What to Do on Your Friend’s Deathbed

Arranging a fitting service at funeral homes Bethlehem, PA, helps you say goodbye. One of the most painful experiences of life is finding out that a loved one may pass soon. It isn’t easy to be the caretaker of a close family member battling any terminal disease and with little chance of survival. 

Drawing on the experience of those who have done it before, we have put together some useful instructions to make sure the loved one gets what they want. Give it a thorough read and let us know if it was of any help to you. 

Below is the step-by-step guide on dealing with the inevitable death of a loved one: 

• Coming to terms with the news 
  
• Creating memories 
  
• Find out if your loved one has a will 
  
• What are their wishes 

Coping with Anticipatory Grief 

Knowing that the loved one will leave you soon give bouts of anticipatory grief. It’s perfectly natural and doesn’t push too hard to come to terms with the loss. Everyone deals with and processes death differently, there’s no right or wrong way to come to terms with the news. 

Try to Create Memories 

Instead of mourning all the time, this is the right time to make some memories. Consider doing something to celebrate their life once they are gone to give a perfect send-off. 

If you’re unsure of what they would like, you may want to ask them politely. Find out if there’s something they would like to do before the inevitable. You’d be lucky if they have already created a list of final wishes. Else, do your best to fulfill whatever they liked. 

Whether or not the Loved One has a Will 

Being a caretaker, it’s your responsibility to ensure a perfect send-off to the loved one. First, you need to ask them if they have a will. This will ease things for you to determine what happens with their possessions, money, and property after they pass. 

Most people already mention an executor in their will. But if your loved one hasn’t, ask whom the executor is and where it is being kept for when the time comes. 

If your loved one doesn’t have a will, then politely start asking how’d they like their final services. Don’t try to push too hard to elicit answers from them. Give it time and jot down their wishes properly. 

Asking About the Final Wishes 

Remember that not everyone may want to express their wishes for their funeral in advance. So, this part is quite tricky but also very important. 

You need to find out exactly what they want. This can include anything from whether they’d prefer a cremation or burial, any additional services to personalize the event, any special burial place, food menu, and more. 

Here is a list of things you may ask: 

• Music to be played during the service. 
  
• Clothes for the person to be dressed in. 
  
• Who will deliver the eulogy? 
  
• In case of Cremation, how would they like the cremated remains to be scattered or buried? 
  
• Catering – Somewhere for the mourners to go after the service 
  
• Family pallbearers 

This information is going to make planning the funeral at funeral homes Bethlehem, PA, a little easier when the time comes.