Attending A Visitation At A Funeral Home In Urbandale, IA Posted on June 27, 2022 by ilesfuneralhomes When you lose a family member or friend, you need to come to terms with their death and that means visiting funeral homes in Urbandale, IA for the services. There are a variety of different services that the professionals offer and one common traditional service is visitation. This service takes place before a funeral, or before cremation in some cases. If you have never been to visitation, or if it has been a long time, you might want to know some of the details so you can feel more comfortable with the process as a whole. Here are a few such details. The Event Is An Open House With A Range Of Times When you hear about the visitation, you will hear that it is happening from 1-3 or another range of hours. You don’t have to arrive right at the start or stay until the finish. Instead, you can visit any time you want to within that time range. The open house feel means you can come and go as you please. Most people come sometime in that time frame and they stay for 20-30 minutes. Some immediate family members might stay the whole time, but no one else needs to. In fact, it can be a burden on the family if you overstay. Attire Is On The Casual Side While you won’t want to show up in shorts and tank tops, you also don’t need to wear a suit or dress. You also don’t have to stick to dark colors. Visitation services are much more casual in nature. You will want to remain respectful, but you don’t have to dress in quite the same manner as you would for a traditional funeral. Gifts Are Appreciated It is not required, but you can bring a gift to the funeral home for the visitation service if you want. You can bring flowers for the funeral, a card with money in it, a peace lily plant, or any variety of other things. Gifts are a tangible way of showing your sympathies to the family and they will appreciate your support. They also aren’t something you have to do as the family will feel your support simply in your presence. Take the time to visit a funeral home and order flowers for your loved one as gift. The visitation is an important part of fulfilling their last wish, so think about what they would want most in this difficult moment before you send them off with something beautiful as homage from one person who understands how much pain there must be going on inside our hearts when we lose someone close like that – don’t just plant some daisies or roses. It’s Optional To Approach The Casket There really are no things you have to do when you attend a visitation. It’s always nice to talk to the family and let them know you are sorry for their loss. But you certainly don’t have to approach their loved one’s casket unless you feel the need to do so. If you are going to support the family, or feel uncomfortable in any way, it’s okay to stay back and not go up to the casket during this event. Visitation services happen on a regular basis and funeral homes in Urbandale, IA is here to help you through such events if you are going to attend one. Give them a call for any information you need beforehand.
Other Options For Funeral Home Gifts Other Than Flowers Posted on June 6, 2022 by ilesfuneralhomes The most common gift that people send to funeral homes in Urbandale, IA for any final service is a flower arrangement. Flowers are always a nice gift and they are very thoughtful and meaningful. However, flowers wilt away and you might want your family to have gifts that will last longer. There are lots of other options to consider and if you are the one arranging the service, you can request certain things in lieu of flowers, if you have other ideas. Here are some of the many options you can consider. Gifts To Charity While flowers are nice, they are costly and they die away. Gifts to charity, however, can keep on giving and can be a great honor to your loved one and to your whole family. You might ask people to, instead of sending flowers, donate funds to a certain charity. Perhaps there was a charity that your loved one always donated to and you know they would appreciate others doing the same. Or maybe you choose a charity that pertains to an illness your loved one had to further research in that area. There are lots of good options. You could even leave it open-ended and ask people to donate to their own favorite charities in your loved one’s honor. Items For Non-Profits It might be a nice gesture, and an honor to your loved one, to collect items for a non-profit organization. If your loved one adored the fact that a local hospital gives teddy bears to sick children, have everyone bring a new bear so you can donate in bulk to that program. Try to do something that lines up with what your loved one would appreciate and when you donate to a non-profit in that way, you can’t go wrong. Final Services Funding Funeral services can cost a lot and even if you have cremation and a memorial, the basics might be beyond your cost reach. Ask people to donate funds to the family in order for them to be used to cover final services. People are often honored to help meet your loved one’s needs. If they know you need funds for the final services, they will likely be most generous. We all know how important it is to find the right gift for someone who has passed away. Flowers may be beautiful, but they don’t always fit what people need or want when dealing with their final arrangements; this can make sending flowers seem like an unacceptably insufficient gesture in some circumstances That’s why we offer our services of finding appropriate gifts from pre-owned furniture items such as tables and chairs – which will never have been used by anyone before! This way you’ll get maximum value out your funeral budget without compromising on quality. Volunteer Time Time is a precious commodity today and perhaps you would prefer for your friends to donate time instead of anything monetary or tangible. Suggest a certain non-profit in the area that takes volunteers or ask everyone to volunteer wherever they choose in your loved one’s hours. That kind of ‘donation’ can be just as precious and sometimes even more needed than offering funds and other donations. When you have to work with funeral homes in Urbandale, IA on a loved one’s final services, you get to decide upon every detail. One thing you might consider is asking for something else outside of flowers as a gift to honor your loved one and support your family. For someone who has everything, it is always important to show your love and respect for others. That’s why flowers are the perfect gift – they’re inexpensive yet meaningful! Funeral services can be very touching as well so make sure you attend if there’s a person in need of support or guidance during this difficult time. The professionals can talk through the options with you until you figure out what’s just right for you.
