Sympathy Gift Alternatives Posted on August 22, 2022 by ilesfuneralhomes Your heart goes out to friends who have lost a loved one. You want them to know you are thinking of them and that you are sorry for their loss. The professionals at funeral homes in Urbandale, IA have plenty of suggestions for gifts you can send that will tell your friend just that. If you have any questions or need more ideas, feel free to call the experts for specific ideas or other options at any time. In the meantime, here are popular options to consider. Flowers Flowers are the most common sympathy gift and they are always a nice gesture. They can be used to decorate the background of the service and they are also something family can take home with them to remember the services, and you. There are a variety of types and colors that mean different things so you can send just the right message. Gift Cards You want your friend to have what they need to get through this hard time and sending them a gift card to a grocery store or restaurant can help them to get out and meet their needs when the time comes. You could also send a card to a massage parlor or somewhere else that can give them a treat and help them to relax. A Meal Many people like to take a meal to the bereaved, and that’s a nice gesture as well. They might not be feeding themselves very well and they may not feel up to cooking. Plus, they may have other family members around and that means more meals are needed. Try to make something that they can freeze in meal-sized packages. Place them in containers that they don’t have to return to make it easier on them as well. Groceries Your friend might not feel like getting out all that often, but they still need certain staples within their home. Deliver groceries to them like milk, eggs, bread, lunch meats, and so on. You can also call them and ask what they need before you go to the store for yourself so you can pick up specifics they might have in mind. Memorial Donation You could also make a donation to a charity, locally or nationally, to honor the person who passed on. Ask the family where they want money sent, check the obituary for details, or call the funeral home for suggestions. You can also just send money to the family in a sympathy card and they can choose where to donate the funds. When you hear that someone you know has lost a loved one, you likely want to support them with your sympathies. There are many different things you can do to let the family know they are thinking of them. Funeral homes in Urbandale, IA have plenty of options and ideas available. Call them for specific suggestions or even more popular items that people send to those who are going through a hard time after this kind of loss.
Reasons For Cemetery Burials, Even After Cremation Posted on August 8, 2022 by ilesfuneralhomes If you decide to have traditional services with funeral homes in West Des Moines, IA, your loved one is going to be buried in a cemetery and that’s the only resting place option. With cremation, there are many other options to consider, but cremated remains can still be buried in the cemetery. Here are a few reasons you might decide that is the way to go for your situation. To Keep Your Loved One Safe When you bury your loved one in the cemetery, you know just where their remains are and you also know they are safe. Nothing is going to happen to their remains and you understand they are secure where they are resting. When you scatter ashes, you don’t know where they end up. If you bury them in your garden, you might be worried about something digging them up or other things that can happen. The cemetery will keep your loved one safe and secure long-term. To Give Family A Visiting Place It can be hard for some families to scatter a loved one and then feel as if they don’t have anywhere to visit them at that person is not really in that location any longer. When you place them in a cemetery instead, your loved ones have somewhere to go when they want to think about that person and visit with them again. It’s a nice location to honor them whenever the mood hits. To Have A Permanent Memorial You can erect a permanent memorial for your cremated loved one anywhere you want after their services and once they are in their resting place, wherever that may be. It’s not required to have a permanent memorial, however, and many families don’t go through with that idea. When you have a cemetery burial, they are going to have a permanent memorial in that location, whether you do something else for them in another spot or not. They will have a headstone that marks their grave and acts as a permanent memorial. To Allow Future Generations That History In the future, you might have other family members who want to visit your loved one and know where they are resting. Burying them in the cemetery is a permanent option and their headstone and grave will always be there. You can visit it when you want to and future generations can visit it as well and that history will be there for them to see. If you want to have a loved one cremated with funeral homes in West Des Moines, IA, that’s an honorable, respectful way to go. Once the cremation is complete, you have no timeline on any other decisions. You can move forward with a memorial and resting place right away, or sometime in the future. Burial within a cemetery is still a valid option, and one you will want to consider with great care. Go over the other choices and see what fits your loved one and your family the best.
