it's a topic that can be tough to talk
about or even think about your final
arrangements things like what kind of
funeral or memorial service you'd like
to have and how you want to be
remembered but it's also important to
plan ahead especially if you think about
what your loved ones will be dealing
with when you're not there here with
some tips to start the conversation I'd
like to say hi to Melissa right with
Forest Park The Woodlands funeral home
thanks for joining us today thank you so
much and as we are talking about this
it's a difficult topic I think for so
many people to think about the final
arrangements but we bring up a good
point this is something that really
needs to be done because of the grief
and everything that everybody else is
feeling right and so what this really
does ease the process a little bit it
does so when you prearranged it's really
like giving a gift to your family
because you take care of all of those
fine details that are associated with a
funeral or cremation service so they
don't have to focus on those
arrangements sorry they can they can
mourn your loss without second-guessing
what you would have wanted exactly yes
so I do have some tips to offer let's do
that let's start with number one you say
be informed about the choices that are
available what do you mean by that yes
so absolutely today no two services are
alike
no two people are alike so before you
can plan anything you really should know
what's out there we can customize
services to be as simple or as elegant
as you would like or you know as as fun
or as traditional as you would like so
say you're a music lover and you really
love music we want to incorporate that
in your final tribute we can arrange
musicians and your favorite songs to be
playing really anything oh that's super
cool so really the sky is the limit then
it is is that a kayak we're saying yes
yes absolutely if that's your hobby we
are going to incorporate that I've never
seen a headstone quite like that too
with an oar next to it we can customize
anything to reflect a life well-lived
I think that's great to keep the
guesswork out of it if this is gonna
make you happy and it's the plan that
you want then then put that down and
make it part of it you also say it's
from transition into that is document
what you want so many people focus on a
way
you should focus on this final plant yes
people think they have documented when
they make a will but really that's going
to dictate what happens to your
financial affairs even a living will
helps with medical decisions that need
to be made and we offer a great resource
to help with the funeral and cremation
planning that still needs to be done
it's our personal planning guide and you
can pick it up at any of our East and
locations really nationwide for that
matter free of charge and it's really a
workbook that prompts you answer some of
those questions that you might not have
even thought of yet so we encourage you
to go ahead and take some time
write down your wishes then make sure
your friends and family know where to
find that booklet when the need arises
that is a really cool idea and speaking
of friends and family that's your next
point you suggest speaking with your
loved ones friends or family and sort of
conveying your plan to them but also
incorporating their wishes into your
plan yes absolutely so you want to open
that dialogue with your family we hear
so often people come in and they say
well she didn't want a big fuss made
over her and that may be true but your
friends and family may want to pay
tribute to your life or so to open that
dialogue and to figure out what's
important to them and also make sure
they know what's important to you that
way when they are carrying out your
final wishes they know that they've done
right by you because you've talked about
it and I think too it also brings sort
of that peace of mind aspect of it
you're not guessing you're following the
wishes and I think that helps in the
process right right absolutely it does
okay what is this about walking in a
price early on so people could make
plans right now they can pay costs
upfront and then they're essentially
locking in a price yes absolutely so
pre-planning everything is one thing
making your wishes known that's great
you can take it a step further and
prearranged and pay for your funeral
services today for an event that may not
occur for many years and there's there's
some financial benefits to that if you
were to arrange a service today you are
going to pay today
as prices even if a death doesn't occur
say for 20 years and prices go up over
those 20 years what you have paid today
is locked in so your family won't be
responsible for that price increase
over the next 20 years and another great
benefit of pre arranging is that you can
pay everything all at once if that makes
sense financially for you or you have
the option to spread out the payments
over installments so there's some
flexibility there and I think it's great
to to have a that conversation not only
with your family but also the funeral
provider because you guys are the
experts you know and can offer kind of
that one-on-one attention yes absolutely
and we welcome that we obviously want to
help we want to help anyone who has
questions about funeral or cremation
services call us make an appointment
just sit down and start start the
dialogue with us we can tell you you
know what we can do how we can
personalize a final tribute to really
reflect your life well-lived and for
some people again it may seem premature
to speak with a funeral planner or
provider but better late than never
right because eventually this is
something that everybody will have to
deal with absolutely you're correct all
right Melissa thank you so much for
stopping by and if you all would like to
learn more about pre-planning services
with dignity memorial providers of
Houston you can log on to their website
Dignity Houston calm and keep it right
here we'll be right back