Funeral directors are people who specialises in preparing funerals. He or she is hired by the deceased person's family to organise the funeral.
When do you need a funeral director?
A funeral director can either be hired before a person dies or after the person dies. Some families choose to have one funeral director organise all their funerals.
Why do you need a funeral director?
The primary advantage of hiring a funeral director is that you get time to mourn. Planning a funeral is tedious. In most cases, the bereaved indulge themselves in planning the funeral that they do not mourn the deceased nor pay their last respects. They only get to do this after the funeral. Such grief may significantly affect them.
What is the work of a funeral director?
The work of a funeral director begins immediately the person dies. Some of the roles of the director are:
- The funeral director will assist you to find an appropriate morgue for the deceased. If the person died at home, the funeral director organises how to transport the body to the morgue.
- He or she will assist you to file relevant documents to get a death certificate for the deceased.
- He or she prepares the body for embalming or cremation.
- The funeral director provides emotional support and counselling services to help the family heal.
- He or she consults with close family members to identify if the deceased had any wishes regarding the funeral. If there were, then the wishes are incorporated into the funeral plan.
- The funeral ceremony. He or she will prepare the venue, the funeral program and catering services to ensure that friends and family are well-catered for on the day of the funeral.
How to find a good funeral director.
If you do not have a funeral director, below are tips to help you find one:
- Ask friends and family to recommend a funeral director to you. Besides, you can ask previous clients of the director to tell you of their experience.
- Much of the work of the director revolves around communication. As such he or she must have excellent communication skills.
- Problem-solving, analytical and critical thinking skills.
- Ensure that the director is experienced in providing the service. Besides, he should be licensed to practice.
A funeral director eases the burden of planning a funeral for the deceased. The director not only plans the funeral but also caters for the needs of the bereaved as they mourn.
