First Memorial Funeral Services

  If you’ve gone through  funeral pre-planning in Ottawa , you may be worried that your legal representative will make changes to your plan. A legal representative is an important person in your funeral plans. We encourage you to choose someone who will respect your wishes, but keep in mind that you need someone who can deal with any problems in your plan and amend it suitably after your death.   Why Would Your Legal Representative Need to Make Changes?   If you have pre-planned and prepaid for your funeral, you may be wondering why any changes would need to be made. But as we’ve seen over the past few years, things are always changing. The COVID-19 pandemic, for example, threw everyone’s life plans into a spin. Individuals and families were required to adapt, modify, and even completely change plans with regard to many aspects of life, including funeral arrangements. If there are any  issues with your pre-arranged funeral plan , your legal r...

Many people spend months, even years thinking about their wedding service, while a funeral is often planned in just a few days. Making sure the funeral honours the deceased is important, but many things can get overlooked in the haste. Think about  these questions that the funeral director might ask you when planning a funeral . It’s important to tell the story of your loved one in their celebration of life, here are some tips and ideas that can help you to do that.   A Funeral Video or Photo Slideshow    Photos and videos are a nice way to remember the deceased through the years. You can present this slideshow while people are being seated before the service, during the service while music is playing, and after the service as the receiving line exits the venue. It can also be a family heirloom that you can show on anniversaries or holidays to keep the memory alive. Collect photos from all sta...

  Losing a spouse is considered one of the most stressful life events. Although you’re grieving the loss of a parent, your surviving parent has lost their partner and companion, possibly even a caregiver. Adult children often need to step in and help make funeral or cremation arrangements. Here are some ways you can support your parent as you make decisions. Ask Your Parent How You Can Help Your parent may be grieving, but you should respect their needs. Even if your parent has an illness, such as dementia, you should include him or her as much as possible in the funeral planning. There are many details that will need to be handled, and it is going to be hard for one person to manage. You may need to be the strength for your parent for some time, so you want to recognize their decisions. Making Cremation and Funeral Arrangements If your surviving parent is overwhelmed with the multitude of decisions, you may need to guide mom or dad through the process. Talk about the type of arran...

  If you’ve dealt with the cremation arrangements and services for a loved one who died, it can be a relief to have all the details behind you. Until you get the call from the funeral home that the ashes are ready to be picked up. It can bring all the grief back up. Let’s talk about receiving your loved one’s ashes after cremation in Ottawa, so you can be prepared to deal with the physical details and the emotional ones. How will the ashes look and feel? You will receive the ashes in a sealable container from the funeral home.  If you didn’t purchase an urn, you will probably receive a cardboard box with the ashes sealed in a plastic bag. This container should not have anything in it except the ashes. Cremated ashes aren’t like campfire ashes. They’re more like sand in texture, but they’ll appear to be pasty white, gray to even dark gray in color. They shouldn’t have any odor, but some people do report a metallic smell or scent of incense. The ashes will weigh around 3 kilogra...

  A Virtual Funeral May be a More Practical Option The COVID-19 pandemic has not only altered the way we live, work, and socialize, but it has also impacted the way we mourn our loved ones. With the guidelines on physical distancing and restrictions on the size of gatherings still in place in most provinces across the country, funeral homes in Ottawa have also had to adapt to the present realities. Here are some aspects of planning a funeral in Ottawa that could be different in the COVID-19 era. Limiting the size of the gatherings : Although traditionally, funerals have involved large gatherings in enclosed spaces, currently this is not a possibility. You may have to control the total number of people that will attend the funeral or spread out invitees over different events or ceremonies. Digital services : If close relatives are not in a position to attend the funeral due to travel restrictions or health concerns, you may want to consider other options, such as virtual funeral ser...

  A Practical and Safe Way of Mourning in the COVID-19 Era The COVID-19 pandemic is far from over, and every Canadian province and territory continues to remain in at least a partial state of emergency. From travel and movement, to the size of gatherings, numerous restrictions are still in place to maintain physical distancing and contain the spread of the deadly disease. The loss of a loved one during these difficult times is even more devastating, especially as friends and family may not be able to pay their last respects in person. However, First Memorial Funeral Services can help you make comprehensive online funeral arrangements from anywhere in the world. If you have access to an internet-connected computer, phone or laptop, you and your near and dear ones can commemorate the deceased through virtual funerals. Our virtual funeral and cremation service in Ottawa aims to make things easy for you and give you some peace of mind in these times of extreme distress. Access our 3-st...

