, but you might not be able to afford top dollar. Cost is a factor, but it should not be the only factor involved in your hunt. You will want to focus on quality over everything else. Funeral homes that offer competitive prices are the best ones to consider. You don’t want a business that offers rock bottom costs because they might not have the quality you want for your family and your loved one. You also don’t want sky high prices because they are likely overcharging. Take a look at cost, but don’t choose based on who is the cheapest.

#2: Not Looking Into Options

There might be a funeral home that you drive by daily. It’s convenient so you call them and go that direction. While they might be perfectly fine, you don’t know what the differences are between them and any other business if you don’t look. You might regret their limited services or other things later. It’s best to look around the area and compare a few different companies before you make a final decision. IF you end up going with the first one you call after making several calls, then you know they’re right.

#3: Not Listening To Your Gut

Your gut reaction can take you a long way in finding the right professionals in this area. Once you narrow down the options and make a few calls, you may have an immediate reaction to someone on the phone. There might be a funeral director that makes you feel comfortable right away or one who makes you feel uneasy. The same things can happen in person when you take a tour. There doesn’t have to be a huge reason behind it. If you don’t listen to your gut and go with someone who makes you feel uneasy, you might regret it later.

While there are plenty of mistakes you can make, working with professional funeral homes in Daytona Beach, FL, like Baldauff Family Funeral Home and Crematory means you have experts on your side who will, in any way possible, help you avoid the pitfalls that could occur as you make plans for a loved one’s final services. We’re here for you.

Cremation Service Theme Options

If you have decided to have cremation services in Daytona Beach, FL for a loved one who has passed on, that opens the door to many options down the road. As you plan a memorial service for them, you can have something traditional that feels like a regular service. You could have a celebration of life. Or you could have something in between. If you want something memorable that really makes your loved one’s personality come out and shine as you honor them, consider a themed cremation service. Here are some things to consider as you go down that path.

Theme Choices

The theme could be quite obvious, or it could be something more subdued. If your loved one was a diehard football fanatic, the theme is obvious. You could watch a game with family and then share tailgating snacks and memories of your loved one. If you never saw the person without a new book in their hand, you could use books at the theme. Have everyone bring a book to donate to the library or distribute your loved one’s books to those who attend. Have people dress as a book character or do something else of that nature. There are endless themes and they all depend on your loved one’s personality and what you want for their service.

Location

Sometimes, families will choose a theme first and then find a location to fit into what they want to do. Other times, they might have a location in mind and then, they choose a theme that fits where they want to have the service. Either way works. If you have a theme that would work well outside, you can find a park. If you want to have the service in the funeral home, you can make lots of different things work well with professionals there to help you.

Overall Costs

Sometimes, it can cost more to have a theme because you might want to decorate a certain way or bring in something special. But if you choose the theme right and have family help, things don’t have to cost any more than they would have otherwise. You just want to be careful to keep prices and costs in mind when you are planning so there aren’t any budget surprises later.

If you’d like to have some kind of a themed memorial service for your loved one after cremation services in Daytona Beach, FL, keep in mind that once the cremation portion is complete, you have time on your side. There is no timeline on any memorial services any longer so you can take extra time to plan and allow family time to travel, if you need it. The professionals at Baldauff Family Funeral Home and Crematory are here to help you come up with theme ideas and ways to pull off what you want for your loved one’s final services. We understand they were special, and you deserve to honor them in whatever way you see fit with whatever theme you want to have in place.

What You Might Feel About Going To A Funeral Home

There are lots of reasons why you might have to go to one of the funeral homes in Lake Helen, FL. The reason you go could very well inform what you feel when you are headed that direction. Your emotions can be varied and, no matter what, the core reason you are going revolves around death. Here are some of the things you might expect to feel when you have to go to a funeral home.

Anxiety

Whether you are attending a service for someone you knew, planning your own services, or planning services for a loved one who has passed on, it’s natural to feel a little nervous. When you attend services, you might not know what to expect. When you plan for yourself, that’s not something you do every day and you might be nervous about what you have to do. When you are planning for a loved one, you want everything to go right and that can make you anxious as well. Those emotions are normal. Just take a deep breath and remember that no matter what your reason for visiting, the professionals are there for you.

Sadness

One of the most common things people feel when they visit a funeral home is a sense of sadness. If you are attending a service for a friend’s loved one, you feel sad for them, if not sad on your own. When you plan your own services, it reminds you of your mortality and the finite nature of life in general, which is bound to make you feel sad. And when you are going to attend or plan services for a loved one you have lost, of course you feel sad and lost. Those who work in the funeral home have compassion beyond what you might expect. You will get the support you need from them, no matter how sad you feel as you approach them.

