What Does a Funeral Director Do?

A funeral director should be on hand to help you and provide support during the difficult time of organising a funeral. Here we take a look at exactly what they do and how far they can go to make sure that the funeral arrangements meet all your priorities and fulfil your needs.

Giving you much needed time to prepare

In the past funerals may have taken place straight after a death, however in more recent times, it can be up to a few weeks before everything has been properly arranged. Your loved one will need to be kept somewhere that is suitable and funeral directors will have access to facilities where the person can be cared for until the day of the funeral.

Contact all other parties

As funeral directors are experienced in supporting your funeral services and making funeral arrangements, they will know the other members, parties, and organisations who will need to be contacted. Depending on your loved one’s beliefs and if they followed a religion, they’ll be able to find a trusted celebrant to help lead the funeral. In most cases the funeral director will have worked with these people before, which is a benefit of their funeral planning services.

Death notice and obituaries

Your funeral director will be able to help you place death notices and obituaries in newspapers etc. They should have a list of existing contacts with local papers and some funeral homes will also provide an online service where friends and family can leave memories.

Carry Out the paperwork

When it comes to registering a death and arranging a funeral, there tends to be a lot of paperwork involved. Funeral directors will be well versed in all the types of forms that you will need to complete and fill in. They will also be able to advise you on how you can fill them out.

Provide advice and advise you on the rules and regulations

There are a number of regulations in burials and cremations, this especially covers coffins. Green burial sites will be strict on the type of coffins that are allowed to be buried there, funeral directors will also know these rules and will be able to help you to choose a suitable coffin that matches all of the rules and regulations.

Help you to make decisions

When arranging a funeral, it can be very difficult to know what is for the best, especially when you are in the early stages of grief. Some people will know exactly what they want, however you may be struggling to decide. A good funeral director will be able to go through all of the options with you and explain what’s going to be involved. With this in mind, it’s your choice and they will want you to make the decision that is going to be right for you and your family.

Prepare you for saying goodbye

Some people find peace by seeing their loved ones before the funeral. Sometimes it can also be a chance for other family and friends to say goodbye and feel reassured that they are now at peace. Maybe this is something that you will find comforting, it’s worth finding a funeral home that has a chapel of rest, and you’ll be able to spend time with your loved one in both peace and privacy.

Before viewing, the funeral director will be able to prepare the person who has died, they will wash them and dress them, do their hair or makeup, whatever you want. The funeral director will make sure that they do everything to ensure that the viewing is a positive way to say goodbye.

Providing support on the day

Funeral directors will not only help you with all of the arrangements on the run-up to the funeral, but they will also make sure that they are there for you on the day and make sure that everything runs as it should. From ensuring that the transport arrives on time, to showing mourners to their seats, the team will be on hand to make sure that everything goes according to plan so that you can focus on saying your goodbyes.

Arrange the burial site or the crematorium times

The funeral director can cover all of the main logistics, this includes a suitable burial plot as well as a time slot at your local crematorium.

Provide bereavement support

Funeral directors aren’t there for practical support, they can also support you and your emotional well-being after the death of a loved one. They will be able to recommend local bereavement support groups and counsellors for you.

For more information on our funeral directors and the services that they provide, just contact us today.