Survey from a Funeral Home: They must be checking birth dates. :sm02: A local funeral home sent me a survey. Why do they want to know? Really. This is more like a reminder of what you...

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

They must be checking birth dates.

A local funeral home sent me a survey. Why do they want to know? Really. This is more like a reminder of what you should do ahead of time to make it easier for your family. I think the point of this is to get you in contact with the home and start making arrangements. If I complete the survey, they will send me a free booklet: "Final Wishes Organizer." That sounds like a reverse Bucket List.

Mike D. Loc: Crowley County, CO.

It sounds like business is slow but reminding me of my own mortality is not going to make me hurry up and fill out THAT form.

There was a reason that, for many years, attorneys were not allowed to generate business by "chasing ambulances", now they have deregulated cell phones so that we are subjected to unwanted sales pitches and spam calls, and we have to watch ads on streaming services that we pay for, that target borderline hypochondriacs into pestering their doctors for meds that they probably don't need.

I was under the impression that we were supposed to be more understanding and tolerant as we get older. I am finding out that the older I get, the more that stupid and unnecessary is just another annoyance.

Scruples Loc: Brooklyn, New York

jerryc41 wrote:

They must be checking birth dates.

A local funeral home sent me a survey…..

Jerry, many people don’t want to think or plan of wills and funerals. Everyone becomes superstitious and they “will do it later!” Later never comes. It is best to set up a will. I have set up a trust for my home and I have a plot for my wife and I. It is best that I can sleep well at night.

Finally, be nice to your children. They are the ones who pick your nursing home. However, my wife reserves the right to pick my nurse. I’m doomed!

thumpercat2

The neighborhood where I grew up had a local funeral home and of course a barber that kept the local men well groomed. I was in Bud's barber shop when the funeral director happened to be there as well as the father of one of my good friends and they made introductions. When my friends father spoke to his wife about meeting the funeral director and being impressed with what a nice guy he was. The next week my friends father had a massive heart attack and passed away and of course the funeral director was chosen to facilitate the post mortem duties.
After that I would always be suye that the funeral director was not at the barber shop when I was.

stanikon Loc: Deep in the Heart of Texas

When my first wife passed I went through a terrible time. We had spoken vaguely about final wishes but mostly in a rhetorical way with few concrete decisions. I did the best i could for her funeral and carried out her final wishes as much as possible but it was a struggle and a real financial drain.

After all was settled and done I decided that I was not going to put anyone else through that so I went to the funeral home and made my own arrangements, including everything except flowers (which I don't want anyway). I then bought an annuity that will pay for everything when the time comes. All anyone will have to do is call the funeral home (everyone knows which one) and they will take care of everything else. The only thing that is not covered is transport cost if I were to pass overseas, which isn't going to happen. Every other contingency is covered.

I sleep well at night.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Scruples wrote:

Jerry, many people don’t want to think or plan of wills and funerals. Everyone becomes superstitious and they “will do it later!” Later never comes. It is best to set up a will. I have set up a trust for my home and I have a plot for my wife and I. It is best that I can sleep well at night.

Finally, be nice to your children. They are the ones who pick your nursing home. However, my wife reserves the right to pick my nurse. I’m doomed!

I will be incinerated - if I ever die. My wife's ashes are here in the house. I can't imagine "spreading" them anywhere.

My family doesn't have a history with nursing homes. My parents used to volunteer at one several times a week. A couple of months after my mother passed away, my father checked himself in there. He knew the place and the people, and he didn't have to take care of himself and the house.

stanikon Loc: Deep in the Heart of Texas

jerryc41 wrote:

I will be incinerated - if I ever die.

We all die sooner or later. It is a fact of life that as soon as you are born you are condemned to die. Some of us face up to that reality but many of us don't. I suppose contemplation of one's own demise is an extremely difficult exercise for many. Those who don't face that reality are just pushing problems onto whomever they leave behind.

If nothing else, tell your family of your final wishes and what/how you would like everything done. Then put it in writing and leave that somewhere where it will be easy to find. That should include a discussion of funeral arrangements, burial place and where your will is kept, as well as personal details of your life such as bank name/branch, account number(s), service branch and dates, etc. The most important part is to not keep putting it off.

JohnSwanda Loc: San Francisco

My mother was terminal with COPD, and she planned her own funeral down to the last detail.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

JohnSwanda wrote:

My mother was terminal with COPD, and she planned her own funeral down to the last detail.

My wife, too. Now, she resides in the living room. Kind of ironic, that term - "living room."

COPD got Leonard Nimoy, too.

One Rude Dawg Loc: Athol, ID

jerryc41 wrote:

They must be checking birth dates. img src="htt... (show quote)

Drumming up business, kind of a pre-flight check, ducks in a row and all that.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

One Rude Dawg wrote:

Drumming up business, kind of a pre-flight check, ducks in a row and all that.

"...kind of a pre-flight check..."

Imagine funeral homes having booths at airports! Remember when they had those insurance policy machines?

ELNikkor

Didn't even think of "entering the red zone" until recently. A number of friends have already gone, I can see patterns that we all inevitably follow. Feel fine and bouncy now, still very active & healthy, but can't deny what is approaching...

jerrym

My situation exactly. She is in an urn and I "talk" to her every day.
My wife, too. Now, she resides in the living room. Kind of ironic, that term - "living room.

george19

I think business dropped off after COVID, and they blew the bonus at the casino.

We were taking our dogs to a local cemetery for exercise at that time. One day we met the caretaker, and my wife said ‘I’m just dying to be buried here’. No kidding.

Bought plots next to our friend, and texted her ‘howdy neighbor’.

W9OD Loc: Wisconsin

You can plan your funeral with your church. All the music, visitation. Good idea to do some pre-planning. Last night a member of our parish called to get help from my wife. Her 54 year old son in-law had a heart attack and did not survive. Her husband has Alzheimer’s and doesn’t understand what is going on. Life can throw curveballs.