Losing one’s spouse can be devasting on two fronts. First of all, the loss of one’s spouse will have consequences for the remaining partner in dealing with the change of status, of peer group attachments, financial consideration, children and their reactions. Secondly, the loss of one’s spouse will deprive the remaining partner of the person who shared in meeting the obligations of status, peer groups, finances and children.
These are very real problems and counselors have devised bereavement therapy plans that follow a systematic approach to changing the remaining partner’s mind to accept the loss of one’s spouse without adversely affecting their health or mental well being. The human mind does not really see much of a difference between real fear and fear caused by loss. The reaction is one of preparing the body to flee or to protect oneself. While the hormones are busy building up adrenalin and making plans to meet the threat, the fact that there is no place for someone who has lost a spouse to run away to escape from the reality of the loss, can have disasterous consequences on their health.
The first step to recovery is to accept the situation by using whatever means whether friends, relatives, therapy, and ministers to grieve. The second step is to stay in control of yourself and your household and to make an accurate appraisal of your finances after all of the insurance payments or bills have been paid. To stay in control, the remaining spouse needs to put off any expense like a brand new car, a new home, a lengthy vacation, or huge monetary gifts to friends and relatives. Actually, no major purchases for 6 months will aid the remaining spouse to get a handle on their finances and to have time to mourn.
A third step is to keep in touch with friends and relatives. Separations while grieving can make the healing process longer and more difficult. Call up friends and relatives and invite people over to your place. Follow the community pattern of behaviors for grieving spouses and make full use of people who have offered to stay with you and to keep you company. Whatever you do, don’t let go of your freedom by relinquishing control of your financial future. Stay competent by continuing your old patterns of behavior in the community as well as in your own home. The final step is to think hopefully to the future and to try and see what will be there for you once you have physically and mentally accepted the loss of your spouse.
There are many things in life that we would rather not have to deal with for a very long time. One of the things that people put off almost their entire lives is the planning of their funeral. Pre-planning a funeral is not unusual at all, however it can be a very uncomfortable situation for everyone involved if there is not an understanding made when the process begins. When you are pre-planning your funeral you are not preparing to die, you are making sure that your final arrangements are as you want them so that when you do pass away everything goes as you would want it to go. Read the rest of this entry »
Losing a family member can be devastating. If the loss is unexpected, then the pain associated with that loss could be felt for a very long time. This is especially true when that loss is the loss of a child. Losing a child is never easy, and when a parent loses a child it is necessary to find the proper and healthy ways to grieve for that child. It is often said that a parent is never able to put the loss of a child behind them, but for the sake of the rest of the family the parents need to find ways to help grieve and then move on with their lives. Depending on the situation in which the child was lost, there are many options for grief support when a child passes away. Read the rest of this entry »
Begin a search for the right funeral home by looking online or in the yellow pages. Most often choosing a funeral home is easier to do before the loss of a loved one occurs. The right choice in a funeral home may be the one that is closest to where you live. You may also consider choosing a funeral home that you have dealt with in the past. If you had positive experiences with a previous funeral home for a family member or loved one that would probably be the one to use this time. Call the funeral home and set up a meeting with the funeral director to discuss all the plans and the financial arrangements. Make sure you have a good rapport with the funeral director and that he/she understands your wishes and expectations. Walk around the funeral home to make sure the areas are large enough to accommodate your family and friends comfortably. You may want to check out their furnishings too. The furnishings need to be in pristine condition and looking bright and friendly to offset the sad tone during the visitation. Read the rest of this entry »
Any person interested in a career as a funeral director must first be comfortable death and dying and have a certain level of empathy and compassion to deal with a grieving family. High school students interested in this field will need to focus on biology and like courses in order to prepare to study such topics as embalming and body restoration. After high school, candidates in this field of study must obtain a license in Mortuary Science; license requirements will vary from state-to-state. However, In general, a college student in this field will study in an either two or four program at an accredited college. Important aspects of study will include many topics to include pathology, embalming and the fundamentals of business practices and funeral planning as they relate to being a funeral director. I learned about Cremation in Irving Tx, and had a lot of training from a local funeral home there. Read the rest of this entry »
The body will be usually incinerated along with the coffin in a crematorium. The coffins used for cremation are not bolted wooden coffins. In some modern incinerators, it is also possible to make use of coffins made from other combustible and environmentally friendly substances such as bamboo and even cardboard.
Usually a firebrick that can withstand tremendous heat is included with the coffin, this firebrick has a number which relates to the dead person so that there can be no mistake as to the identity of the ashes.
The ovens in a crematorium are designed for one body at a time, dual cremation; similar to dual burials are not usually available. The ash is gathered up once it has cooled and the residue is gathered together in a grinding mill to reduce the larger elements into a fine ash. Read the rest of this entry »
GRIEF IS LIKE A RIVER
By Cinthia G. Kelley
My grief is like a river,
I have to let it flow,
but I myself determine
just where the banks will go. Read the rest of this entry »
The mourning following the death of a child is very painful for parents and everyone who was part of that child’s life. Being responsible for a child and its protection, they have a sense of failure and relate to themselves with a tremendous sense of guilt.
In addition, most parents see their children an extension of themselves and bring them to their own aspirations. The death becomes the end of their secret desires of continuity and carries with it a death of part of themselves. Here are some points to remember if you live with mourning a child.
The goal of the blog is to help assist families that are going through the grieving process. Losing a loved one is extremely difficult, and we are here to by giving advice for funeral arrangements, websites that can help you save money, and also supply poems and many other things you might need for the funeral service of your lost loved one.