How to Plan a Memorial Service for a Loved One Who Died During the Covid Pandemic

According to statistics, over 15 percent of Americans lost loved ones in the COVID-19 pandemic so it is highly likely that the restrictions caused you to not hold the funeral or the memorial services you wanted. Over the course of the last few months the families we have worked with have expressed that they want to hold a better, larger memorial service to memorialize their loved ones in California.

You might feel low about planning and executing a memorial service in such times, and that is understandable. It helps to remember that when you gather to memorialize a loved one, it commemorates their spirit and their life. As a part of your journey of dealing with grief, it is crucial that you reflect on their life, remember them, and share stories of their life.

If you want to organize a memorial service for a loved one who passed away in the COVID pandemic, here is some advice that would carry you through the process.

Scheduling

You can choose to schedule memorial services on a loved one’s special day such as their birthday or their wedding anniversary. Planning a memorial service needs foresight, because if you plan it in the holidays, or during normal days, it might conflict with other plans people have. Either way, you should publicize details of the event weeks before because that way more people would be able to schedule it.

Location

You should consider an outdoor location as the virus levels in several places has not yet gone down. Choose a funeral home or a memorial service provider who has protocols for social distancing and precautionary measures for safety. Give us a call if you need any help planning a memorial service.

Publicize service details

Following are the ways to publicize a service after the death of a loved one:

• obituary
• a newspaper listing
• word of mouth

But keep in mind that it might be hard to spread the word about the service later. Using Facebook, email, or text messaging can help you share the event with people you want to invite. Placing a short newspaper notice might also be considered. If you need help in planning a memorial service in California or are looking for direct cremation services there, click here.

Share Stories

Sometimes sharing stories of lost loved ones helps you deal with the grief of losing them. It may hurt in the beginning to even hear the name of the person but eventually you want to get closure by talking about the issue at hand. According to psychologists, grief is best dealt with by talking about it and processing it and finally accepting it.

Undoubtedly it is tough to start this, but you can ask friends and family to raise their hands or volunteer before the event so that there is no confusion when the event takes place. You could begin by asking people to share stories in a queue and create warmth and remembrance. A confident friend might be a great help in such times as they might go first and break the ice. Additionally, people might be interested in reading eulogies out loud. The choice is yours and preplanning a memorial service certainly helps.

Use Technology

Did you know that you can hold a memorial service online? As always there are scheduling delays and conflicts, and some guests may not be able to travel to your location. So, in such a situation, you can ask a guest to start a livestream on a social media website or on some other platform.

The main takeaway is that holding a memorial service helps you process grief and honor your departed loved one’s life. It is likely that doing this will bring you the healing you need to gain closure about the death.

Search terms:

• Memorialize a loved one in California
• Direct cremation
• COVID Pandemic