Planning end-of-life events doesn’t come easy for most people.
But if you’re looking to get your affairs in order ahead of time, or those of a loved one – including a wish to have the ocean be your resting place – there are solutions available on the mid-Island to make the final goodbye a little easier and a less stressful time for those left behind.
Stuart Green, partner with Telford, Toneff and Boyd, says with more people asking to have their remains scattered at sea, the company has created an option for friends and family to spend a day on the water.
“We offer a boat as part of our service options and we take extra steps to help make it a memorable day,” he says. After a short service is performed, the ashes are placed into the water inside a biodegradable container, and family is provided with the GPS-pinpointed location. The day includes a lunch for those involved.
Planning ahead eases stress, saves money
While roughly 75 per cent of families still look after funeral and related arrangements after a loved one’s death, many people are planning while they’re alive and can speak to their family about their wishes. “The experience is like night and day when people have made pre-arrangements, as opposed to when they haven’t,” Green says. “Plus, people can save as much as 30 per cent on the cost of arrangements by planning ahead.”
Your costs are fixed, payment plans available
One of the advantages of booking ahead is that your loved ones incur no additional costs after your death. And if you’ve chosen a payment plan, the package is paid off if you die before the final payment is made.
Let family and friends grieve and remember
Allowing family and friends to gather to celebrate your life, watch a tribute video and hear stories about your impact on others is an important part of the grieving process. Pre-arranging these elements can remove much of the stress during a very emotional time.
In addition to helping ensure you have your will and funeral arrangements looked after, Telford’s can provide other end-of-life options:
- Finalizing everything – Not only will Telford’s wind up all aspects of your estate, they’ll look after all the government paperwork such as confirming Canada Pension Plan death benefits, cancelling your driver’s licence, passport and credit cards, and working with Revenue Canada on any remaining tax implications.
- Securing payouts for your beneficiaries – From insurance death benefits to other payouts, your surviving family members will have very few organizations to notify in the case of your death.
To find out more about the options and how you can streamline your end-of-life experience, call or drop by Telford’s on Townsite Road in Nanaimo. You can also follow them on Facebook.