No one likes to think about planning a funeral. However, there’s a value to preplanning, says Barbara Borden, a family service counselor for Manasota Memorial Park and Funeral Home in Bradenton.
By preplanning a funeral, you’re able to let family members and friends know how you want to celebrate your life. It also helps to lessen the financial burden that’s common when a loved one dies. By preplanning and prepaying for a funeral, you can take care of your arrangements at today’s prices.
Manasota Memorial Park and Funeral Home has a cemetery on site, which is not the case for all funeral homes. In fact, the cemetery at Manasota Memorial Park is 90 years old and is the eternal home to some locally famous families, including the Ringlings. It’s a perpetual care cemetery, which means its grounds will always be maintained, Borden explains. Manasota also has a botanical garden onsite, which customers sometimes select as a final resting home. Manasota employees are able to offer tours of their grounds upon request.
Manasota Memorial Park and Funeral Home is part of a national network of businesses called Dignity Memorial, with 2,400 funeral home locations across the U.S. that serve more than 300,000 families a year. That means if there’s ever a need to transfer paperwork or change plans—say, you move from Indiana to Florida—it’s easy to work within the Dignity Memorial system. Dignity Memorial has four locations in the Bradenton/Sarasota area.
One question that customers often ask Borden about when they preplan is about cremation. First, people sometimes think that if you opt for cremation—a common choice in Florida—you can’t have a traditional service. In fact, you can still have a service and even have a burial. “Everything can be done the same except the body in the ground,” she says. Instead, a cemetery can bury cremated ashes in the ground if that is what is desired. Manasota’s Bradenton location has a crematorium onsite.
A second question Borden hears is about the lower-priced cremation services that aggressively advertise throughout Florida. This is where Borden talks about the value of a service for someone who has died. “It’s for the family that’s left,” she says. Ultimately, you should work with someone who you trust, she advises.
As you start to give some thought to preplanning, Borden shares the following advice:
- Talk with your family members. Think about what you want, and ask family members for their thoughts. Reflect on what closure means for you as you consider what you might want in a funeral. The answer often depends on your family history, culture, religion, remaining loved ones, and many other factors.
- Decide if you want cremation or a traditional burial. Your wishes may be different than your spouse—and that’s OK!
- Visit Borden or another family service counselor at Manasota to discuss your wishes. If finances are a concern, the family service counselors can help analyze what is important to you and where cost savings can be made. Dignity Memorial also has a beautiful and comprehensive Personal Planning Guide to help you think about and write down what you want when planning a funeral.
- Let family members know what you decide on. If they don’t know, they may not be able to implement your wishes. You may even want to keep information about your funeral home or funeral wishes on a note on the fridge, so everyone knows where to find those details.
For more information on Manasota Memorial Park and Funeral Home, call Borden at 941-755-2688, or visit their website at http://www.dignitymemorial.com/manasota-memorial-park-and-funeral-home/en-us/index.page
Yours truly,
Jonathan Marsh
Thanks for reading our blog. At Home Helpers of Bradenton, we look to not only make life easier but also make a difference in our clients’ lives. It is truly an honor to have an opportunity to work with members of our community and we take the trust bestowed to us very seriously.
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For information about how Home Helpers of Bradenton can serve you and your family, call (941) 499-5946 or visit In-Home Care for Seniors Bradenton FL - Home Helpers. Our senior home care services including homemaker care, companion care, personal care, Alzheimer's and dementia care, respite care, 24-hour care & live-in care, and monitoring and medical alert services are available in Manatee County and Sarasota County in and around the communities of Anna Maria, Bradenton, Bradenton Beach, Ellenton, Holmes Beach, Lakewood Ranch, Longboat Key, Myakka City, Palmetto, Parrish, and Sarasota. Our main office is located at 4230 59th St W, Ste C, Bradenton, FL 34209.
