Losing a loved is one of the most difficult things a person will ever deal with. At this time a person does not know what to do or who to look to for help. We at Hanson’s understand the hardships your facing and will do our best to guide you through your time of loss. There is no such thing as a bad question. Please read through the following steps to help guide you through this difficult time.
The first thing to do following a death is to call Hanson’s Funeral Home at 1-306-567-2020. We are on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, so please call at any time! The staff at Hanson’s is committed to answering all of your questions and guiding you through the early stages of the arrangement process. If this step is too hard during a loss, please have someone call on your behalf, such as a relative or friend or the health care facility where the passing occurred. Hanson’s will quickly arrange the transfer of your loved one into our care. Once that has taken place the family will be notified and a time to meet with the funeral director will be set up.
One of the questions that the funeral director will ask at this time is the wishes of your loved one, or the wishes the family has for their loved one. The funeral director will need to know if you are going to choose casket burial or cremation. Casket burial most often involves embalming, which needs to be done soon after passing for the best memory of your loved one. The staff at Hanson’s know this can be a difficult question, as cremation is very final and cannot be undone.
One important question to consider to help decide on burial or cremation is whether anyone would like to have a viewing or visitation. A viewing can be done in the hospital or health facility shortly after a passing, most facilities will give family time to come and say goodbye. However, if family has to travel a distance it may be preferred to have the visitation in the funeral home. When choosing cremation the visitation should be done as soon as possible if embalming is not preferred. Speaking to your funeral director can help you understand the time frame for which visitation can take place with the best memory picture of your loved one. Choosing embalming with cremation to follow allows more time for visitation and casket burial, with embalming, can give family a few days to travel and come and say goodbye to their loved one.
Meeting with the Funeral Director may seem daunting. However, we at Hanson’s will make the arrangement process as easy and comfortable as possible. Since we are a smaller funeral home the staff that you meet with will be with you during the entire funeral process, from receiving your loved one until the funeral service or interment itself.
To make things easier for you, Hanson’s may come to your home for the arrangement conference. It may be necessary to come to the funeral home to pick out merchandise, but that may be done a day or more after the arrangement conference has taken place. It can also be arranged to have clergy present at the arrangement conference if family wishes. The arrangement conference is very important, as it is a time of learning about your loved one and these conversations help us at Hanson’s provided the best possible service.
The whole idea of a funeral has been turned upside down in recent years. Our experienced Funeral Directors will explain the numerous options available. This will help you to make decisions that best suit your family’s needs. These decisions include deciding between burial and cremation, what type of service is preferred and interment options.
During the planning stage costs will also be discussed. It is not easy to estimate the cost of a service because there are so many options available. Once family has an idea of what they would like to do for their loved one it becomes easier to discuss costs more accurately. Hanson’s Funeral Home believes in being very transparent, no costs will be incurred if they have not been approved or discussed with family. We at Hanson’s like to make things as easy for family as possible, so all costs of service can be covered up front by Hanson’s. A final invoice for services is much easier than having various family members involved in payment for different aspects of the service. A plan that is right for you is what we strive for.
Funeral merchandise selection will depend largely on the service you have planned and whether you have chosen burial or cremation. Merchandise normally involves the purchase of a casket for earth burial or an urn for cremation. Other merchandise available includes keepsake jewelry and urns, fingerprint jewelry and memorialization options, such as a cemetery monument. Personal items of your loved ones may also be used or incorporated. Hanson’s will thoroughly explain what can be done to make things as meaningful as possible.
Hanson’s does not provide flowers, but we will be happy to work with you and your florist of choice.