  Secure Your Funds Today to Prevent Financial Stress for Your Loved Ones Funerals in Canada can cost anywhere between $5,000 and $15,000, depending on the number and nature of the arrangements. At present, you may have to pay approximately  $8,755 for a burial or $6,260 for a cremation . However, these costs will continue to rise year after year. Hence, it is important to pre-plan your funeral expenses and save your loved ones from financial stress when you pass away. Options for Pre-Planning Your Funeral Finances Buy funeral insurance : Purchase a  funeral expense insurance policy  or pay into a whole-life policy: Cover the costs of your end-of-life arrangements : This includes burial or cremation costs, cemetery or funeral home fees, as well as costsfor other aspects, such as the urn, vault, casket, headstone, flowers, and even transportation of the casket. Save your loved ones from future financial hassle : Your family does not have to bear any out-of-pocket expe...

Being Prepared Can Make A Difference We ran a  series of blogs  focusing on funeral services and how listing your personal wishes in advance can make things a lot easier to manage for your loved ones. We also took a  closer look  at burial options and  financial matters . This blog post discusses funeral pre-planning in Ottawa, and why it makes sense for a number of reasons. First Memorial Funeral Services , one of the most-respected funeral homes in Ottawa, encourages you to consider pre-planning not simply because it gives loved ones a chance to grieve without additional stress, but because it allows them to make informed decisions based on your own  personal wishes . Pre-Planning Can Reduce Stress It is easy to see why so many people shy away from discussing a funeral. It is not a pleasant subject, of course, but a funeral can be an expensive and extremely stressful event for family members left with the task of completing formalities without a...

Burial vaults are essentially boxes that are designed to encase the casket. Typically, these vaults are made of concrete but can sometimes be constructed out of plastic or metal materials. With the cost of a memorial service, you may be wondering if you really need a burial vault. Depending on the circumstances of a burial, it may be necessary to invest in one. Here are a few instances when a burial vault is required and the additional benefits it can offer: Required by Cemeteries: Most cemeteries require an outer burial container when burying a casket to prevent the grave from collapsing. Without a burial vault, regular maintenance would be required to ensure that the ground remains level. If you are not keen on a burial vault, you will have to find a cemetery that does not require it. Helps Preserve the Casket: If you expect to move a grave at some point, investing in a burial vault may be useful. While vaults cannot significantly delay decomposition, they can preserve ...

Funerals are a time of celebration and remembrance of those you’ve lost, but they’re also times of mourning, so having some help for the planning process is beneficial. You may be planning your own funeral by investing in pre-planning services or perhaps you’ve been tasked with planning the memorial service of a loved one; either way, there are some important considerations to make.  Here are some tips for planning the funeral of a beloved friend or family member. 1. Who Should I Call First & What Transportation is needed for the Deceased? When a loved one passes away, the first thing you should do is contact close friends and family members to notify them that they’ve moved on. After doing so, you’ll need to have the body of the deceased transported from their place of death to your local funeral service director. 2. Do I Need to Meet a Funeral Director, Arrange Funeral Services & Interment Details? After transporting the deceased to the proper locale, it’s imp...

When you have lost a loved one, you might not want to have to visit a funeral home to make all of the necessary arrangements. First Memorial Fairview offers affordable online funeral arrangements and cremation services in Ottawa and surrounding areas. From your pc, tablet or phone, you can select the desired services from the comfort of your own home. Read more: http://bit.ly/35YnZ9E

When it comes to handling money in a pre-planned funeral , deciding to pre-plan your funeral is a smart and brave one. Most of us do not want to dwell on dying, as it is a morbid subject. However, taking care of the details now saves you and your family time, money, and the emotional draining that often comes with death. The benefits achieved by pre-planning are monumental when you consider the difficult time your family will face. One decision to make is how to pay for your service. There are different options to consider, such as: Leaving the funds in the bank: If you have the discipline and a trusted family member, you may consider stashing the required amount in a checking or savings account. While an option to think about, it’s imperative that you avoid the temptation to dip into these funds for emergencies. Use an existing life insurance policy: You can discuss the specifics with your agent, but the death benefit may be designated for funeral expenses. Remember to keep your ben...