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Sep 21, 2009, 10:38 AM
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Remember Network: a new concept in celebrating life
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By Klaus Rohrich
It is said that there are two certainties in life: death and taxes and no one seems to be too crazy about either. But inevitabilities have a way of catching up to us and so it is with life’s end.
When individuals who reside in retirement homes or long term care (LTC) facilities pass away, their families usually make arrangements through traditional funeral directors, where a service is held at a funeral home, followed by cremation or interment in a cemetery plot. One of the shortcomings that this arrangement presents is that it tends to deprive those with whom the departed had spent the final months or years of life of an opportunity to properly take leave. In the case of residents of retirement homes of LTC facilities, mobility is often an issue that prevents them from attending the funeral service, while those employed at such facilities often can’t attend the funeral of a former charge because of work commitments.
Remember Network offers an elegant and economical solution that enables both friends and family of the departed, as well as fellow residents and caregivers to properly take leave by holding the funeral service within the facility. It’s a solution that makes infinite sense in that it completes the circle of life by enabling access to all who have played a significant role in the life of the deceased.
Most retirement residences and LTC facilities have some sort of ceremony by which they mark the passing of residents. Often it’s an annual affair that celebrates the lives of those who have passed away within the previous year. One such facility, Sherwood Park Manor in Brockville, Ontario holds a celebration of life annually, which according to the facility’s life enrichment counselor, Linda Woods is well regarded with up to 50% of family members of the deceased attending.
“It gives residents and family members a chance to reflect on the passing of a loved one.” Ms Woods said, “And the service tends to provide closure to families as well as staff and residents.”
Certainly it makes sense to have remembrance ceremonies in retirement residences for those who have passed away. But having such a ceremony on an annual basis seems perfunctory. Offering funeral services at the places where people live tends to make a lot more sense in that it includes those with whom the departed shared their final days.
That’s why the concept offered by Remember Network makes good sense. What’s more Remember Network’s services are also as flexible as they are economical.
Founded by two young funeral directors, both of whom are fully licensed and registered, Remember Network foregoes the bricks, mortar and limousines that make today’s average funeral prohibitively expensive. Jeffrey Scott, a third-generation funeral director and Kory Prentice, a registered funeral director in charge of business development, started Remember Network because there is a clear need to provide memorial services to individuals who through mobility limitations might otherwise be unable to attend the service of a friend or neighbor.
“By holding a memorial service in a retirement residence or palliative care facility, we provide the family with a great deal of flexibility because we will tailor the service to their specific needs and desires.” Says Ms Prentice. “What’s more, we also save the family substantial amounts of money over traditional funeral services that are held in a funeral home.”
Saving families money isn’t the only benefits that Remember Network provides. As a normal part of its service, the organization donates a portion of its fees back to the care facility to fund various legacy workshops and grief related initiatives.
Remember Network puts a new face on one of mankind’s oldest and most venerable businesses. Given the demographic shift society is currently undergoing, it’s a sensible idea whose time has clearly come. http://www.remembernetwork.ca
Klaus Rohrich is President and Creative Director of Taylor/Rohrich Associates Inc., a marketing and advertising firm that specializes in niche marketing retirement real estate developments
http://www.maturitymarketing.com.
(This post was edited by StephenWinbaum on Sep 22, 2009, 6:34 AM)
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