COVID seems to have changed many of the ways we operate, perhaps permanently. While social distancing may not always be required, the practice may be here to stay. Fortunately, there are ways to continue to hold meaningful services and include social distancing.
COVID seems to have changed many of the ways we operate, perhaps permanently. While social distancing may not always be required, the practice may be here to stay. Fortunately, there are ways to continue to hold meaningful services and include social distancing. Hold Services Outdoors Many families are holding services outside. Memorial services can be moved to an outdoor location. Other families may skip a large memorial service and hold only a graveside service. For many families, this is a welcome change. They are able to have a more intimate service and they aren’t worried about capacity limits. Larger services can feel overwhelming for grieving family members. Many people like having smaller, intimate services and find them more meaningful and comforting with a smaller group. Host a Virtual Gathering If you still want to include a larger number of people but don’t want to have a large indoor service, many things can be done online. For example, you can ask your funeral director to help set up an obituary page where friends and loved ones can contribute pictures and stories of the deceased. You could also set up a Facebook memorial page. This also means that instead of having everything take place in one day, it can be over time which can mean more people are involved. Make Physical Keepsakes Another option is to create physical keepsakes that remind you of the deceased. For example, you might create a recipe book by collecting your loved one’s favorite recipes and assembling them in a nice recipe booklet to hand out. Other options include things like bookmarks, photo books or seed packets. Typically these types of keepsakes can be created in just a couple of days, so even if you didn’t plan far in advance you may still be able to make something. Stream or Film the Service Recording or streaming of services is a popular option as well. In places with reliable internet, services can be streamed online. If the service can’t be streamed, then it can likely be recorded and shown later. This is a great benefit as friends and family members who aren’t able to attend in person can still be a part of the service. Whatever you choose to do, remember that there is no right or wrong way to honor the life of your loved one. Whether you choose to hold your service right away or at a later date, contact your funeral director to get started.