After the Funeral
CARMELINA'S FUNERAL
CARE'sensitive and compassionate funeral care with a woman's touch'
Funeral Packages from £998 plus cremation and doctors fees.
19-21 Otley Road,
Shipley,
Bradford, West Yorkshire, BD17 7DH - 24/7 assistance Call us on: 01274 598886
Call Us Now for Immediate Assistance 24/7
Funeral directors in the Shipley, Bradford, Keighley, Ilkley, Skipton, Leeds, Halifax,and West Yorkshire area £998 + cremation and doctors fees.
AFTER THE FUNERAL
Once the funeral is over there may still be some things you will need to organise. A Carmelina's Funeral Care funeral director will call you a few days after the funeral to see if there is anything else we can help you with.
Memorials
Memorials are a way to remember our loved ones and can range from headstones at a grave to a simple flower in a garden of remembrance. Memorials provide comfort for many people, giving them a place to visit to remember the person who has died. When choosing a memorial it is important that you have time to reflect on your decision and understand the different regulations that may affect your choice.
If you would like further help and advice about memorials, please contact your local Carmelina's Funeral Care funeral director.
The affairs of the deceased
After the funeral there are a number of practical issues that need to be addressed depending on the personal circumstances of the deceased. Below is a checklist of things that may require your attention.
Notification of death
Employer of the deceased, if appropriate
Tax office
Passport office
Pension provider
DVLA
Social Services – cancellation of services
Hospital/Doctors/Dentist – cancellation of appointments and return of any equipment
Solicitor
Voluntary services – meals on wheels, etc.
Property
Mortgage provider
Council house tenancy/rent
Council tax
Private landlord
Home and contents insurance provider
Post Office – redirect mail
Electricity provider
Gas provider
Telephone provider
TV licence
Return of any rented household appliances
Vehicles
DVLA
Car insurance provider
Finance provider, if any outstanding payments are due
Personal finance
Bank account
Building Society account
Post Office account
Credit cards
Premium bonds
Hire purchase or rental agreements
Personal loan provider
Life insurance provider
Social memberships
Library books returned
Cancellation of newspaper or magazine subscriptions or delivery
Cancellation of club memberships – golf, bowls, etc.
Cancellation of professional memberships
Change in circumstances
If the financial circumstances of remaining family members or civil partners have now changed, then various benefits or tax rebates may be available. Your local Department of Social Security, Department for Work and Pensions or Citizens Advice Bureau will be able to help.
If there are children in the family that were close to the deceased, you may wish to inform their teacher.
Journey through grief
Going through grief is sometimes described as a journey. Like a journey, it is a process and so involves changes over time. But, unlike most journeys, it doesn’t really have a clear end point and even its starting point can sometimes be vague.
Each grief journey is unique and affected by many things including:
• the circumstances of the death
• the relationships of the people involved and
• the personality and past experiences of the person who has
been bereaved.
The process of grief takes longer for some people than for others. The grief journey may be longer if the death:
• occurred without warning
• involved a child
• was particularly horrifying or
• is not certain or has no clear focus e.g. if a person has gone
missing.
Starting the journey
A sudden, unexpected death means that the start of the grief journey is clear. But, when death follows a long illness, the grieving process may begin gradually before the person has died.
At the time of a bereavement people often say they feel numb. They may ‘feel in limbo’ during the time between the death and the funeral. Ordinary life is put ‘on hold’ and they feel as if they are just ‘going through the motions’ of life.
Moving on through the journey
Most bereaved people go through a number of different emotions but they do not go through them in neat stages. They may move back and forth between a range of feelings.
Grief is tiring and can feel like:
• being frightened or
• involve feelings of shame or guilt or
• of irritability or downright anger.
Grief is natural and many people go through the grief journey with just the support of family and friends. Others value the support of trained counsellors or listeners.
There are many organisations which can help with grief. These are just a few:
Child Death Helpline
– there to listen to and support anyone affected by the death of a child.
Grief encounter
– which supports children who have lost someone they love
SANDS
– Still Birth & Neonatal Death charity
Winston’s Wish
– a charity for bereaved children
Some churches have counsellors who specialise in supporting people after a bereavement. Churches can also point people towards other local bereavement services.
The journey’s end
As time goes on bereaved people find they can speak of the person who died without tears or deep emotion. They notice their interest in hobbies returning and can look outwards to the world and its possibilities. Eventually they can laugh and love and find reasons to live again.
For many people it is only after the funeral that they feel the full extent of the loss of a loved one. We have a range of helpful leaflets on coming to terms with a death and we can put you in touch with local counselling services and support groups.