What to delegate when planning a funeral.
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Work through the checklist on this page and decide the direction for the event and get the structure in place. After this you can start to delegate some of the tasks if you wish to.
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Organising a funeral is stressful for multiple reasons. Ask for help from hose close to you and try to decrease your mental load by delegating some of the tasks.
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When the occasion calls for a paired-back funeral, these are the minimum components to put in place.
Many families don’t realise how much can be shared. Where you can, reduce your cognitive load by asking for help from those around you. Most people will be relieved to be able to be helpful and to have a role to play in pulling together the event. It also means the service in whatever form it takes is a
Co-create the content of the service
You can ask others to:
Suggest music or readings
Draft a eulogy - think best friends or family friends who have known them a long time. Someone comfortable talking in front of a group of people and who will be able to withstand the emotional pressure of the day. Usually, the eulogy is around 10 minutes long.
Collect photos, anecdotes and memories. It’s always nice to create a display, and to allow guests to write in a guest book some of their favourite memories of the deceased.
Liaise with a celebrant - ask someone else to make the arrangements with the Celebrant and brief them appropriately.
None of this needs to be final before the core arrangements are confirmed.
2. Practical Coordination in anticipation of the day
Others can handle:
Informing extended family and friends
Managing travel or accommodation for attendees, plus meeting points and directions.
Organising elements of the wake (food, drinks, music, etc)
Coordinating childcare or accessibility needs
3. Flowers, Donations & Notices
These are easily delegated:
Choosing flowers or charity donations
Writing and placing funeral notices
Managing online announcements
The funeral director can support whoever takes this on.