by Lucille Rosetti, TheBereaved.org

Moving on after death is never easy. As a funeral home director, you may be all too familiar with how difficult it is for loved ones and family members to escape the emotional effects of grief. Many of your clients may mention moving to a different home as a way to cope with the loss of a loved one, and this can be a personal and powerful decision. While you can’t help your clients make the right choices when it comes to moving after loss, you can help them avoid added stress and emotional strain by providing some extra support along the way.

Offering Financial Resources

Grieving family members often turn to funeral home staff for more than just support in planning memorial services. So, if you find yourself dealing with clients who are also trying to deal with an impending move, it may help to have some online resources that you can share with these individuals. For example, those who are interested in purchasing a new home after the death of a loved one may need to research home loan options. Online tools can provide a wealth of information regarding this topic, including details on qualifying for a conventional loan. Conventional home mortgages tend to come with some of the lowest costs and interest rates, and home buyers can choose from adjustable-rate or fixed-rate loans. With conventional home loans, a down payment of 20 percent or more can also mean avoiding private mortgage insurance. Of course, homeowners also need to research the value of their home during this process, and they can do so by using online real estate resources.

Providing Professional Connections

When funeral home clients are considering a move after the death of a loved one, they may not be ready to deal with the details of that move on their own.  Grief can impact decision-making, in addition to physical and emotional health. If you want to go the extra mile for your grieving clients, consider networking with other local professionals who may provide assistance with a potential move. For example, working with a realtor can alleviate some of the pressure that home buyers feel when looking for a perfect new home, and these licensed professionals can also provide support with negotiations and paperwork. It can also be helpful to provide listings of local moving companies to these clients or even senior move manager information. If you’re not familiar with senior move managers, you should know that these specially trained professionals assist older adults with tasks involved with downsizing and moving their homes. If you work with bereaved seniors and their families, having this information handy can be extremely helpful.

Setting Up Emotional Support Services

Processing grief and all of the accompanying emotions is never easy. That’s why so many funeral home clients can benefit from additional support during this time of need. As a funeral home director, you are often one of the first professionals that grieving loved ones come into contact after experiencing a loss. So, to complement the compassion and care that you offer when planning burial and memorial services, consider offering grief support services to your customers and the surrounding community. Also known as aftercare support, providing resources and connections to help family members work through trauma and grief can make this complicated process a little easier. Grief counseling can be especially important for clients who are seeking comfort with their move since most grief counselors and experts recommend avoiding major life transitions during the initial mourning period. Clients can benefit from online or in-person grief-counseling, so think about what sort of connections your business can offer. You can also think about offering grief support groups for surviving family members and friends.

By providing grieving family members with compassionate and complete guidance through the burial process, you are already providing a light during this dark time. So, think about going the extra mile by offering some added support to bereaved individuals who are planning on moving after a loss. Doing so can give them some added comfort and could give you a boost as well.

**Lucille Rosetti has been our guest columnist today.  In an effort to help others manage and navigate grief, Lucille created TheBereaved.org to provide support and encouragement.  She hopes her writings can bring some semblance of peace to those who are suffering in their grief.

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