A day in a life working with death.
What would it be like to work with death everyday? To find out I decided to get an insight to the mortician or funeral directors trade from someone who works in the area. My contact opened by reassuring me that dealing with dead bodies was only a small part of the job. “Any mortician who doesn’t treat the remains of deceased persons with utmost respect isn’t worth a light” he told me, before highlighting the ability to deal with people as a key attribute for anyone aiming to make a career in the field.
Guidance through grief.
“People come to us when they have lost a loved one, sometimes in sudden and tragic circumstances. My principle aim is to guide them, with empathy, through what needs to be done so that they can grieve without worrying about the technicalities of arranging a funeral.” My contact explained that collecting remains from a person’s home is always difficult. An immense amount of tact and sensitivity on the part of the funeral director needs to be exercised.
A business with empathy.
I was told that it was important to remember that funeral directors run a business and that premises, usually consisting of a preparation room, chapel of rest, area for displaying caskets and private rooms for interview purposes all of which have to be well-managed and kept clean, as for that matter do hearses and other funeral transport. In addition brochures, pricing the cost of additional services have to be made available to customers arranging a funeral in a dignified manner. This could include preparing the deceased for burial or cremation which can involve full or partial embalming or simply the application of make up.
Burial or cremation.
I hadn’t previously realised how much work was involved dealing with cemeteries and crematoria. I was told that some of the cemeteries in the area, such as, Portslake are full and that others like Lawn Memorial Cemetery at Woodingdean only allowed flat plots. Neither had I realised that in addition to the council crematorium in Woodvale Cemetery, there was a private crematorium in Downs operated by Dignity Funerals
Funeral costs in Brighton have been rising steadily over the past few years, and as such it is a very good idea to have a financial plan in place so that you can get the funeral that you want without breaking the bank. Below is a checklist of three simple things that you can do to ensure that your funeral is not too difficult for you or your loved ones to afford.
I’ve made 3 Considerations below, in respect of major issues people face before, during and after the funeral.
1. Choose your funeral director wisely
There are plenty of funeral directors to choose from in Brighton, and they can perform burials, cremations (usually at the Woodvale crematorium), eco funerals, and funerals for a variety of different faiths. Different funeral directors will offer different prices, so it is definitely worth while considering a few different companies before you make your final choice – and ensuring that you do not pay for any ‘extra’ services that you do not really need.
2. Consider a funeral plan
You do not need to pay for the entirety of your funeral at once. Many funeral directors provide funeral plans that enable you to pay for your funeral in a series of manageable instalments. This is definitely preferable to your loved ones suddenly being hit by a huge bill in the event of your death. Staggering payments in this way can make it so much easier to get the funeral that you want in a way that suits your monthly budget. Brighton residents who choose this option often speak of the peace of mind that they get from knowing that their funeral has been completely paid for.
3. A personal choice, take out life insurance
There are many costs associated with the death of a loved one. The next of kin may have to pay for their funeral and they may also have to deal with their debts as well. Taking out life insurance (which means that you just pay a small amount every month to your insurance company) will help your loved ones to deal with the costs involved when you die, and will prevent them from having to suddenly find large sums of money to pay for your debts and other associated costs.
It is never too early to start planning your funeral
No matter what your age, it is definitely worthwhile going through the three points described above and taking the necessary steps to ensure that your funeral has been planned and paid for well in advance.