Arranging A Funeral
As caring and professional funeral providers, we assist you with every aspect of the funeral to ensure that it not only matches but exceeds your expectations. At North East Funerals we understand the practicalities of what needs to be done and will caringly and unobtrusively remove much of the anxiety from grieving family members at this unfamiliar time.
An initial meeting is arranged to help you plan the funeral of your family’s choice. Delivery of funeral services is a three-part process, which we explain and document for you carefully and professionally at the outset.
1. Professional Services (these are the services the funeral director performs: e.g. arranging the funeral, preparing the deceased and conducting the funeral).
2. Funeral merchandise (these are items that the funeral director provides for the family: e.g. catering, coffins, caskets, memorial books and urns)
3. Funeral disbursements (these are other people and organisations that we liaise with to carry out the funeral: e.g. cemetery, crematorium, civil celebrant, newspaper, florist and doctor)
Pre-Planned Funerals
At North East Funerals, we believe preplanning your funeral is an opportunity to complete your funeral preference, even more importantly, it is an opportunity to share your personal reflections.
To plan ahead is to show you care.
Planning for a funeral is a very thoughtful thing you can do for your loved ones.
With some forethought, you can relieve your family of any future financial burden of funeral expenses.
Pre-arranging your funeral is about making some decisions now about how you would like your funeral to feel, and look. It means that your loved ones won’t be guessing what you might like whilst they are grieving your loss, and it provides you with peace of mind that your wishes will be fulfilled.
There is no financial commitment and no locked-in contract when pre-arranging a funeral. Although, you might like to invest some funds for your funeral within this process to ensure that those left behind really do have nothing to worry about.
For many people, ensuring that your loved ones are not left with a financial burden can be the most important consideration. This can be achieved in conjunction with a documented pre-arranged funeral simply by setting funds aside.
A Funeral Bond allows you to set money aside for the specific purpose of funding your funeral service.
There are many benefits to a Funeral Bond:
- It gives you the ability to set aside money for your loved ones to cover your funeral expenses, and for it to be easily accessed at the time of death.
- It is capital guaranteed investment and the bond grows in value as it enjoys annual bonuses.
- You can maximise your pension, your investment is not counted in your assets test for payments from Centrelink, thus you can improve or maintain Centrelink entitlements whilst reducing tax.
- You can allocate any amount you wish which will be paid towards your funeral expenses at the time.
- It provides freedom and flexibility as you are not locked into any contracts and the investment is portable. It is an investment in your name, and should you move your place of residence your investment goes with you.
Funeral Costs
Making Choices
There are many things to consider when arranging a burial and our caring team will be on hand to help from start to finish. From helping you to choose a suitable coffin or casket, to selecting and providing flowers and a celebrant, we make all the necessary arrangements.
Coffin types are all a matter of choice. Our helpful team will explain the many options available. Including environmental options and help you and your family make the right decision.
If you have already purchased or are in need of a new plot in a Cemetery or Memorial Park, we can organise the necessary paperwork. We liaise with the appropriate Memorial Park or Cemetery to make arrangements for the service and burial to take place at that location.
When cremation is chosen, you may wish to choose from a selection of beautifully crafted, unique and quality cremation urns or keepsakes we have available.
The number of people in Australia choosing to be cremated is steadily increasing. Whilst there is some variance between states and territories, cremations now outnumber burials. Cremation funerals are much higher in city areas where crematory facilities are available.
We have excellent relationships with the various crematoria servicing the North East and Alpine area. However we can always make necessary arrangements with a crematorium that best suits your family’s geographical needs.
Loosing a loved one is never easy. Please contact us and we will assist you any way we can.
The First Steps
When a death occurs in a hospital or similar care facility, the nurses and staff will usually ask whom the preferred funeral director is and make the initial contact on the families behalf, such as contacting the attending physician and calling North East Funerals on 03 5722 2525.
If a sudden death has occurred at home, call 000 from a land line or 112 from a mobile phone. You may also need to contact the local police. If your loved one was under the care of a physician, call his/her doctor.
We will arrange a time that is convenient for you and your family to meet one of our Funeral Directors. Our staff will help you make all the necessary arrangements, including receiving your loved one from the place of death, regardless of the hour or day; registering the death with the government and obtaining either a burial or cremation permit.
When a death occurs, the order in which things need to be done often depends on where the death occurred. Immediately following the death of a loved one can be a very difficult and emotional time, we suggest that you ask a family/ friend for help – someone who can give you the support you need.
Keepsake Options
When cremation is chosen, you may wish to choose from a selection of beautifully crafted, unique, and quality cremation urns or keepsakes we have available.
