More so than almost any other event in history, the coronavirus is forcing us to reconsider the way we do things – how we educate our children, how we earn an income, how we stay connected with family and friends. The funeral industry is no different and COVID-19 is challenging how we view traditional funerals and consider how we really want to be celebrated.
COVID-19 is limiting funeral attendance across most of Australia, with socially-distanced mourners unable to comfort one another with hugs. The effect of this is significant as the traditional funeral industry is built to support large gatherings of people in a funeral parlour, chapel or venue. With this no longer possible, families are being forced to reconsider how they will commemorate a loved one. Some families are opting for a small private service for immediate family only. Others are having no service at all while restrictions are in place, instead opting for a direct cremation (a cremation without an accompanying funeral service) and intending to wait until restrictions are lifted for a fitting celebration of life later on.
Although it may be unfamiliar to many, all funeral homes actually offer a direct cremation service as an option for families. A direct cremation service includes the arrangement of all the basic requirements: paperwork, collection, cremation and the return of ashes to the family. What it does not include is the traditional notion of a funeral service – for example, a church service or a viewing of the body. Although a major change – particularly when compared with the concept of a traditional funeral – this no-frills approach has been a growing trend well before the impact of coronavirus forced the social distancing restrictions.
Research conducted by Gatheredhere.com.au suggests that direct cremation makes up about 23% of total funerals – up from an estimated 5% just 10 years ago. Music icon David Bowie put direct cremation firmly in the mainstream spotlight when his wish to be cremated without a funeral service was widely reported in the British media at the time of his passing in 2016.
People today are well informed, price-conscious and non-traditional, so more than ever, many are saying farewell to traditional funerals. Far from being a negative concept, many believe direct cremations allow the freedom and flexibility to personalise a loved one’s memorial to match their unique personality.
Separating the arrangement from the memorial
COVID-19 has accelerated the trend in direct cremation and many industry experts think it’s a positive adaptation. Before we get to why, it’s important to dispel a big myth about direct cremation.
A common misconception is that the emergence of the “no service” cremation is due to families undervaluing the importance of a memorial service. In fact, quite the opposite is true. It is vitally important that something is done when someone dies to celebrate and honour their life and help us to process their loss.
Memorials play a pivotal role in the grieving process and celebrating the life of loved ones. Direct cremation providers don’t advocate against that, they just assist families to consider a fitting memorial as an alternative to what the funeral industry has defined for us, for decades.
“This type of send-off is gaining in popularity for a number of reasons,” says Ian Atkinson, of financial services firm SunLife in the UK. “But mainly because there is no need for extra expenses, like hearses and limos, embalming, officiant's fees, flowers and orders of service, making it considerably cheaper,” he told This is Money recently. “When the service is not tied to the crematorium, it can be done exactly how the family wants at a time and a place that is right for them.”
Freedom to ‘go your own way’
A simple, respectful cremation that takes place separately from any ceremony allows families the freedom to commemorate a life well lived, in their own way. Families who are unable to host funerals right now are planning more fitting tributes for when restrictions are lifted. It also allows them the time and freedom to think about the best way to celebrate their loved ones.
Traditionally, funeral homes tend to perform both the cremation and the service within days of death, which places extra pressure on the family who are trying to process their grief at the same time. An end-of-life service is your way of saying thank you to someone special for their unique life. It is one of the last physical acts you can do for someone to ensure their life is recognised and remembered – so why should families be rushed through such a rigid process? Taking a moment to reflect and plan can help ease the emotional pressure that comes with loss.
This has never been more true than now, at a time when social distancing restrictions are forcing us to isolate and think differently about memorials.
We’re seeing this first hand at Bare. One Queensland man took a personal moment of remembrance to celebrate his late wife by having her favourite dinner with a toast of wine. He plans to have a larger family gathering when restrictions are lifted. Other families are finding ways to unite, even though they can’t physically be together right now, by taking a moment to do something at the same time, on the same day, but in separate households. One family lit candles for their loved one at the same time, and another simultaneously played their loved ones’ favourite song.
Once the social distancing rules are relaxed, many families are also planning to visit the deceased's favourite places in nature for a quiet moment. But send-offs can even be more personalised and out of the box. Before the coronavirus, one man took his dad's ashes on a final drive in style in a friend's Lamborghini. These simple acts say “I am honouring and remembering you” in a more personal way than any funeral parlour can facilitate, and a direct cremation allows for this.
