A Personal Touch for Funeral Services during COVID-19

Because of the Covid-19 Pandemic Funeral Professionals have been forced to implement new ways of serving families, in what seemed to be an overnight mandate. During this critical time social distancing is extremely important to help prevent the spread of Covid-19. For families across the world what would have been considered a normal arrangement conference to plan funeral arrangements, is now a Zoom, Skype or Face-time meeting. Some arrangements are even being made over the telephone, hardly traditional.

In many areas families are not allowed to hold a service or can only allow up to 10 people to be present for an intimate or immediate interment. Having to tell a family that you will need to deliver their loved one to the cemetery for burial alone with no family present will never be easy news to break.  

What are some Funeral Directors doing to help ease the grief of families who are unable to hold the in person services their loved one would have deserved?

Veronica Dykstra a location Manager of McLeod Mortuary in San Diego County, has been in the industry for almost 11 years and has worked for both Family Owned and Corporate Funeral Homes and has also ran and operated a Crematory as well. Never in her career has she dealt with a pandemic so devastating that it kept families from being able to honor their loved ones with a traditional service full of family and friends. 

So what has Veronica done to add a personal touch to help her families? 

The Funeral Home is using a new live stream option for their viewings and celebration of life services. The new live stream option allows families and friends to virtually attend the services from their computers, cellphones or any mobile device. During this time of uncertainty she has filled the Funeral Home Chapels with heart balloons to represent all of the family and friends that are unable to be present. Veronica and her Team add messages on behalf of those who cannot be there in person to the balloons and all who attend the live stream services can see their balloons as a token of presence. A breathtaking and beautiful display for all. 

In Veronica's words "I love what I do even on days I feel like I just can’t do it anymore . We do all we can to help our families in times like this ". 

Thank you Veronica and all of the Staff at McLeod Mortuary for giving the families in your community such a beautiful tribute we are certain your personal touch to the services are truly appreciated. You are the definition of Death Care Heros.

~ Funeral Boss Inc. Team

Photos courtesy of Veronica Dykstra