Funeral Homes Help With The Budget Posted on May 16, 2022 by ilesfuneralhomes Working with funeral homes in Urbandale, IA means that you have seasoned professionals on your side to help you with every bit of the process of planning and implementing final services. When planning for a funeral, it’s important to consider the budget and how much time you have. They are there to make sure your loved one gets what they need, first and foremost, but they are also concerned with your well-being. They are going to help you with every aspect of the process, including figuring out the budget pertaining to the service costs. Here are a few things they might suggest to help you with the budgeting aspect. Use A More Inexpensive Venue There are many ways you can save on the budget so you can offer more in other areas. One thing the funeral home might do is suggest that you stick to a venue that doesn’t cost that much. A funeral home is always an option for a service venue. They certainly won’t pressure you into that option, but they will want you to know it’s available for you, if you so choose. They might also suggest a local church. If you or your family member was a member of that church, you might be able to get free use of their building for the services. Choose A Package First Funeral homes have put together packages based on their experience. They know what is needed for these services and they want the planning process to be as easy and streamlined as possible on you. Choosing a package will give your loved one everything they have to have in order to get through these final services. When you have a strict budget, the funeral home will likely recommend that you choose a package you can afford. You then know your loved one’s needs are met and after that, you can add other things you can afford, if there is money left over. The most important thing to remember when sending flowers as a budget-friendly and thoughtful gift for someone who has passed away is that you don’t want them getting mixed up with any other kind of plant or bouquet. Let Family Help The funeral home will tell you that you need as much support as you can get. That might include monetary support from family and time, among other things. If you have people offer to help with certain cost elements, let them. If someone wants to cover the reception for you and host it, let that happen as well. Their help can get you further down the path you want to take and it can help you feel the compassion and support you need during this hard time. The most important thing to remember when sending flowers as a budget-friendly and thoughtful gift for someone who has passed away is that you don’t want them getting mixed up with any other kind of plant or bouquet. Keep Guests To Immediate Family Another thing you can do to keep costs down is make the services small. Invite only small family members and close friends and you can keep services intimate and small as well as less costly. You could livestream the services, however, if you want more people to be able to participate from a distance. If you need help with budgeting a final service, funeral homes in Urbandale, IA are there to offer you advice and options along the way. They want you to honor your loved one in the way you see fit.