Common Reasons To Pre-Plan With Funeral Homes Posted on July 18, 2022 by ilesfuneralhomes More people are planning their final services ahead of time today than ever before. Funeral homes in Des Moines, IA are there to give you the information you want in order to think things through and decide what you might want to line up for your own future. There’s no right or wrong reason to move ahead with final service plans. You just have to go ahead when you feel ready. But these are some of the common reasons that people state. Express Your Wishes Many people want to plan their final services ahead of time so they can express their final wishes and let their families know what they want. If you know what you want, that’s all the more reason to make those plans ahead of time. Even if you aren’t sure what you want, you have time on your hands and you might want to think about what you would appreciate so you can make those wishes known to your family. Save Money This is something that not a lot of people know, but you can actually save quite a bit of money by planning your services ahead of time. When you plan the services now, you have the option of paying for those services ahead, too. While that’s not required, a lot of people like to go in that direction. Not only do they know their family doesn’t have to worry about the costs, but they also recognize that they are paying today’s prices, which are lower than whatever the prices are going to be in the future. Reduce Burdens On Family It’s always hard to lose someone you love and when you lose a family member, you know planning their services while grieving can be really hard to do. You can save your family from that extra burden by making the plans ahead yourself. Your family only has to call the funeral home you have used to make the plans and your plans take action. They don’t have to make plans and guess what you would have wanted. Give A Final Gift When you leave your family, you might like the idea of leaving them with one final gift. That gift can be as simple as having your final service plans laid out for them. It truly can feel like a gift. All they want to do is whatever you would have wanted. When you have the services planned, they know what you wanted and they don’t even have to plan anything for you. Things are ready to go and much easier on them overall. When you are thinking of planning your own final services ahead with funeral homes in Des Moines, IA, it can be hard to make decisions, but there are many reasons why it can feel right to move forward. Contact the professionals when you need more information and see what details sound right to you. Since you have time on your hand, there’s no pressure to move forward until you are completely ready.
Celebrating Life With Funeral Homes Posted on July 4, 2022 by ilesfuneralhomes When you decide that you want to have an event with funeral homes in Urbandale, IA to celebrate a loved one’s life instead of mourning their death, there are lots of different things you can do. There are a variety of things you can incorporate with a life celebration. You will want it to feel like something unique that your loved one would appreciate. Here are a few things to consider to make it everything you want it to be. Utilize Favorite Hobbies One thing you might consider doing is using your loved one’s hobby as a potential starter for event planning. If they loved to bowl, for example, having an event at the bowling alley might be a nice way to honor them. Everyone can bowl a game and remember all the strikes they got and all the times you bowled together. If they enjoyed reading, a life celebration at the library where you collect books for schools can be a nice idea. There are lots of options that might revolve around a hobby your loved one appreciated. Donate To A Chosen Charity In Their Name If your loved one was connected to a certain charity, you might want to donate to that charity in their name to celebrate their life. Have a life celebration event and collect funds for that charity. You could also collect items, like food for a food pantry, diapers for a baby charity, and other such things. It can be a nice way to honor them and do some good in their name. Celebrate In A Certain Destination If our loved one always wanted to visit a certain state, you might go to that state in their honor. Or, if they had a favorite vacation destination, have a life celebration in that location and pair a family vacation with it. You will be able to feel them with you the whole time, smiling at all of the fun things you are doing as a group to remember them. Create A Memorial Garden Some people love to garden and a memorial garden can be a nice thing to do for someone you will miss. Have family plant the garden together and gather to weed and harvest things as well. You might even put some stakes in with new names for certain plants that carry your loved one’s name or things they said about those plants or enjoyed them. It can be a fun project and a great way to celebrate a gardener’s life well lived. Have A Musical Event Everyone enjoys music and you might want to have an event that features a lot of music for someone who adored it. Play songs they appreciated and consider having live music. People can dance, look at pictures of their loved ones, and do whatever else you set up among the songs you are playing for them. Planning a funeral is an important decision that should not be made lightly. It’s natural to want your loved one celebrated in life and farewelled with dignity, so it only makes sense for your plan how they would like their final arrangements as well! If you need more ideas on how to find the right fit for a life celebration, funeral homes in Urbandale, IA is here to help.
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.
