As much as we would prefer, the sadness and mourning associated with death doesn’t end at the cemetery in Matthews, NC. Luckily, there are tons of resources and guidance for extra grief support available, from connections to online support groups and resources to in-house counseling.

Are you looking for more support in your time of loss? Getting support for your grief is never a bad thing. Rather than feeling shame, feel pride in the strength it takes to realize you need help and seek that help. Plus, you are not alone. The following is a list of online resources for coping with bereavement and grief to give you additional grief support you can seek on your own if you need it. This list includes convenient online support like professional counselors, community sites, and bloggers you can access from home at any time. Check out resources such as:

• National Center for Victims of Crime: This organization voices and supports abuse and crime survivors. They have a broad focus but offer help to a wide variety of victims and surviving family.
• Light A Candle: This website has a page where people can “light” a digital candle in honor of their lost loved one. You can attach a name, date or photo to the candle, too.
• National Child Traumatic Stress Network: The NCTSN helps support kids who have gone through trauma from death of a loved one to injuries. They strive to reinforce stability and healing.
• The Grief Recovery Method: The Grief Recovery Method is a website developed by the Grief Recovery Institute. It has lots of valuable grief information and been a leading resource for 30 years.
• Resources for Survivors of Suicide: This group emphasizes that you are not alone when you lose a loved one through suicide. They offer different tools, interactive online supports and more.
• Association of Death Education and Counseling: ADEC has over 2,000 members, including physical and mental health professionals, educators, funeral directors, and clergymen. They host grief conferences, workshop and seminars frequently.
• Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors Inc: TAPS specifically serves families who’ve lost a member of the military through peer-based support.
• Open to Hope: Open to Hope is a non-profit that helps people find hope again after a loss. They offer community support, articles, books, and more to help people work through their loss and start to love meaningful and happy lives while working through their grief.
• The Sweeney Alliance: Founded by Peggy Sweeney, this non-profit offers a range of programs for adults and children who’ve suffered a loss. Check out their regular newsletters and online resources.

If you want to learn more about grief support resources like these, or have additional questions about Matthews, NC cemeteries funeral homes and their services, Gethsemane Cemetery and Memorial Garden is here to help. You can stop by and visit us or give us a call at your convenience. We would be happy to help you in any way we can during your time of loss and grief.

While a traditional burial in a cemetery in Huntersville, NC is always a valid choice, there are many other options for a deceased’s final resting place, such as mausoleums.

But what is a mausoleum? According to the National Funeral Directors Association, a mausoleum is “a building designed for above-ground placement of a casket. The casket is placed into a crypt that may be designed for one or two persons.” In other words, they are free-standing structures that provide a secure, dry and clean place for bodies to be interred.

There are many different kinds and styles of mausoleums. Some mausoleums have one crypt, or a chamber designed to hold one body, while others have a larger space made to hold a few people like a family or a couple. Some mausoleums even have more than one room for different parts of a family. Mausoleums are commonly decorated with exterior markers to denote who is resting inside, and yet others have windows and glass to allow in natural light and air.

The term mausoleum came from one of the first one’s ever built. Erected in 353 BC near what is now known as Turkey, The Mausoleum of Halicarnassus was the final resting place of a famous Persian king named Mausolus. However, just because they’re very old doesn’t mean mausoleum aren’t still popular. In fact, mausoleums offer tons of great benefits, making them a common choice for internment.

Some of the benefits of mausoleums include:

• Protection and Privacy – Though everyone will experience grief, most people prefer to show their mourning in private. Because mausoleums are enclosed buildings, they offer the bereaved much-desired privacy in their time of loss. Similarly, because they are enclosed buildings, mausoleums also offer protection for the body. Many of them are also climate-controlled, which gives the bereaved even more peace of mind for the body and comfort when they are paying their respects.
• Convenience – Mausoleums are convenient for the bereaved as they offer easy access to the lost loved one for year-round visitation. Hot summers, cold winters, rain and other elements aren’t an issue.
• Cost-Effective – Mausoleums have been proven to have comparable costs to those of a more traditional ground burial, especially if the structure will be used to house more than one body. Families can lower the costs of burial by purchasing a shared mausoleum.
• Eco Friendly – Both traditional ground burial and cremation have negative impacts on the environment, such as ground disruption or release of gasses into the atmosphere. Since mausoleums can hold more bodies per square foot of ground that a traditional burial, they are better for the planet and are a great option for those that want to leave a small footprint behind when they’re gone.

Is a mausoleum the right choice for you or your family? Gethsemane Cemetery and Memorial Garden can help you decide. We have vast experience as a Huntersville, NC cemetery and can offer you more information on your different internment choices. Call or visit us today to learn more.