Planning Nice Funeral Home Services Posted on May 9, 2022 by ilesfuneralhomes While you might think that funeral homes in Urbandale, IA have limited options when it comes to funeral services, that’s really not the case. There are certain elements that are often involved with a funeral, but you can customize anything you want and ensure that your loved one is honored in just the right way. The funeral home offers plenty of options and all of them are respectful and will make for a nice service. Here are a few ways to plan something you feel is right for your loved one. Consider The Venue With Care While you can have a memorial service anywhere, there are limited places in which you can have a full funeral. You need professionals to help you move your loved one and not just anywhere will accept this kind of service. You can easily have the funeral at the funeral home, and many people do. It’s easy and convenient and you have the professional help you need on hand at all times. Once you tell the experts what you want, they implement those plans for you without question. Another location you could consider is your loved one’s home church. It can be comforting for people to honor them in a location they appreciated. Think Through The Music Music is often an integral part of any service, even a funeral. You can set the tone of the service through the music you play. Some people like to keep things traditional and stick with hymns and classical music. That’s a very nice way to go. But you could also have a family member or friend offer special music and a song your loved one adored. You can even play songs right from your ipod over the sound system in the venue. Listen to the lyrics to make sure they are fitting and consider the tempo as well. Do you want something more upbeat or something slower? It’s all up to you. Place Memorable Photos Your loved one will be present for the funeral in their casket, but you might also want people to be able to remember who they were during their lifetime through photos. You could put a big, blown-up photo of them at the front of the room near their casket and candids around the room on poster board. Put up family pictures, pictures of them with friends, and photos of them doing the things they loved. It can help everyone remember them for the good parts of their life, which can help the grieving process as a whole. Plan A Nice Reception When someone has passed away, it is important to plan ahead and be prepared. The best way for you or your loved ones’ finances can help with this process by creating a funeral budget that will allow the funeral expenses they may need in order following all necessary steps while still staying within what’s available without running into debt! You will want to think about what happens after the funeral service as well. You might process to the cemetery for a burial service and then, people often like to have a reception so they can spend more time with their family members and friends. Funeral Arrangements are the process of celebrating life and planning funeral for someone’s future. When someone has passed away, it is important to plan ahead and be prepared. The best way for you or your loved ones’ finances can help with this process by creating a budget that will allow the funeral expenses they may need in order following all necessary steps while still staying within what’s available without running into debt!They provide an opportunity to express grief or sadness about their passing, as well as honor them with flowers, etc. You might want a full meal for the people in attendance, or you might have snacks and drinks available so everyone can simply chat after the services at funeral homes in Urbandale, IA.
Preparing Expectations For Funeral Home Services Posted on April 25, 2022 by ilesfuneralhomes There are some things in your life that you just can’t know. They say knowledge is power, but there are some things that we cannot have power over. For example, you can’t have power over death. You don’t know when it’s going to happen, either to you or to family members. When you lose a family member, however, you can prepare for their services with funeral homes in Des Moines, IA. You can have that knowledge and go into the process with a sense of understanding that you know what is going to happen. Here are some of the things to expect so you can prepare for the upcoming services. Figure Out What You Want From The Visitation The visitation service is an open house that you can attend any time within the open hours. You don’t have to go for the whole time, but rather can stop in between the hours listed for the service. You can expect to see your loved one in their casket at the front of the room. Their closest family members will also likely be present. You don’t have to feel obligated to approach the casket. Rather, if you want to get closure and see the person up close, you can. But you can also stay back, talk to the family, and give them the support you want them to have. Decide what you want for the visitation or do what feels right when the time comes. Know that whatever you decide is perfectly acceptable. The Formal Funeral The funeral will occur at a certain time and you will want to arrive on time. Turn your phone off and dress in a conservative manner so you will fit in. At the funeral, you can expect people to be emotional and perhaps even to be crying. You will likely hear readings, songs, and a eulogy, among other things. The service will likely take an hour or so and after it is over, the family will be invited to process to the burial service. The Burial At The Cemetery Once you arrive at the cemetery, along with everyone else in a line that follows one after the other, you will watch the casket be carried to the burial plot and placed at the cemetery. You will likely hear someone speak for a few moments before the service closes. Some family may stay behind to say a final goodbye, otherwise, you can move on to the reception. The Reception Meal At the funeral, the person presiding over the service will likely inform the guests of the reception and invite those in attendance to join in on that as well. Once the burial is over, you can go to the reception, spend more time with the family, and have a meal in their honor. It may have been a while since you have services with funeral homes in Des Moines, IA and you might want to prepare for what is to come. Going into the services with the right expectations can help you to face things.
The Importance Of Self Care Around Funerals Posted on April 4, 2022 by ilesfuneralhomes There’s nothing easy about grieving, but the professionals at funeral homes in West Des Moines, IA are going to take care of your loved one as if they were their own. You need to understand that your loved one is in good hands and their needs are being met. While you are responsible for making sure they get that care, once they are in the funeral home’s hands, you know that they are getting what they need. You will have to let them go and focus on caring for yourself and the rest of your family members. Your own self-care is going to be very important around the planning and funeral home service as a whole. Here are a few things you are going to want to do. Eat You may not feel hungry when you are going through the grieving process and it can be hard to force yourself to eat. When you feel those hunger pangs, stop what you are doing and get a healthy meal. Snack on healthy items as well because you need food to be your fuel at this time. It’s important to give your body as much energy as possible because grief can sap that energy out of you. Rest Make sleep a priority and try to keep your schedule even and regular, if you can. Go to bed at the normal time and get up when you usually do. If you are having trouble sleeping, or feel overwhelmed and tired during the day, it’s okay to take a break from family and from the plans you are making and rest. Lie down, take a nap, or just listen to some music for a while to refresh your mind and your body. Fresh Air You might feel stressed out over the plans and that’s not a feeling that is unexpected, but it’s also not something you want to stick around. When you feel that stress, try to give yourself some space from the situation. Take a walk with your dog or with a family member. You can even just step out back and breath the fresh air in deeply. Take in the birds singing and the blue sky and it can help you put things into perspective nicely. Avoid Self-Isolating You will want time to yourself during this process, and that’s okay. But you might find yourself pushing people away and trying to be alone more often than not, and that’s not a good thing for you. You need family support and you will want to let people be there for you during this hard time. It’s in your best interest to be around others who support you, not to be alone all of the time. Once you have chosen funeral homes in West Des Moines, IA to work with, place your loved one in their capable hands and know that they are going to get what they need. Then, you can focus on your own grief and on self-care to get through this situation.
