Mors 200 Arts Final - Klicker Chapter 3

Arrangement Conference

The arrangement conference is often a bereaved family’s first meeting of this kind with the funeral director.

Designed to collect information and plan funeral details

A time for the funeral director to develop a relationship of trust and confidence with the family.

Can help the family with the grieving process if done properly.

Acts as both a functionary collecting information necessary for legal documents (DC, burial or cremation permits, death notice or obituary) as well as presenting merchandise for the family to purchase (caskets, vaults, urns, clothing, flowers, memorial markers). Also functions as a facilitator in helping the family plan a service that meets their needs while bringing them comfort and support.

Writing a death notice or obituary

Date and time for visitation

Date and time for disposition

Coordinates with clergy or funeral celebrant

Merchandise selection

Floral selection

Automobile needs

Explanation of expenses

Explanation of government forms

Personalization options

Special requests

Sevice details (music selections, religious or inspirational readings)

Financial arrangements

Can be anywhere

Family’s home

Funeral home

Laptop computer or catalogs necessary to display the merchandise options if made anywhere other than the funeral home.

Resembles a small conference room or a dining room in a home.

Table with chairs will provide a comfortable non-intimidating seating arrangement.

Allows the funeral director a space to write on without a formal businesslike atmosphere that deats the funeral director behind a desk.

Can be the difference between them feeling like we care, or feeling like we are there to just take information and sell them something.

Funeral directors should avoid reaching for their pens during the first ____ _____ of the arrangement conference. These ___ _______ of listening are a crucial part of a funeral director’s transition from order-taker to event planner and an important foundation for personalization efforts.

A very effective opportunity to help make these more personal and meaningful is to include the deceased’s things (things that were important to evoke the memory and significance of the deceased’s life).

Listen to the family

Learn about the deceased and what was important and significant in that life

Suggest making any noteworthy personal aspects of the deceased’s life part of this.

Keep arranging funeral directors fresh and prepared for the conference by doing this. Allow them time to prepare themselves mentally and phyiscally for the meeting.

Try to do this at the door when they enter, or even at their car in the parking lot.

None of us went to funeral arrangement school. We learned from others an adapted a set of funeral arrangement procedures with which we felt comfortable.

Body present with public viewing, service, and committal (burial, entombment, or cremation).

Body present with a private viewing, public or private service and committal (burial, entombment or cremation).

Body present but all facets are private

Body present with no viewing but a public service and public or private committal.

Body present with no viewing and everything else private

Public graveside service with the body present to be distinguished from a committal service only.

Direct disposition by cremation or interment preceded or followed by a public or private service without the body present.

Direct disposition by cremation or interment preceded by viewing.

Direct disposition by cremation or interment with no viewing or attendant rites or ceremonies.

Body donation preceded or followed by a public or private service with the body or cremains present.

Body donation without any public or private service.

Name

Address

Place of death

Date of death

Gender

Race

Martial status

Date of birth

Place of birth

Veteran

Doctor’s name

Caues of death

Spouse, name, age

Informant’s name, age

Informant’s telephone number

Father’s name

Father’s birthplace

Mother’s maiden name

Mother’s birthplace

Cemetery/crematory

Service number

Date entered service

Date discharged

Rank

Occupation

Social security number

Place of business

Name of hospital

Grave number

Grave owner

section

Date of funeral

Clergy person

Church

service at

Time of service

Spouse

Father

Mother

Sons

Daughters

Brothers

Sisters

Grandchildren

Organizations

Visitation

Funeral

Funeral Home

Necessary for the director and family to decide on a time, place, and type of service.

Clergy should be called and informed of the death, if not already contacted

Consult clergy of time, date, and type of service

Family’s request may not be able to be filled becuse of a time conflict with clergy

May be conducted in the church or funeral home and generally adheres to the church’s rules and rituals.

Non-traditional

Memorial service

Humanistic service

Religious oriented but follows a more modern interpretation, including favorite music, poems, and readings.

A service without the body present usually held days or weeks after the disposition.

A service devoid of religion.

A growing trend across the country is non-religious funeral services. Today, more people describe themselves as spiritual, not religious. To meet the needs of these families funeral directors can use this instead of a member of the clergy to conduct a non-religious service.