Everyone experiences grief in different ways and for different amounts of time, but grief is always hard, from right after a visit to a cemetery in Charlotte, NC to the following months and years. But what happens when grief becomes too much for one person to handle?

If you experience any of the following, you might want to consider seeking help for your loss:

1. Inability to Continue Normal Activities – If you are unable to perform normal activities like going to work or school, or even eating or sleeping, you many need a help with coping.
2. Numbness to Emotion – Grief comes with a range of emotions, from sad and confused to even happy. Each emotion is acceptable during periods of mourning, but numbness is not. If you are feeling entirely numb and unable to feel any emotions, it may be time to seek help.
3. Avoiding Time with Loved Ones – Sometimes it’s easier to process grief on our own, but it’s also important to be with loved ones. If you find yourself consistently avoiding other people, you should consider counseling.
4. Inability to Move On – There is nothing to be ashamed of about not being able to move on. Sometimes we all need a bit of help.
5. Hallucinations/Voices – It may be comforting to imagine your lost loved one is with you but hearing voices or seeing things that aren’t there is always a cause for concern. Be especially wary if what you are seeing, or hearing is accusing or angry.
6. Loss of Enjoyment – You shouldn’t stop living your life completely during grief. You’re still allowed to pursue your interests and goals. If your grief is preventing you from pursuing activities that you enjoy, or enjoying things you normally would, you may just need help finding your way forward.
7. Sudden Changes in Behavior – If you find that you don’t recognize the choices you’re making or the person you’ve become, this may be cause for concern. Keep and eye out for irrational anger, excessive drinking, and drug use.
8. Escapism – Staying busy or trying to escape to avoid feeling sad is not a long-term solution. Eventually, you will need to face your feelings. If you are don’t feel up to doing so on your own, it may be wise to ask for a helping hand.
9. Thoughts of Hurting Yourself – Feeling you want to hurt yourself should not be ignored and must be addressed with a professional.
10. Fear of New Relationships – Apprehension of new relationships due to the fear of loss is common when grieving. However, in order to move forward and continue to grow, we must forge new relationships.

Gethsemane Cemetery and Memorial Garden is an experienced Charlotte, NC cemetery and can offer you more information on dealing with or getting help for grief. Please give us a call to learn more about what we can do for you in your time of loss.

Preparation will make any difficult situation better, and what’s more difficult than a loss? Use this list of important cemetery terminology to be better prepared in the event of the loss of a loved one, or to better plan for your eventual passing and burial in a cemetery in Matthews, NC.

1. Bereaved: The deceased’s loved ones or immediate family.
2. Burial Certificate: A legal document authorizing burial. The same documents apply to cremations, and it made by your local government.
3. Death Certificate: A document proving the cause of death, generally issued by the deceased’s doctor.
4. Columbarium: A wall with niches or holes in which cremation urns are housed.
5. Committal Service: A service in which the body is buried or interred.
6. Cremains: Another word for cremated remains.
7. Crematory: The furnace in which bodies are cremated. It can also refer to the building that houses the furnace.
8. Death Notice: An article or newspaper section announcing someone’s death and providing funeral or memorial details.
9. Embalm: Preserving a dead body by running preservative fluids through the arteries and veins.
10. Eulogy: A speech praising, remembering and celebrating the deceased’s life.
11. Exhume: Digging up the remains of someone who was already buried.
12. Flower Car: The car or vehicle used to transport the flowers from the church and/or cemetery to the funeral home.
13. Funeral Director: The man or woman who works with the bereaved to plan and execute a funeral service and all accompanying details. Generally, funeral directors maintain or run funeral homes.
14. Funeral Spray: A floral tribute traditionally given to the bereaved at a funeral.
15. Grave Liner: A wooden, metal or concrete casing that holds the casket in the ground. Grave liners help prevent the ground around the grave from sinking for safety and help keep the grass above the grave level as the earth settles for aesthetics.
16. Pallbearers: Family, friends, or religious members that help carry the casket.
17. Memorial Service: A service held to honor the deceased when the body is not present.
18. Mortuary: Another word for a funeral home.
19. Obituary: A death notice in a newspaper or on a website that gives a small biography of the deceased and often includes a photo.
20. Plot: A piece of land, usually owned by an individual or a family, that’s reserved for two or more graves.
21. Reposing Room: A room in a funeral home that stores the body until the burial or funeral.
22. Vault: Almost synonymous with grave liner, but vaults tend to be more expensive. Vaults are usually made of wood, metal or concrete.
23. Viewing: The time at which friends, family or funeral goers can view the casket.

The more you prepare now, the easier your experience in a Mathews, NC cemetery will be. If you want more information or have more questions about cemeteries, funerals, and other related topics, Gethsemane Cemetery and Memorial Garden is here to help. We have years of experience that we would love to put at your disposal in your time of loss or preplanning. Stop by and visit us or give us a call today.