Making Funeral Home Pre-Plans With A Loved One Posted on March 28, 2022 by ilesfuneralhomes If you have ever thought about making your own final service plans, you understand the mindset your loved one has when they say they want to contact funeral homes in Urbandale, IA to make their own final plans. There are things you can do to help them along the way so they get the peace of mind they deserve while taking burdens from your family when their time to die comes. Recommend Funeral Homes If you have already made your own final service plans, you might want to recommend the funeral home you used to your loved one if you appreciated the job they did with you. If you haven’t made plans, you may know someone who has and you can ask them about the professionals they used. Getting recommendations from someone you trust that you can pass along to your family member can help them to get what they need in an easier manner. You can also research funeral homes online, read reviews, and let your family member know what you learned so they can take things from there. Learn Advantages Of Various Services Even if your loved one knows they want to make plans in advance, they may not know what those plans should be just yet and that’s okay. You can do a little research on the advantages of cremation services and the benefits of funeral and burial services. Once you have that knowledge, you can pass it along to the loved one making the decisions. Something you have found out might spark something in them and help them to go one direction over another with confidence. Help Them With The Numbers It would be smart of your loved one to look at their budget when they are making these plans. If they want to pay in advance, they certainly can do so. In those cases, the budget will make a big difference in the plans they make. Even if they are leaving the costs to loved ones to cover later, they may not want to plan something that is going to cost those people a bunch of money. If you are good with numbers, help your loved one set a budget and be with them along the way to keep things in that parameter. Go Along On Funeral Home Visits If your loved one wants to visit some of the funeral home professionals to find out more about their services, you can go along with them and help them to get the answers they need. Being a second set of eyes and ears can help you to point things out to your loved one later if they don’t remember the details. One of the nicest things you can do for your loved one as they plan is simply support them along the way. When they make decisions with funeral homes in Urbandale, IA, let them know you appreciate what they are planning. Ask them what else you can do to help and work with Iles Funeral Home to give them everything they need to make these plans.
Tips For Bringing Children To Funeral Home Services Posted on March 7, 2022 by ilesfuneralhomes When you hear a certain person in your life has passed on, you might automatically want to attend the services the family is going to have at funeral homes in Des Moines, IA. However, if you have a child, or even children, things are more complicated. Actually, everything in your life is more complicated. Here are some tips to help you handle the circumstances in a way that will work for everyone. Tip 1: Take Children Who Can Stay Quiet And Still Before you get into taking your child with you to the funeral home, you will want to think about how your child will handle the situation. Funerals are generally somber and straightforward. You know your child will need to be quiet and sit still. How will they handle that? If you feel like your child is used to those situations, (perhaps you attend regular church services) then they would behave well and you are confident they could handle it. On the other hand, if your child is always on the go, you might want to avoid taking them to the service so they don’t disturb you or, worse yet, other people. Tip 2: Prepare Your Kids For The Services If you decide that your child can handle the services, you will want to prepare them for what is going to happen so they know what to expect. Many children, and even adults, have a fear of the unknown. They will likely handle the services better if they know what is going to happen. Let them know that they will see the person in their casket. That you will likely sing songs, hear readings, and hear someone speak about the person who died. That preparation can help them do well at the service itself. Tip 3: Consider Entertainment Even if your child is good at sitting still, they might eventually get bored and you don’t want them bothering you or those around you. Think about things you can bring along with you to entertain your child so they don’t start talking or fidgeting. Bring a coloring book and crayons or a picture book they can look through. You don’t, however, want to hand them your phone to play games on. That can be distracting to others and you never know when they might turn the volume on and make noise. Tip 4: Sit In The Back Even if you feel your child will do well, you can’t predict when they will have to go to the bathroom or something else might happen. It’s best to sit in the back so you can make a quick exit without disturbing others. If you want to attend services for someone you know at funeral homes in Des Moines, IA, you will have to think about taking your child, and how you will pull that off. The professionals at Iles Funeral Home are here to help you through whatever situation you are in surrounding a friend’s death. Give us a call for advice any time.
