Engaging A Funeral Service in Singapore: 5 Things to Consider
The time from a person’s death, to engaging a funeral service to take care of the wake and funeral, is often short and rushed. There are many things to consider and decide. What would the deceased have prefered? How to best remember the good in his life? Does the funeral service package include all the amenities?
While it is true that appointing a good funeral service provider or funeral director will mean halving that mental load, there are points of consideration when comparing and choosing the right one to handle all the after-life matters.
Discuss with the funeral service providers to understand what they have to offer. Then sit down with the family and talk through these, as you research on who’s best to handle the proceedings, and how best you would like to send off and remember your beloved one.
One key element that might be overlooked would be the casket. For most people, we would think that going with the simplest and most budget-friendly casket is the best option, since it will be cremated anyway.
However, the casket being a ‘house’ for the deceased, it is both a gift to him, and a display of honour and respect.
A good service provider would carry a wide range of caskets, from simple designs to the lavishly and intricately decorated, various choices of colours and material options, and most importantly, catering to different budgets.
For the cremated, a storage urn to keep the remains would be important. Similarly, a funeral service provider should have a ready selection of urns of different sizes, colours and patterns, that are of good quality for prolonged durational use.
- Cremation memorialization products
Beyond just keeping the ashes in an urn at a columbarium (or any other choice locations), it is common these days to create memorialization products for keepsake.
These may include sculpture urns, attaching a special sculpture of the deceased most beloved item on top of a specially designed urn; exquisite memorial accessory or jewellery, where a piece of remains is kept and turned into a wearable accessory or encased in a metallic jewellery; memorial crystals, with the cremated remains combined and infused in glass for preservation.
Enquire with your service provider to understand the options they offer and make available.
For the traditional Chinese (mainly Taoist), a way of showing respect to the deceased is to offer them necessities, and sometimes, luxuries, for use in the netherworld. These are burned as offerings to them.
The basic paper models include clothes, shoes and watches for everyday wearing, as well as cash and credit card for spending. For the more opulent, limousine, luxury house and service helpers in the form of paper models are offered. Lavish, customized paper models can also be considered, from designer yachts to multi-storey apartments, or even an entire entertainment complex.
- Provision of Ancillary Services
A good funeral service provider should be able to provide a complete head-to-tail service. Other than the basics of providing equipments needed at the wake and taking care of the body and the casket through to cremation, check with your funeral service providers if they provide (or will assist in providing) refreshments and meal caterings, choice of hearse and transport of mourners for the burial or cremation service, and repatriation of body or remains if necessary.
Some funeral service providers will also help in engaging volunteer mourners for prayer sessions, assist in managing all reporting, paperwork and licensing needs, providing bereavement care and counselling for distraught family members and friends, and dedicated photography services of the memorial.
- Option of Pre-Planning Funeral
While most people engage funeral services only as an as-need service, when a death occurs, there are a growing number of people who wish to leave a beautiful legacy, and opt to pre-plan their own funeral matters.
You may research funeral service providers who offer pre-planned packages, for yourself, or your loved ones. This includes advance choosing of casket, urn and columbarium niche, style and decor of memorial hall, through to other customizable details.
At Nirvana Singapore, we have a team of dedicated staff who will assist you with your pre-planning needs. Simply contact us at +65 63972272 or email enquiry@nirvana.com.sg to discuss.
A Good Funeral Service Provider, A Peace of Mind
A good funeral service provider will be able to thoughtfully guide you through every step of the way, while allowing you time and space to grief while providing you the best options available.
Nirvana Singapore not only runs a gold-class columbarium with modern, state-of-the-art facilities, our extension of funeral service lends you the helping hand to assist you through this difficult time, with a most comprehensive list of services and provisions available.
Talk with our dedicated care team to sort out your needs and wants, and let your beloved rest in Nirvana’s embrace.
