As Maine Goes. . .So Goes the Nation

When I was younger the election night banter we always heard was as the title of this article, “As Maine Goes. . . So Goes the Nation”.  What it meant under those circumstances was that the State of Maine had an uncanny history of always selecting the Presidential candidate correctly, so the commentators pointed out that the way Maine voted would most likely end in the same result as the nation.

The title of today’s article, however, stems from a recent article in the Bangor Daily News, which you can read here, pertaining to the fact that come 2020, Maine will be a state when the residents 65 and older outnumber the residents younger than that age.  According to the article, that is 15 years prior to when the nation’s population as a whole will hit that milestone.

So, as death care professionals, do we have the chance to watch how our industry plays out in Maine in the next few years and be able to pre-empt our competitors to get a better grip on future business?  If I was still operating our mortuary business full-time it is certainly something I would look at.

According to statistics pointed out in the article, Maine has already had cremation outpacing burials for three consecutive years and is among the 12 states where cremations are growing the fastest.  Again, according to the article, only 17% of those who died in Maine in 2015 were buried as compared to 72% who were cremated.  The article points out that number for cremation is expected to reach 87% by 2035 – when only 10% of Mainers will be buried with traditional funeral services.

The article also points out that Evergreen Cemetery in Portland is making plans to add columbariums because of this increasing trend.  According to the article, another statistic that is cited is that of all cremated remains, only about 45% are put in a cemetery or columbarium.  The other 55% are either scattered or brought home.

Funeral Director Daily take:  Trend watching is necessary to make sure you are offering the right type of services.  Many traditional funeral home owners look at statistics like this and really worry.   I look at these statistics and see the one where 55% of the cremations are scattered or brought home and look at the opportunity to help those families memorialize their loved ones.  From a business perspective, if those who care for the body (funeral directors) can work with those who offer memorialization spaces and monuments (cemeteries) I see great opportunity in turning these families into a stream of revenue that can help both entities retain profitability.

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