What should I consider when choosing a funeral home?

There are so many answers to that, it is hard to know where to begin.

Do you like where the funeral home is?

Do you like how it looks?

Are there private or outside spaces for very upset people to escape to for comfort?

Will it be easy to find if you have out of town friends or family who wish to attend the services?

Has the funeral home been there for awhile?

Do you know their reputation?

Are you comfortable when you go into the funeral home?

Cost is often a factor too. All funeral homes have one overhead charge and after that each item or service you choose is added to that overhead figure. Whenever a family comes to us we are more than willing to go over ALL the charges and arrive at the bottom line.

What should I do if a death occurs at home?

One of the first calls you should make is to a licensed Funeral Director. Naturally, we would like you to call us. Hallett Funeral Home personnel are available to assist you at any hour, seven days a week. Please call 1-508-398-2285 for assistance.

Don't Forget to Call the Employer

Was your loved one employed? Then you will also need to call his or her employer to let them know of the passing.

At some point (likely after the funeral is over), you should ask about benefits and pay which may be owed to your loved one, including vacation or sick time. Also, ask if you or other dependents are still eligible for benefit coverage through the company.

What should I do if a death occurs away from home?

If something should happen when you are traveling or wintering elsewhere, your first call should be to the funeral home you intend to have perform the services for you. The Federal Trade Commission requires all funeral homes to have a basic overhead charge. If you call a local funeral home, their charges to you may start with that overhead charge. If we make a call to a funeral home in your area, they will work for us as our agent and the cost most likely will be substantially different.

Will someone come right away?

If you request immediate assistance, yes. It is also possible, if the family wishes, to spend a short time with the deceased to say good bye. Our staff will come when the time is right for you.

What is the purpose of a funeral?

Funerals provide surviving family members and friends a caring, supportive environment in which to recognize the death of a loved one, and to share thoughts and feelings about that person. Funerals are the first step in the healing process. The ritual of attending a funeral service provides many benefits including:

Providing a social support system for the bereaved

Helping the bereaved understand death is final and that death is part of life

Integrating the bereaved back into the community

Easing the transition to a new life after the death of a loved one

Providing a safe haven for embracing and expressing pain

Reaffirming one's relationship with the person who died

Providing a time to say good-bye

It is possible to have a full funeral service even for those choosing cremation. The importance of the ritual is in providing a social gathering to help the bereaved begin the healing process.

I have never arranged a funeral before. What do I need to know?

At some time in our lives, most of us will make or assist in making funeral arrangements. This will not be an easy time, but we offer these tips for smart planning:

Be an informed consumer and ask questions

Choose an independent funeral home and a licensed funeral director

Discuss all service and payment options during the funeral arrangements

Make sure you receive a copy of the funeral home's General Price List

Be prepared and make decisions and organize details in advance of need

Plan a personalized and meaningful ceremony to help you begin healing

What do funeral directors do?

Funeral directors are caregivers and administrators. They make the arrangements for the transportation of the deceased, complete all necessary paperwork, and implement the choices made by the family regarding the funeral and final disposition of the deceased. They are entrusted with the care of the deceased including preparation with or without embalming for private or public viewing

Funeral directors are listeners, advisors and supporters. They have experience assisting the bereaved in coping with death. Funeral directors are trained to answer questions about grief, recognize when a person is having difficulty coping, and recommend sources of professional help. Funeral directors also link survivors with support groups at the funeral home or in the community.

Is there a good reason to plan ahead?

Yes, most definitely. We call that making pre-arrangements and many people do it. In fact, a recent study showed that 79% of all people who made pre-arrangements were glad they had done it. It helps to gather the necessary information and to settle many questions ahead of time. Families are often scattered these days and perhaps it means it can be done at a time when most of the members of the family can be involved. It is hard to plan anything long-distance, but particularly when there has been a death and people are upset and confused. A couple or individual can make the arrangements for themselves.

What does the average funeral cost?

In 2012, the national average cost of an adult, full-service funeral was $7,045. This includes a professional service charge, transfer of deceased, embalming, other preparation, use of viewing facilities, use of facilities for ceremony, hearse, service car or van, and metal casket. This average increases to $8,343 if a vault is included. Cemetery and monument charges are additional. (Source: 2013 NFDA General Price List Survey.)

Here to help

We understand paying for a funeral is a concern for many families. We are here to help and assist you with choosing services which are both reflective of your loved one and fit within your budget. Please don't hesitate to call with your questions

I understand there are veteran's benefits?

You are right, and we will file necessary paperwork with the Veterans Administration, as well as Social Security. An honorably discharged veteran is entitled to a flag, a marker for his or her grave if there isn't one present, and sometimes a burial allowance for veterans. We are very fortunate to have the Massachusetts National Cemetery in Bourne for the benefit of veterans, their spouses, and any dependent children. If that is an option the veteran chooses, the cemetery provides the grave, the opening of that grave, outer burial container, and installation of the marker. They will save a space next to the veteran if there is a surviving spouse. That is at no cost to the veteran or spouse. In addition there are sometimes funds from the towns if necessary for a veteran's burial.

What is the purpose of embalming?

Embalming sanitizes and preserves the deceased, retards the decomposition process and enhances appearance. Embalming makes it possible to lengthen the time between death and the final disposition, thus allowing family members time to arrange and participate in the type of service most comforting to them.

Is embalming required by law?

In most cases, No. Most states, however, require embalming when the deceased is to be transported from one state to another by common carrier, or if final disposition is not to be made within a prescribed number of hours.

Is cremation a substitute for a funeral?

As more people are choosing cremation, funeral service professionals are striving to give consumers a true sense of what their many options are for a funeral service. Often funeral directors find that people have a preconception that they have fewer choices for a ceremony when selecting cremation for themselves or a loved one. Cremation is only part of the commemorative experience. In fact, cremation can actually increase your options when planning a funeral. Cremation gives people the flexibility to search for types of tributes that reflect the life being honored. But, this does not mean that aspects of traditional funeral services have to be discarded. Even with cremation, a meaningful memorial that is personalized to reflect the life of the deceased could include:

A visitation prior to the service

An open or closed casket

Special music

A ceremony at the funeral chapel, your place of worship, or other special location

Participation by friends and family

Commonly, cremated remains are placed in an urn and committed to an indoor or outdoor mausoleum or columbarium, interred in a family burial plot, or included in a special urn garden.

Cremation also gives families the option to scatter the remains. This can be done in a designated cemetery garden or at a place that was special to the person. Today, cremated remains can even become part of an ocean reef or made into diamonds.

Are there cemetery restrictions for monuments and plantings?

Every cemetery has different regulations regarding the size and type of monument allowed. There are upright monuments made of stone, flat markers made of bronze or granite, and government issued headstones and markers. Hallett Funeral Home can assist you with determining the regulations and restrictions at a certain cemetery.