If it will be burial or entombment, the family must already have purchased the grave or crypt or it will have to be done immediately.

Family should present the deed to the funeral director.

Funeral director will notify the cemetery of the death, grave number, and date and time of the service.

Generally two types:

Death Notice

Obituary

A classified notice publicizing the death of a person, listing survivors and giving those details of the funeral service that the survivors wish to have published. There is usually a charge for this announcement.

An announcement of death that has a biographical sketch of the person's life, listing occupation, organizations, and notable information, sometimes with a photograph. There is not usually a charge for an obituary.

A legal document containing vital statistics, disposition information, and final medical information pertaining to cause of death.

Supplied by the informant.

One who supplies the information concerning the deceased.

Data pertaining the place of death, the date, and location of the disposition.

Official signature and data of the legal governmental agency.

Shows cause of death for medical or actuarial research

Is the legal, permanent record of death

Is a permanent statistical record of the deceased

Assists with settling estate/legal affairs

The legal document issued by the proper government agency authorizing transportation and/or disposition of human remains.

Issed upon the filing of the completed death certificate with the proper agency.

The legal permit that allows the funeral director to transport and/or dispose of a dead human body.

The legal record that final disposition has occurred (burial, removal, or cremation).

In some instances, a release from the coroner or medical examiner may be required.

General Price List

Casket Price List

Outer Burial Container Price List

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) requires that this form be given to the family for their retention. This contains identifying information an itemized prices for goods and services that the funeral home sells and discloses.

The FTC requires that the funeral home has these price lists available. They do not have to be given to the family for retention but must be available.

Casket or container

Outside enclosure for the grave

Urn or container for cremains

Clothing

Register book

Memorial cards

Religious or fraternal symbols

Thank you notes

Before entering this room, the funeral director should give the family an idea of what the expect:

Permission to touch

Number of caskets

Range of prices

Explanation of the different types of caskets

Reason for the large selection

Explanation of what will occur

If the funeral director will stay or leave

The family will return to the arrangement room with the funeral director. At this time, the director can discuss prayer cards, register books, and flowers if they were not discussed in the selection room.

Director can contact a florist and inform them of the amount the family wishes to spend and the type and design of the floral piece.

Make suggestions to family to tell the florist of the interior and exterior color or favorite color of the deceased if they wish to contact the florist themselves.

Recommend colors to the family

Have a catalog

Also selected by most families.

Required by the FTC to be given to the family at the end of the arrangement conference.

After all services and merchandise are selected, the information is recorded on this required form.

Immediate payment

Insurance assignment

Credit card

Financial institution loan

Wait until the estate is settled

Pay for the entire funeral at the time of the arrangement or by the day of the funeral. Most funeral directors will offer a discount for this option.

Assigning over the amount of the funeral bill from an insurance policy the deceased had. It is necessary for the funeral director to complete the proper paperwork to send to the insurance company and then wait for the insurance company to send a check. Becuase of the paperwork and the waiting time, some funeral directors charge a service fee for using this option.

The funeral director is charged a percentage of the total by the company as a user fee. It is sometimes necessary for the holder to request to increase the credit line available on his/her card to a point where the funeral bill will be covered. The funeral bill can be divided among family members and that amount charged to each of their credit cards.

Some funeral homes have an arrangement with a bank or lending company to issue loans to the families for the payment of the funeral. It is necessary for the insitution to do a credit check on the borrower. The check can usually be completed in a day.

Used to be most common method- not anymore. This has become a sometimes long and legally complicated affair. It is not unusual for a funeral home to wait six months or more for this to happen. If a funeral home does offer this option, an interest charge should be added to the bill. This is the least favorable option for the funeral home.

This question is important because it allows the funeral director to analyze how effectively his/her money is being spent to generate business.

Advertising, location, personal contacts

Future planning and budgeting

When to arrive for the first viewing

What to expect during the public visitation

What will be done with flowers that are received

Any items or information they need to bring with them.

Be patient and kind- don't rush

Send a message that you care

Caring is the catalyst in all good relationships

Empathy, patience and kindness make good first impressions and set the tone for everything that follows.

The funeral director should be familiar with the most common forms of death benefits available to families. She should make it clear that the final decision is made by the agency involved.

Social Security benefits

Usual Veterans Administration benefits