Comprehensive estate plans include several legal instruments to protect you, your loved ones, and your hard-earned assets. Your healthcare directives and financial power of attorney, for example, benefit you during your lifetime and your loved ones later. A vital component of an estate plan is your will, which usually includes your wishes regarding your funeral arrangements. I thought it would be interesting to share the 2024 Top Trends in Funeral I found online. This information, in part, is from Dignity Memorial, a network of over 1,900 licensed funeral, cremation, and cemetery providers headquartered in Houston, Texas.
“More and more people are opting for simpler, more cost-effective and more personalized services, often with an uplifting, celebratory tone. Joining with family and friends in more casual and informal ways, such as at outdoor or virtual gatherings, has become the preferred choice for many families.
1. Celebrations of life
Celebrations of life are becoming more popular with families as a way to joyfully honor their loved ones’ memories. In addition to traditional service options, many funeral homes now offer celebrations of life. Some are even choosing to call themselves celebration of life centers to reflect their new role.
A celebration of life is a thoughtfully planned, typically uplifting event that focuses on a loved one’s story—their achievements, passions and cherished moments. It might be a huge party or a small, sweet gathering.
A family may choose only a celebration of life, or a celebration of life may follow a traditional funeral. For example, a religious service at a church may precede a backyard barbecue filled with music and recollections of happy times.
2. Personalization
A funeral, memorial service or celebration of life becomes especially meaningful when it’s lovingly tailored to reflect a unique story. Personalized services highlight a loved one’s interests, personality and values in a vibrant narrative.
A personalized service may include a display of mementos from a loved one’s life, favorite music in the form of a playlist or band, and a message delivered by a celebrant, clergy member or officiant that highlights a loved one’s distinctive qualities. Even the dress code can reflect your loved one’s life. Think: certain accessories, preferred style, favorite colors or sports jerseys.
3. Modern venues
When many people think of a funeral home, they think dated wallpaper, dark carpet, heavy drapery and a lack of natural light. But funeral homes are changing. Updated funeral homes emphasize the light, airy feel of contemporary spaces, sunlight and special touches like local art. They aim to appeal to the senses with elements like soft music, aromatherapy, comforting textures and complimentary drinks.
The growing popularity of modern venues is reflected in comfortable, adaptable interiors. Customizable setups often include seating groups and round tables that encourage conversation among family and friends. Elegant table centerpieces and other decor may include candles, flowers, greenery and more.
This trend toward modern venues for funerals and memorials has left the building, so to speak. The National Funeral Directors Association reports that about 53% of respondents to a 2023 survey had attended a service at a location such as a park, beach, bar or museum.
4. Dividing ashes
More people are choosing cremation for themselves and their loved ones, which means more families are choosing unique ways to memorialize, celebrate and remember. Someone who planned their cremation ahead of time may have specified for their family what to do with their ashes. Some families are left to make that decision on their own. Either way, ashes may be divided among people or places.
For example, a son may want to scatter Dad’s ashes at a favorite fishing hole. His mother may wish to keep them at home. His sister may want cremation jewelry. One of the beauties of cremation is that ashes are easily divided. They can be scattered in different locales, shared in keepsake urns, turned into diamonds or records, or placed in a cemetery garden or niche.
5. Death doulas
The death positive movement, led by Millennials, promotes honest discussions about death and dying, instead of treating the subjects as taboo. It’s part of why death doulas are becoming more popular among families dealing with an imminent death. Similar to a midwife, who cares for women during pregnancy, birth and afterward, a death doula provides nonmedical support to those working through the dying process
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Death doulas are, above all, a compassionate resource. Like their beginning-of-life counterparts, end-of-life doulas work to bridge the gaps between the physical, emotional and spiritual aspects of death. They walk hand-in-hand with individuals and families as they prepare for death, educating, guiding and assisting the dying and their families to help them face death, embrace mortality and grieve in healthy ways.
If the doula is also licensed to provide funeral services, she or he may talk with the dying and the family about planning a funeral or cremation.
6. Technology for convenience
Few things happen today without technology. Thanks to technology, planning a funeral, memorial or celebration of life is easier than ever. Loved ones far away now have the option of attending a service without ever leaving home. And at services, loved ones are being honored in new ways.
Planners can attend an on-demand seminar or meet with a planning advisor virtually. Though you can still give us a call anytime, you also have the option, in most cases, to use an online scheduler to arrange an appointment. Planning professionals use technology during appointments to walk families through their many choices and help them determine what’s best for them.
At modern funeral homes, audiovisual equipment is top of the line, and funeral directors help families with playlists and tribute videos. Family and friends can add photos and videos to digital obituaries. Livestreamed services also ensure that no family member or friend has to miss the service just because they can’t travel for it.
QR codes printed on funeral programs give guests quick access to the online memorial. QR codes on headstones allow cemetery visitors to read stories, see pictures and watch videos of the loved one, providing more interaction with a gravesite than just leaving flowers.
And finally, when it comes to paying for services, online payment portals make making payments on prepaid plans easy, while crowdfunding websites let others support families who need help paying for services.
7. Living funerals
Most of us have heard the statement “Funerals are for the living.” In the case of living funerals, they really are. When facing a terminal diagnosis, more and more people are opting to hold a celebration of life before they die.
Sometimes called a pre-funeral, living wake, living tribute or reminiscing party, these gatherings bring together friends and family in much the same way a funeral after death might—the big difference is that the person being honored is present for the event. A living funeral is an opportunity to celebrate a life lived, connect with close and valued relationships, and say a mutual goodbye.
Living funerals tend to be very celebratory and less structured than traditional funerals. A family may opt for a DJ or a live band, along with a dance floor. They are often catered affairs with plenty of food and drinks. And, of course, there are often tearful eulogies and memorable stories punctuated by laughter—the point being to allow the honoree to hear all the wonderful heartfelt sentiments often shared after someone dies.
8. Family participation
In recent years, more and more families have expressed a desire to be involved in a loved one’s funeral beyond just planning and attending. Some are assisting a licensed funeral director with washing and dressing their loved one’s body. Others are requesting to witness the cremation or even push the button that begins the process—an established tradition in some religions, including Hinduism.
A graveside tradition allows the family to place or sprinkle soil over a casket, but now certain cemeteries may allow family members to take part in digging a grave by hand. (Note: Dignity Memorial® providers do not allow this practice.)
These acts allow spouses, children, grandchildren and siblings to be much more intimately involved in the final stages of their loved ones’ lives. They are priceless opportunities that create unforgettable memories.”
This information about trends in funerals is an excellent example of how you can customize your estate plan, including your final wishes, to precisely what you want for loved ones. It is clear that funeral practices have changed over the years and offer more options than ever before – which is in keeping with estate planning overall. While the initial goal is to protect your assets and loved ones, as we develop it together, you will have many opportunities to tailor everything to your unique situation. So, while some of the legal instruments we include, such as the medical directives, can have a significant impact during your lifetime, you’ll have great peace of mind that all will be as you wish for your heirs later. And indeed, it is a wonderful sense of accomplishment and peace when you have completed your estate plan. I would love to help you create or update your plan to ensure it accurately reflects your goals and vision. Call me at 513-399-7526 to schedule a consultation, or visit my website, www.davidlefton.com, for more information.
Source: Dignity Memorial, a network of over 1,900 licensed funeral, cremation and cemetery providers, headquartered in Houston TX.