Blog | Baldauff Family Funeral Home

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.

What Cremation Providers Won’t Say To Clients

Most funeral homes offer cremation services in Daytona Beach, FL as a cost-effective, honorable alternative to a traditional funeral and burial. It’s a nice way to serve the public since today, about half of all clients want cremation and the other half want a regular funeral. If you are leaning toward cremation, you will work closely with the funeral home on the details and any services you want to include after the cremation. But there are certain things you won’t hear them say—and that’s a good thing.

You Have To Have Your Loved One Embalmed

You may not know this, but embalming is an optional service. Most people who are going with a traditional funeral go ahead with that service so their loved one is in good shape for the services they want to have. Those who have full cremation services may as well. But the cremation provider will never tell you that you have to have that service done because legally, it’s not true. You have the option as to whether or not you want that service for your loved one. If you are having direct cremation done for them, you definitely don’t need it.

You Have To Buy An Urn From Us

Many times, families want to purchase an urn for their loved one after the cremation process is completed. The funeral home will provide a simple container, but often, families want something more unique and personalized for their loved one. Even if you are certain you want an urn, you don’t have to buy it from the funeral home. Yes, they have options and yes, they can tell you what size you need and help you with other details. But you can also go to an outside vendor and whatever you bring to the funeral home, they will use.

You Have To Bury The Ashes

You most certainly can bury the ashes of your loved one, if you wish. But you also most certainly don’t have to. There are options when it comes to cremation and the funeral home will never tell you what to do in any way. They may offer you ideas and options, but they won’t try to sway you one way over another. They will lay out the things you need to consider and then support whatever you decide. You can spread ashes in a garden, scatter them into a body of water, keep them at home, and do any number of other things.

These are just a few of the things that the funeral directors won’t say about cremation services in Daytona Beach, FL. If you happen to hear any of those things coming from a professional, you will want to find a new company to work with. They aren’t operating ethically or, in some cases, even legally. The professionals at Baldauff Family Funeral Home and Crematory have your best interests at heart and truly want you to be able to honor your loved one in whatever what you see fit.

Funeral Home Visitation Tips

If someone you know passes on and you want to pay tribute to them and share your condolences with their family members, you will want to make a visit to the funeral home in Lake Helen, FL holding their final services. If the services are going to be on the traditional side, that could mean a visitation and then a funeral later. If you want to attend the visitation, here are some tips to help you figure out how to traverse that particular type of event.

Tip 1: You Don’t Have To Stay

Visitations are generally a few hours long and they are more of an open house. You don’t have to get there right at the beginning and stay until the end. In fact, most people don’t. The closest family members may be there for the duration, but everyone else will come and go. And actually, it’s better that way. You won’t overwhelm the family with too many people at once. When you show up, briefly tell the family you are sorry and then you can move on, view the person who passed on, look at any memorial tables that might be set up, and take your leave when you are ready.

Tip 2: Keep Greetings Short

The visitation service is not the time or the place for you to catch up with people who are mourning. They are emotional and dealing with a lot. They may even be overwhelmed by the people showing up for the visitation. When you speak with the family, keep things brief and to the point. If you really do want more time with them, contact them in a few weeks to check up on them and invite them over for coffee to talk further.

Tip 3: Consider Your Attire

It’s okay to stop in on a visitation between other things you have going on, but you will want to make sure you are dressed properly. Stopping in between work meetings in nice work-related attire will be fine. Stopping by after going to the gym, before you go home to shower is not fine. You want to dress in a respectful manner that looks like you put thought into what you would wear to show your condolences.

Tip 4: Drop A Card

Whether you are going to attend the funeral or not, it’s always nice to bring a card to the funeral home to leave at the visitation. The family will later remember that you were there, and they will appreciate your sentiments. If you are unable to go to the funeral, it’s even nicer to show up for the visitation and to bring a condolence card.

If you have never been to a visitation, or it’s been a long time and you are wondering what might have changed, funeral homes in Lake Helen, FL can help you with your questions. The professionals at Baldauff Family Funeral Home and Crematory take calls from people who want to know what to wear or what to bring often. We want to support you through the services you are going to attend.