Samuel Teolis Funeral Home, Inc.

Pre-Arrangement


*Someday, someone is going to have to plan your funeral.* It will probably be someone you love . . . your spouse, children, or other close family member. Or could it be a friend, attorney, or business associate. Or it could be you. Pre-planning your own funeral is one of the most responsible, caring things you can do. It provides comfort and peace of mind for both you and your loved ones. It is a way to relieve your loved ones of the tremendous burden and responsibility of planning your final services at a time of loss and stress. And it is their assurance, and yours . . . that the final arrangements are exactly what you wanted.
*SecurChoice™ is funeral planning before the need arises.*
SecurChoice™ is a prearranged funeral program which can be prepaid utilizing a bank trust or insurance policy. It assures you of complete funeral arrangements, so your family won't have to make all those decisions. Even the name SecurChoice™ says that arranging a funeral before the need arises is a sensible and responsible plan. Funeral preplanning will reflect your precise desires . . . type of services, a casket, a vault: ,Yes, you determine the cost.
How does pre-planning work?
Few people areas qualified as a licensed funeral director in assisting you with planning a funeral before the need arises. They are completely versed in such matters as: - legal requirements, - notification of death, - assisting with funeral arrangements and explaining funeral service alternatives, - providing information about caskets and other funeral merchandise, - religious considerations, - assistance with death-related claims, - cemetery charges and restrictions, - and any other related questions you might have. The funeral director you choose is willing to meet with you at the funeral home or in the comfort of your own home to discuss all aspects of funeral pre-planning.
You should ask yourself these three questions today . . .
1. If death occurred tomorrow, funeral arrangements would be made by: a. My wife/husband. b. A son or daughter, or possibly more than one of my children. c. A friend or a neighbor. d. My parents or older relatives. e. I'm not sure who would make my final arrangements. 2. If death occurred tomorrow, I would want my funeral to include: a. Earth burial in a cemetery. b. Cremation. c. A traditional-type funeral service. d. Funeral home visitation and viewing. e. My pastor, priest, or rabbi would conduct the funeral service. f. I'm really not sure at this time. 3. If death occurred tomorrow, the money necessary to pay for funeral expenses would come from: a. A life insurance policy. b. My savings account. c. My children's savings account. d. My parents' savings account. e. My spouse would have to take out a loan. f. I do not know for sure. Hopefully the issues raised in these questions have provided you with some background information on the value of funeral pre-planning. Regardless of your situation, there is a preplanning or pre-financing program to meet your needs: Feel free to discuss your concerns with your funeral director.

YOU AND YOUR LOVED ONES CAN HAVE PEACE OF MIND BY TAKING THE TIME NOW TO MAKE YOUR WISHES KNOWN.

A thoughtful decision today is considered an act of wisdom tomorrow.

Parents - Our Strength Through The Years
Our parents have been our guides through childhood and adolescence and into adulthood. They have always been there for us with a shoulder to lean on and a sympathetic ear when life's everyday struggles seemed overwhelming. Slowly though, we have begun to realize that our parents are aging and will not be with us forever.
Just as our lives have gone through many changes: career, marriage, and perhaps children of our own; we realize that our parents lives have also changed. Perhaps their hair has grayed or their eyesight and hearing are not as good as they once were.
As uncomfortable as it may be, the fact that life will one day end is a reality we must all face. As children we thought our parents were indestructible and were sometimes devastated to discover this was not true. They seemed so strong and sure of everything they did; our strength through the years. Now as we watch them reach the age of retirement, we want what is best for them. We don't want them to worry what will become of us, their children, in the future when they are gone.
One of the best ways to reduce present and future emotional anxieties associated with planning for the inevitable is for families to help aging parents pre-arrange their funerals.
By sharing together these private thoughts and desires, and making decisions well in advance of need, both you and your aging parents will benefit. And, when the actual need arises, you will have the comfort of knowing that you have acted in accordance with your parents' wishes.

The Benefits of Pre-Arrangements
Before discussing the subject of prearrangements with your parents obtain all the facts about pre-arranging and ore-funding. To do this, consult
will be able to discuss with you the benefits and options available to persons who are considering pre-arrangements. A valuable piece of literature to request on the subject of pre-arranging is "A Guide To Detailed Funeral Planning. "
Some of the benefits provided by prearranging and pre-funding include:
1. Pre-arranging can help to shelter funds for the purposes of government programs.
2. Planning ahead assures that personal and religious wishes will be met.
3. When funeral arrangements are made well ahead of time, it helps to reduce the emotional stress placed on loved ones when life ends.
4. Pre-arranging and pre-funding is also a natural part of estate planning, eliminating the fear that survivors may be unable to handle the decision-making process, both emotionally and financially.
S. Before-need planning allows for the planning of one's own funeral prior to need, so exact services and materials desired may be purchased.
6. The costs of the funeral can also be prefunded and all monies pre-paid can be invested in a trust account. One can be reasonably sure that the assets invested will increase in value sufficiently to offset inflation.
7. Pre-arranging is surely the greatest act of love shown to survivors by the deceased.

Pre-Arranging is Important ... But How Can I Bring Up The Subject?
Even after you have all the facts about prearranging and pre-funding, you may still be unsure how to bring up the subject. There is no right way to bring up this kind of delicate, emotional planning.
But perhaps an opportune time to bring up the subject of pre-arranging might be in the privacy of your home during a family visit or somewhere that all parties feel comfortable. You might consider discussing this after viewing a movie that is relevant or while going through the family photograph album. Perhaps you could begin by discussing a family member who has died and was very special to the entire family.
Sharing this brochure, or others your funeral director may have available concerning before need planning, will be helpful.
Simply, tell your parents how deeply you care for them and that this is your way of expressing concern that their personal wishes will be met. You might explain that it was difficult for you to accept the fact that they will not always be here for you to rely on and that you wish to play a part in this special planning.
Only you can decide if discussing prearranging is appropriate. It may be wise to avoid the subject if your parent or parents are ill. Discussing death at such a time may give them the impression that there is little or no hope for recovery. It may also give them the impression that they do not have all the facts about their illness or that the doctors or family are not telling them how ill they may be.

The first big step ...
Deciding to actually consider the funeral service may seem like the hardest decision. Certainly this is not unusual; we all resist thinking about things that are unpleasant or painful. Often, it is difficult for us to communicate openly because the feelings of loss or grief are almost more than we can bear.
The, purpose of the funeral in today's society is a declaration that a death has occured, but it is also a testimony to a life that has been lived. It becomes a valuable experience to those who mourn by allowing the opportunity of a structure for the early days of grieving. It is a time for sharing loss, for saying goodbye.
The actual components that make up the funeral, the services, the merchandise, the music and other selections are intensely personal. By sharing these decisions within your family, you help the family face the future with renewed strength.

In Closing ...
There are no magic words to use when discussing pre-arranging with your parents. Death is a reality we must all face and it is important for all to recognize that your parents will not live forever,
But, discussing death with your aging parents now is important. Funerals are indeed a way to honor the deceased. But they also help survivors work through the grieving process. Like other rites of passage such as graduations, weddings, retirements etc. funerals help us to adjust to major transitions in life. For more information on the funeral as it is related to the grieving process ask for the brochure entitled "Funerals Are For The Living" by Lois Duncan. This excellent brochure briefly relates Ms. Duncan's family experiences with -grieving and was featured in Woman's Day Magazine.


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