Funeral Home Employees Can Help Posted on February 21, 2022 by ilesfuneralhomes When you contact one of the funeral homes in West Des Moines, IA, you know that you are getting help for a loved one who has passed on. They have needs that they cannot address themselves, but you can take care of those things for you with the help of the professionals you have chosen. There are a number of things the experts are going to help you with and if you need more than they offer upfront, just ask. Here are some of the things you know you will get as you traverse this difficult process. A Free Consultation The first thing you can get from the funeral home professionals is a free consultation that can help you to decide if you want to use those experts for your loved one’s final services or not. This consultation can take place over the phone or in person at the funeral home. If you want to meet with them in person, you can also take a tour of their facilities, which can help you decide what you want to do as well. That consultation allows you to get the information you need from those professionals to help you move forward. Time To Decide Whether you know what you want for your loved one right away or not, the funeral home professionals are going to give you the time and space you need to make those important decisions. They won’t pressure you into anything and they also won’t push you to decide anything before you are ready. You have the opportunity to ask them anything you need so you can make the right decisions at the right time. Answer Questions Whether you have organized final services yet or not, you are going to have questions that you need to have answered and that’s something you can get from funeral home professionals at any time. They want you to have the information you need to make the right decisions every step of the way. Ask questions over the phone, in person, or by email and that can help you to get what you need. Setup For Services After you decide what you want for the final services, the professionals can set the service room up for you and ensure that everything is in order. They want you to have time to grieve and be with your family on the day of the service and they don’t want you to have to worry about arriving early for any kind of set up. Run Things Behind The Scenes While the funeral or cremation service is taking place, you are going to want to know that things are being handled. If anything comes up, the funeral professionals are going to take care of things behind the scenes. You might not even know there was an issue since they are going to handle as much as they can for you. The professionals at funeral homes in West Des Moines, IA want to handle as much as you want or need them to. Simple ask and they are there for you.
Which Funeral Home Is For You? Posted on February 7, 2022 by ilesfuneralhomes If you have decided to plan out your own final services, there are plenty of things to think about. One of the first things you are going to consider is which one of the funeral homes in Urbandale, IA you are going to use to help you with the process. There are lots of options on the market and you want to think long and hard about which one is right for you. Since you are planning, you have time on your hands and that can help you to research, make calls, and visit the experts until you find just what you are looking for. Here are some items to look for in a funeral home that are right for you. Fair, Affordable Prices Any funeral home you consider should be completely open and honest about their prices. You deserve to know what they charge for things before you agree to using their services. They will hand over price lists whenever you ask and explain them to you in full. You need these prices so you can figure out who has fair, affordable prices and who is charging too much or too little. A Good Location You are going to want a funeral home with a convenient location. That means the funeral home is local, and perhaps located near the cemetery you want to use. It might be near restaurants and hotels so families can have a good home base for final services. Location convenience is subjective, and you need to figure out what works well for you and your family. Services You Appreciate If you know what you want for your final services, you are going to want to find a funeral home that offers those services. If you aren’t sure what you want yet, that’s okay, too, but you will want to find a funeral home with a long list of options so when you do decide what you want, they will likely have that as an option. Compassion For Your Family While you may not need compassion all that much right now since no one has passed away, you want funeral home professionals that are going to be compassionate to your family members. They are going to need that support when you pass on and they need to know that the people working on your services are treating you right through the way they treat the rest of your family. You don’t need professionals who will make plans for you, but rather funeral homes in Urbandale, IA that will support whatever you decide and implement those choices for you when the time comes. With time on your side, you can take as much time as you want to think through your decisions. Once you find the right funeral home to help you with the options, you can move forward with the choices from there. Contact Iles Funeral Home and ask any questions you have about the process so we can help you get what you need moving forward with your pre-plans.
