While all of the more expensive memorialization and cemetery services in Huntersville, NC are lovely, there are plenty of less expensive options that are just as comforting and respectful such as:

1. Photographs – It’s likely that you already have lots of pictures of the deceased. Turn those pictures into a memorial by making a scrapbook, gallery wall or another display dedicated to your lost loved one.
2. Jewelry – If your loved one was cremated you can easily carry them with you at all times with jewelry. For example, you can put their ashes in a locket with a photo.
3. Charitable Giving – If your lost loved one was dedicated to a certain cause, why not donate in their honor? It doesn’t have to be a large donation for it to be meaningful and to do some good. You can also ask funeral or memorial guests to make donations instead of bringing flowers.
4. Memories – Memories of the deceased are free and plentiful. Put out a jar or dish at a memorial service and have guests write down their memories of the deceased to place in the jar. Then, read them one by one on special occasions or whenever you need some comfort in your grief. You can even make this idea digital and have people send memory emails to a special email address.
5. Listen to Music – Music can be very powerful. Listen to the deceased’s favorite song or artist or find a kind of music that is soothing to you in your time of loss. You can create a mix or a tape of the comforting music to play when you’re sad or to give to others who are feeling the same loss.
6. Plant a Garden – Plant a memorial garden in the deceased’s honor. Seeds and flowers are very cost-effective, plus gardening is a constructive way to release grief. You can always add a memorial bench or stone.
7. Repurpose Belongings – Instead of donating or storing your lost loved one’s belongings, see if you can repurpose some of them into remembrance items. Sew a shirt or dress into a pillowcase you can keep on your bed or on the couch or patch up their jeans to give to younger generations.
8. Write a Memorial – While you may not feel like a poet or an author, sometimes the act of putting your feelings into words can be very comforting and honoring to the deceased. You can write short stories of their life, create a poem to honor their memory, or just write down how much they meant to you.

You don’t have to spend a ton of money to honor your lost loved one as long as you act from the heart. Gethsemane Cemetery and Memorial Garden are here to help if you’re looking for more tips or information on Huntersville, NC cemeteries? We have years of experience we would love to put at your disposal, so give us a call or pay us a visit today.

Large gatherings have been banned all around the world have as large gatherings could spread the COVID-19. However, just because we’re isolated from one another doesn’t mean death and cemetery in Matthews, NC has stopped.

Is it possible to have cremation or funeral services that honor our lost loved ones when we’re in isolation? These are just a few ideas of how you can honor a lost loved one in this time of isolation.

While most indoor gatherings are limited in size or even prohibited, outdoor gatherings are still mostly allowed. This makes it easy and ideal to host a scattering ceremony to scatter your lost loved one’s cremated remains. Invite an appropriate amount of people according to your local guidelines and host the event in an outdoor space large enough for social distancing.

You can also pay it forward. If the deceased was committed to a certain cause, why not make donations in their name? You can share the chosen charity on social media and ask others to participate in the donations to honor your lost loved one. Get creative! Ask family, friends, coworkers, and others that knew the deceased to send you photos, stories, and handwritten notes. Put them all together into a memory that you can keep for yourself or share on social media. Small keepsakes are often a great source of comfort in times of loss. You can send cards, photographs, jewelry, plants, or other keepsakes to those in grief to honor the deceased and give them comfort.

Try cooking the deceased’s favorite meal. Share one of the deceased’s favorite recipes and ask those interested to cook the meal on a certain date and time. Participants can share photos and talk about their various experiences surrounding the cooking and the meal. Or, as technology has made a lot of things easier included staying connected, you can have a virtual ceremony. Thanks to streaming, recording, and social media technologies, it’s never been easier to have a virtual funeral or memorial service. Many cremation and funeral providers can assist families with planning and executing a virtual service.

What about virtual vigils? Vigils have long been a way to honor the deceased, so why not have a virtual one? Invite those that knew and loved the deceased to log onto a Zoom meeting, post photos or videos in a social media group, or even just light a candle and listen to a playlist at a given time. Finally, cremation allows a lot of flexibility in when a service can be held as the body is not on an embalmment clock. Unless your religion or faith dictates, there are no rules about when a memorial service needs to be held. If you chose, you could cremate your loved one and hold a memorial later on when this crisis has smoothed out.

Gethsemane Cemetery and Memorial Gardens are here to help if you want more tips on Matthews, NC cemetery services. After all, there are still many ways we can honor our lost loved ones even though we’re apart. Call today to learn more.

Did you know that you can use Medicaid to help pay for funeral or cemetery services in Huntersville, NC?

The first step is to use Medicaid to pay for funeral and cemetery expenses is to establish a trust. The trust should establish your chosen funeral home or cemetery provider as a beneficiary to make sure that they receive the money upon your death. The best kind of trust you set up is an Irrevocable Trust, as this form protects the money you set aside just in case you need Medicaid to help cover any long-term care costs. Be wary of Revocable Trusts, as Medicaid set seizes money from Revocable Trusts if you have already depleted your other assets and you need help paying for medical or long-term care costs.

The best way to make sure you use Medicaid to pay for funeral and cemetery services properly and protect your money is to work with an estate attorney. If you’re covered by Medicaid you can set aside money for cemetery services, but trust and estate attorneys know the ins and outs of Medicaid, insurance, and trusts and can best advise you on how to proceed in your specific circumstances. Another reason to hire an attorney is that Medicaid and cemetery expenses rules vary from state to state. You need an expert that is familiar with your state’s rules to best advise you. You can also get in touch with your state’s Medicaid department, local Medicaid office, or an attorney in your area for more information.

In many states, Medicaid trusts need to have been in place for at least five years for the funds to be accessible, so you also need to make sure that you establish your trust enough in advance. Your chosen funeral home or cemetery provider with most likely have established protocols that they prefer you use when you create a trust to pay for future funeral and cemetery expenses. Be sure to talk to your funeral home and your estate attorney to get a recommendation on the type of trust you should set up to pay for cemetery service arrangements.

There are other ways to prepay for funeral or cemetery expenses beyond Medicaid and trusts, like funeral insurance. You can purchase an insurance policy that lists the funeral home or cemetery provider as the beneficiary so when you die, the funeral home with getting the money from the insurance company to put towards your funeral. Again, your local funeral home will most likely have a preferred insurance provider. Some might even be able to sell you the insurance directly. Keep in mind, though, that most life insurance policies do not cover funeral or cemetery expenses.

Gethsemane Cemetery and Memorial Gardens are here to help if you want to learn more about Medicaid, cemeteries, and preplanning. We offer a range of Huntersville, NC cemetery services with the experience and compassion necessary to help you. Call or visit us today for more information on what we can do for you in your time of loss or preplanning.