How to Safely Grieve and Honor Your Loved One During Pandemic?

The second wave of coronavirus has intensified in the city of Los Angeles with the number of hospitalizations rising enormously. So, the government is requesting everyone to keep a check on safety precautions. However, things fall astray when you lose someone near to you. 

Grieving the loss of a loved one is already daunting. And going through such a loss amidst the fear of COVID-19 can trigger a lot more anxiety.It might not seem very easy for you to decide how to honor the loved one safely. We can understand your concerns. This is why we bring you some guidance to plan and hold funeral services during the crisis. 

Let’s dive and learn about the process followed by the funeral homes. 

Don’t Forget About Social Distancing 

In times like these, humans crave a personal touch. The pandemic is making it tough for you to get those comforting hugs and condolences. But, remember, you have to protect the health of attendees, funeral home staff, and yourself. 

The number of attendees allowed in a large gathering varies from place to place. Regardless of the number of attendees, you must practice social distancing guidelines issued by the CDC.  This is how the CDC calculates the risk factor when organizing such gatherings. This will help you decide better about the funeral arrangements. 

Lowest Risk- Smaller outdoor gatherings where people remain spaced at 6 feet apart with all the protective gear, such as masks, and gloves. 

Higher risk: Medium sized gatherings where you can’t stay space at 6 feet and attendees are traveling from outside to your area. 

Highest risk: These are large gatherings where it’s difficult to maintain the social distancing guidelines. 

While one can’t replace the funeral or memorial service, it’s better to follow the safety laws and regulations to avoid contracting the virus. 

Expectations From Funeral Homes 

Your funeral director must recognize that it’s difficult for families grieving for their loved ones to limit the number. So, the director must help families and be compassionate enough to let you know about the options available and how it can benefit the families amidst the ongoing crisis. 

What else can you expect from the funeral home personnel? 

• They will ask if anyone is feeling sick and ask such individuals to join the arrangement through teleconference. 
• They might ask you to limit the number of people attending the funeral. For example, if you prefer to do a cremation in los angeles, there is no limit to the number of attendees as long as you can keep a 6 feet distance between people. 
• You will be asked to wash your hands upon arrival or use a hand sanitizer wherever required when entering the funeral home. 
• They will inform you about the federal, state, and local mandates (including those listed above), which might be directly impacting your funeral arrangements. 

To Conclude

When a loved one passes away, the first thing is to honor the person’s life with a gathering. It’s a tribute that offers comfort and support to the grieving family. However, COVID-19 is making it difficult for everyone to lean on anyone during such difficult times. 

But if you have a compassionate funeral service provider, things would not seem that way. You can say goodbye to your loved one in the best possible way, even during these challenging times. 

However, as they say, “Life moves on.” So, you must keep a check on the safety guidelines to avoid any further mishappenings. Hence, ask your guests to scale back direct contact and not include hugging, kissing, or shaking hands. Make sure you have a mask on when interacting with attendees. 

And maintain social distancing at all times!