FAQ's - Pre-Arranged Funeral
There are many aspects to consider and arrangements to be made whilst grieving for the loss of a loved one.
Years of experience has helped us to develop a series of options, covering the major choices you may wish to consider prior to coming to see us, from the planning of a service or celebration, to the follow-up after the funeral has taken place.
Was the Deceased a registered organ donor?
Roughly 3 million Australians have registered since the creation of the Australian Organ Donor Register in 2000. This means the majority of the population are unregistered. Hospital staff can check the Register for details of the Deceased, but the transplantation program today relies on the family’s support.
Usually, a registered donor will have their donor status listed on their Driving Licence. If no registration is found via a hospital check of the Register or the person’s licence, close family must decide whether the Deceased would have been supportive of organ donation. Perhaps there are overlying religious beliefs or medical conditions to consider that may affect whether organ donation is a viable option?
For more information on organ donation in Australia, click here.
You can also contact any Medicare office, or phone 1800 777 203
Grief counsellors have noted that enabling family, friends and associates an opportunity to say goodbye can help significantly following the death of someone close. Often, stories and anecdotes of the Deceased are shared and sometimes even discovered this way; a public funeral can give a meaning and moment to positive memories which will otherwise be lost.
Whilst going through the grieving process, a natural reaction can be a wish for privacy. Our Funeral Arrangers will understand and respect the choice of holding a private celebration, if that is your wish.
Our experience in this regard is that this decision is based on the family’s understanding of the Deceased’s wishes. Today, around 80% of funerals in Australia are cremations, the balance being burials. The use of a family crypt or mausoleum is uncommon.
Each cremation is individually supervised, making sure all the ashes, including the coffin, are returned to you. A Hills Family Funeral Arranger is there to answer any more questions you may have regarding burials or cremation; contact us.
Ideally, someone comfortable with public speaking, who can handle the occasion sensitively, is ideal. This can be a clergy member, a celebrant, a member of family, or a friend. It is not vital for the chosen person to have experience, although it can help.
A funeral is more than a way to say goodbye, it's an opportunity to celebrate the life of someone special. A funeral can be as unique as the individual being honoured, and reflect any aspect of a person's life and personality. Richard, Deborah and our experienced Funeral Arrangers have helped families plan varied styles of service or celebration, and can discuss with you ideas for creating a unique, personalised funeral befitting the individual; ask us for further thoughts on adding a personal touch to the day.
With a specific choice of music, readings, and even the venue, there are several areas where a personal touch can be added, in keeping with the character and personality of the Deceased. The Deceased no doubt had a circle of friends known in different contexts, with a shared love of hobbies or pastimes, so don’t forget to ask others for ideas that draw on different aspects and pastimes from the Deceased’s life.
Taking one area as an example, music choice can have a major influence on the event. Our Funeral Arrangers are skilled at assisting clients to refine their choices and source the appropriate musicians or recordings. Limited edition CDs of the requested music are available on request.
During the service, you may wish to pay tribute to the Deceased by remembering important aspects of their life. Hills Family Funerals is able to produce a DVD, for example, which can highlight the Deceased’s life, interests and hobbies.
At Hills Family Funerals our 20 years of experience enables us to guide you through the choices and decisions to be made for a funeral service. With this in mind, Hills Family Funerals also offers you a tailored After Funeral Function service, giving you a perfect place for reflection after the service.
We offer you the exclusive use of the elegantly furnished Function Centre, conveniently positioned adjacent to our Chapel in Rouse Hill. We have a range of catering and menu options which have been selected for their quality and variety. Please click here for more information on the The Hills Family Chapel & Function Centre.
The person reading the eulogy is usually someone who personally knew the Deceased, whilst the person leading the service may be unknown to you. They may never have prepared a eulogy before, and may also not be familiar with public speaking. Alternatively, the eulogy can be prepared by the family and delivered by the person officiating.
It’s impossible to predict what emotions close family and friends will feel on the day. People can get overwhelmed, and having someone on hand who can step in and calmly take over a reading or Eulogy at the last moment can be a useful backup to plan in advance of the service itself.
Generally, four or six people act as pall-bearers carrying the coffin. Whilst general health may be a consideration, bear in mind that it is a great honour for many people to be asked to pay this last respect and act as a pallbearer, and close family members may feel offended if it is assumed they are not able to take part for health reasons. Whilst traditionally, men were chosen for this role, there is no protocol that precludes women from being asked to be pallbearers.
Should a notice be placed in the newspaper? Which newspaper?
Consider whether the Deceased grew up in a certain location they moved away from, and still has family or childhood friends there. They may even have spent a significant amount of time overseas – perhaps a notice needs placing in the newspaper of a place that played a significant role in their lives? You may wish to place notice in that newspaper, as well as the newspaper which will convey a message to their recent friends, family and community members.
Hills Family Funerals can assist families in both composing a notice, and placement of the notice in the relevant newspapers. Usually, families choose to organise this during our initial meeting or conversation. For more information, contact us.
The choice of coffin or casket on offer at Hills Family Funerals ranges from budget options to fully imported Italian and US styles. A selection is available from us and in most cases is displayed at our Funeral Home at Castle Hill
A modern choice is the environmentally-friendly LifeArt coffin, an Australian concept now being exported overseas. These are available in a selection of styles that can be further personalised to reflect the spirit of the individual. For further information on grief counselling, click here.
Religious or cultural beliefs may dictate whether a viewing of the body is to be held. Some choose to hold a viewing, enabling family and friends an opportunity to say their last goodbye, whilst other people prefer a closed coffin that is farewelled at the funeral. It is a matter of choice, although it is advisable to canvass opinion amongst family members.
Regarding flowers at the funeral venue itself, the choice of a simple or elaborate display is all down to personal choice, and what best suits the personality of the Deceased – for example, if they were a passionate gardener or someone who enjoyed flowers, this may naturally lend itself to a certain type of floral tribute on display during the service.
We can assist and guide in the choice of floral display with a wide variety of styles available. Please contact us for more information.
It is often helpful for children to attend the funeral service as they need to say goodbye in the same way as adults. However, this decision is a personal one and is ultimately up to the parents or guardian.
Is a charity donations box to be made available at the venue?
Discuss with family whether placing a donations box is relevant to the wishes of the Deceased and family itself. You may wish instead to direct people prior to the service to the relevant charity website, if they wish to make a donation. Hills Family Funerals has more information and links to charities you can donate to online.