Alternative to a high-cost, traditional funeral
There are no rules when it comes to memorials. A church, chapel, or funeral parlour service followed by a wake at a funeral home is not necessarily right for everyone, so a direct cremation allows families to take ownership of that memorial in a way that truly celebrates our loved one’s unique life.
Fran Hall, chief executive at the UK industry advisory organisation Good Funeral Guide told The Guardian that families often felt shame in trying to keep funeral costs down, but that needed to change.
“We need to move away from that idea. People can create a meaningful service and still maintain the rituals without spending a fortune,” she said.
The average funeral in Australia costs around $7,500, according to a 2018 study by finder.com.au, so cutting out the traditional funeral service also removes the cost pressure. A personalised memorial can cost far less, so it’s not worth putting your family into financial distress just for the sake of having a traditional funeral. A low-cost direct cremation service provides some relief to our customers at a time when they are struggling to cope with the loss of a loved one.
“I wanted something that was reasonably priced and that I could take charge of so that my family would not have the worry,” said Bare prepaid direct cremation customer Janice. “Also I did not want a great fuss made. This is perfect,” she said.
Preplanning a direct cremation was also a relief for Craig. “I was always concerned about leaving things to loved ones to arrange costly and complicated end-of-life arrangements,” he said. “My wife found Bare online. They had exactly what we wanted on offer, an eco coffin, cremation and paperwork taken care of and my ashes returned to the family for an affordable payment system. Takes so much pressure off my mind.”
With a direct cremation, the money saved on overpriced funerals allows families like Janice and Craig’s to plan more personalised celebrations of life - whether that's a BBQ by the beach, or a memorial at a park, beach, or some other special place that meant a lot to your loved one.
At Bare, we’ve seen families get together for sunset ashes-scattering ceremonies at picturesque places like the mountains, at sea or by lakeside. You can even scatter ashes from a hot air balloon. Instead of a traditional wake, families and close friends are gathering at a loved one’s favourite restaurant for dinner or celebrating their life at home backyard BBQs. These personalised options are limitless and can continue when social distancing restrictions are lifted.
Australians have the choice to truly “go their own way”, and we think it’s a good thing that more and more families are taking up this option.
Preplanned funerals ease the impact on families
While we are still learning about how COVID-19 affects us, it’s a frightening time of uncertainty – not just for the most vulnerable but also for their families and loved ones. The threat of coronavirus has confronted many Australians with the thought of our own death, perhaps for the first time. However, a healthy view of death only serves to improve the way we think about life.
For some, the pandemic has been a catalyst to have the tough conversations with the people we love about our end-of-life wishes. It’s forcing us to be more vocal about our mortality, which is something we’re generally not accustomed to doing in Australian culture. Having discussions with loved ones about end-of-life wishes allows people to share input into how they want to be celebrated and remembered when the time comes, rather than what a family member or funeral director decides on our behalf.
Many of those who have passed away from effects of coronavirus may not have had a lot of time to make an end-of-life plan, leaving grieving families to make necessary arrangements while dealing with the emotional and financial impacts. We cannot control when or where death occurs, but we can make it easier on our families by including them in the planning. Talking about end of life with loved ones now helps ease the pressure off families later. Often family members are so focussed on the administration of a loved one’s death and planning a funeral that they are not allowing themselves that chance to properly grieve.
Death is not the easiest subject to think about, but making plans today with your loved ones will help ease the financial and emotional stress on them later on. You can start by looking into options for prearranging your funeral or cremation, setting up a savings plan, using superannuation, paying in installments for a prepaid funeral, or investing in a funeral bond. And with a prearranged funeral, cremation, or memorial in place, you can focus on the things you enjoy while you’re still here.
Find out the COVID-19 restrictions on planning a funeral or memorial in Melbourne here.
If you or anyone you know needs support call Lifeline on 131 114, or Beyond Blue's coronavirus mental wellbeing support service on 1800 512 348.
Let us help you say the perfect goodbye by providing a quality cremation with a high level of dedication and compassion. To arrange a cremation, call 1800 202 901 for a prepaid arrangement, or 1800 071 176 for immediate need, or visit the Bare Cremation website here.
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