Relief

This is a little stranger and might feel that way as well, but many people do feel relief when they go to a funeral home. IF you are planning your own services, that can give you peace of mind and a relieved feeling, so you are able to give your family a final gift someday and get everything lined up. When you are planning for a loved one, perhaps they had a long illness and while you are sad to see them go, you feel relieved that they are no longer in pain. Relief is definitely normal, while many feel guilty about it, it’s something that occurs more often than you might think.

Whatever you feel when you have to go to funeral homes in Lake Helen, FL, you aren’t alone. The professionals at Baldauff Family Funeral Home and Crematory are here for everyone that needs us, for any reason. If you are attending to support a friend, we can help with gift suggestions. If you want to make your own plans, we’ll give you options to consider. If you need to plan for a family member, we’ll be by your side as you mourn.

Is Pre-Planning Good For Your Family?

There could be a lot of different reasons why you haven’t pre-planned your own cremation services in Lake Helen, FL yet. Most people don’t really want to think about their own death, so they put it off. There are some who are simply too busy with life to think that far ahead into the future. And there are those who don’t know what they want so they don’t put the effort into making decisions. While those reasons might be valid, when you do stop and think about what pre-planning can do for your family, you might find time in your schedule to sit down and put some plans together. Here are a few things that will benefit your family if you pre-plan.

Your Family Has Fewer Burdens

If you really think about it, you likely don’t want to leave your family with a lot of burdens when you pass on. You know they will be sad and that they will miss you and there’s nothing you can do about that. But there is something you can do about the final service plans. Instead of leaving that burden to them, to guess at what you would have wanted and perhaps feel guilty about not knowing, you can plan all that out ahead of time. Your family will know just what you want because the plans are already ready. They don’t have to wonder, and they don’t even have to pull anything together themselves. They are able to spend time together and simply mourn your loss. Then, when the services are ready, they attend and honor you in the way you wanted.

Your Family Had Peace Of Mind

Planning your services ahead of time can give you peace of mind. You know everyone will know what you want, and you will get what you asked. They will simply want to do what you wanted to have done. On the other side, your family will have peace of mind as well. They know what they are giving you is just what you wanted. Doing things for a person after they pass on that you know they would appreciate can be very cathartic.

Your Family’s Budget Doesn’t Suffer

When someone passes on unexpectedly, family members might have to shoulder the burdens of the costs related to their final services. When you plan your services ahead of time, that’s a huge benefit to your family. You can cover the costs in advance, if you wish. They won’t have to pay anything at all. At the very least, you know what the final costs will be, and you can start saving towards them. You can share the bottom-line news with family members so they know what will be needed and there will be no surprises.

There are other benefits to your family in planning cremation services in Lake Helen, FL for yourself in advance. If you are ready to move ahead with those plans, contact the professionals at Baldauff Family Funeral Home and Crematory and we can help.

What Can Kids Do In A Funeral Service?

When a family member passes on, the family rallies together to have some kind of final service with funeral homes in Daytona Beach, FL. There are a lot of arrangements to be made and, likely, there are children in the family who are grappling with what all this means. Whether your child was close to the family member, or a more distant presence in their life, there might be something they can do at the funeral to make them feel useful and to give them a special part of the day. Some kids thrive on having jobs and it can make the mourning process easier on them. Here are a few things your kids might be able to do to help at the funeral service:

Hand Out Bulletins

Whether you have programs with an order of events, or a flier with more pictures and information of your loved one on it, it’s easy enough to give a child that job. They can stand by the door, greet people with an adult, and hand out the bulletin. They might also be able to direct people to the restroom, if that needs arises. It’s a nice way to keep them busy and it also lets those attending see a young, friendly face that can bring hope to them as well.

Read A Poem

If your child is old enough to read and doesn’t mind being the center of attention, they might be able to read a short poem in honor of the person who passed on. If they are part of that person’s close family, it can be very special to see an up and coming generation participate in the proceedings. People like to see the grandchild, great grandchild, or other relatives of the person who passed on to remember the legacy they are leaving behind.

Reception Serving

Once the guests reach the reception, children can be very helpful if they like to play restaurant at home. Kids can clear napkins and plates from tables, perhaps refill waters, or even bring desserts to those who are seated at the tables. They are being helpful, they are talking to lots of different people, and they are a part of the supportive process all at the same time.

Play A Song

If your child plays the piano or another instrument, they could offer a special song to the loved one who you are honoring. Even if they only know simple songs, a simple rendition of Amazing Grace can be very special coming from someone so young.

There ae other things that kids can do at funeral homes in Daytona Beach, FL surrounding final services and if you’d like to have your child involved in some way, talk to the professionals at Baldauff Family Funeral Home and Crematory for other ideas and options. We’re here to make sure all of your family members get what they need, including your children. We want the services to honor your loved one in a very special way.