Qualities to Look for in a Good Funeral Home

When dealing with the loss of a loved one, planning a funeral is often the last thing on your mind. A good funeral home can ease the burden and help you with all matters of the funeral arrangements from organizing the service, helping with the obituary, recommending legal services and arranging for flowers.

Here are a few qualities every good funeral home should have:

• Experience. Managing a funeral home requires a wide range of skills from grief counselling, event management and knowledge of local laws concerning transportation, and health and safety codes. Speak to the funeral director to get to know him or her and get to know the level of experience and the standards they uphold. Do your research by reading reviews online or speaking to others who have used the funeral home.
   
• Open communication. With so many things to discuss, details to iron out and papers to sign, it’s crucial to find a funeral home manager or director which great communication skills. When you meet with the funeral home, do they take the time to answer your questions, address your concerns and go over the process involved? Or do they make plans behind closed doors? 
   
• Accommodating. If you have specific requests such as certain music to be played, a particular prayer to be read, are they willing to accommodate such requests and allow you to plan the funeral according to your and the deceased’s wishes?
   
• Respectful behaviour. Respect is displayed in many ways from the greeting you receive when you walk in, to the cleanliness of the funeral home, to the manner in which they speak of the deceased.
   
• Knowledge of different customs and traditions. A good funeral home should be aware of and have a general knowledge of various customs and traditions from different cultures.
   
• Organization and problem-solving skills. These two skills go hand-in-hand. Planning and directing a funeral service, viewing or wake requires a great deal of organization. However, no matter how well-organized an event can be, problems inevitably arise. A great funeral home will address any problems that occur with tact and grace without disrupting the service.
   
• Compassion. Having compassion for families dealing with the loss of a loved one is the foundation of a good funeral home. Taking extra steps to ensure people feel welcome and comfortable, to having patience dealing with the occasional emotional outburst from mourners are hallmarks of excellent service.

Before committing to a funeral home, make sure you take the time to ensure they offer the level and type of services you require. A good funeral home will ensure your funeral service runs as smoothly and painlessly as possible.

Wagg Funeral Home has been in service since 1846 in Port Perry, ON. For questions about funeral services, call us at 905-985-2171, or contact us here.