The choice is a very personal one which is why we have many options available for you, including traditional cremation urns, as well as other distinctive items for keeping or dispersing ashes. Whether you prefer to keep or release the ashes, we can assist you and help you decide from our large range of urns in different styles and price ranges, to best suit your needs.
Our unique keepsake jewellery range includes pendants, memorial bracelets and lockets that can become a reassuring remembrance of a loved one and a long-term source of comfort.
Recently a young twin passed away and the mother was concerned about the living twin’s ability to handle the need to cuddle her missing twin. We came up with the idea of a small simple casket embedded into a teddy bear.
Writing A Eulogy
Delivering a eulogy for a friend or family member is a wonderful way to participate in the funeral service. It is an opportunity to acknowledge the importance of the life lived, and to remind friends and family of the memories and legacy left behind
Rather than starting at the beginning and just letting the words flow we always recommend having a structure to work to and then filling in the detail after you’ve done your research and chosen your ‘key words’.
Talk to at least 2 or 3 close family members and/or friends. Detail the spouse(s), children, grandchildren even pets. Trace the person’s life through school, tertiary education, to the workplace and career(s). Note any sports, hobbies, community groups or particular passions. Where had the person lived/travelled? Are their any special achievements/accomplishments?
- Introduction – personal reminiscence
- Person’s early life and education
- The career (workmate anecdote?)
- The hobbies and interests
- The ‘family’ person
- The qualities, achievement and legacy
- Closing (fitting quote?)
Most importantly write as you would speak, remember this is a conversation with those attending about a person with whom you have things and feelings in common – it isn’t a ‘reading’. Ideal word count is somewhere between 500 and 900 words for about 5 minutes worth of delivery. Last but not least rehearse and read it out loud so that you can ‘feel the rhythm’, time yourself and then go back and work on the words that felt clumsy.
Coping With Grief
Grieving is perfectly natural when someone you love dies. Your own personality and background will affect the way you grieve. Some people weep, others become quiet and some will need to talk to someone. Weeping in private or in public is a common experience at this time, there is no need to feel embarrassed. Your family and friends really do understand since most are suffering, or have suffered, just as you are.
While there is no right or wrong way to grieve, there are healthy ways to cope with the pain that, in time, can ease your sadness and help you come to terms with your loss, find new meaning, and move on with your life. You may find some of the support networks listed here beneficial, as well as
Bereavement Support
Bereavement Support is a complimentary service provided to families cared for by North East Funerals. We have partnered with The Grief Centre to ensure that you and your family receive the very best support.
A letter will be sent to you explaining the service, and then one of the Bereavement Support Team from The Grief Centre will phone approximately 6-8 weeks after the funeral. They are available to keep in touch with you and other family members over the coming year.
Families also receive a brochure and booklet with information on grief and loss, some of the feelings you or family members may be experiencing, along with suggestions that may be helpful during this time.
The Bereavement Support worker can provide a listening ear, and they can arrange for any further information, support, or resources that may be useful to you. North East Funerals also offers a complimentary counselling session with a qualified counsellor which is available to be used by you or another family member.
These services are all provided free of charge as part of North East Funerals commitment to going the extra mile and providing you and your family with the very best of service and support.
Explore The Options
There are many elements to a funeral service and costs will vary depending on the type of service and the selections made. Some of these are listed below.
- Whether the funeral involves cremation or burial.
- If it is a burial whether the grave has been pre purchased.
- Sometimes additional travel is required.
- The choice of coffin in terms of materials used and the extent of workmanship.
- The extent of professional mortuary care required or requested.
- The style of floral tribute required.
- The content and selection of newspapers required for death and funeral notices.
- Offerings and charges made by Clergy, Celebrants, Musicians etc.
- Catering requirements for a post funeral gathering.
- The provision of additional personnel to manage extraordinary needs, such as very large gatherings.
- Services held on a weekend or public holiday.
Memorial Books
We can help you with Memorial Books, providing computerised graphic design and printing of memorial stationery, service books, photo and musical tributes.
Floral Tributes
Our selection of funeral arrangements are carefully designed and include traditional flower tributes and a wonderful range of modern hand made tributes. www.instagram.com/flowersbylindy/
Civil Celebrants
Families who do not have an affiliation with a Church, often choose a Celebrant to conduct the service. We can provide a Celebrant to suit your special requirements.
Ethnic Repatriation
At North East Funerals, we can help with all international repatriation services. We will ensure that your loved one is returned to you, in Australia, with dignity and care.
Announcements
If you wish we can assist or look after any funeral announcements you require in the media, this may include newspaper funeral notices, online tributes and memorials, and notices across social media.
Special Goodbyes
Funerals are changing and people are choosing to look on them as a celebration of a life. We now see as quite normal holding a funeral at a person’s ‘favourite place’. It might be a river, a bush setting or a surf beach.
