Monthly Archives: March 2019

funeral homes in Newtown, PA

American Funeral Home History

There are countless funeral homes in Newtown, PA, and all across the country. However, this wasn’t always the case.  

Almost everyone stayed close to home before the mid 1800s. Therefore, when people died their bodies could be displayed in the family parlor until it was time for burial. Since there wasn’t any delay from death to display to burial, the bodies didn’t need any sort of preservation. In fact, this tradition of hosting funerals in the home’s parlor is where the term “funeral parlor” comes from.  

This all changed in 1865 when President Lincoln was assassinated. Due to his nearly nationwide popularity, heads of state decided to bring his body on a national funeral procession. Since this trip took several weeks, his body had to be embalmed to slow decomposition. After seeing President Lincoln be embalmed, people all across the USA decided embalming was a good idea.   

With embalming popularity growing, people were given the opportunity to expand their funeral traditions outside the home. Bodies were more easily transported and displayed, so funerals could be held later after death allowing for more people to attend. Since more people attended, it was easier to host the service in a neutral place.   

The Bucktrout family in Virginia witnessed a growing need for places to host funerals, and rose to the occasion. Originally coffin and cabinet manufacturers, this family expanded their business to include funeral home services, just like those we have today. The Bucktrout family opened America’s first modern funeral home. Funeral homes were labeled as such because undertakers, or funeral directors as we now call them, usually operated their business out of their home.   

The 1900s saw even more growth in the funeral home business. This large expansion called for formal training for funeral directors in order to streamline the business model and help the businesses grow by changing the conversation. The National Funeral Directors Association was formed in the early 1900s to help consumers view the members as professionals.   

Coffin makers, florists, life insurance agencies and other connected fields also blossomed, helping funeral homes become what they are today. By 1920, there were around 24,469 funeral homes in the United States, showing a 100% growth in less than 80 years.   

Like many other United States institutions, funeral homes grew out of Christian roots. Immigration laws began to relax in the 1960s, and other cultures slowly became more accepted. This influx of new beliefs created a market for funerals, and once again funeral homes stepped up. They began offering services for other ethnic and religious groups from Vietnamese and Eastern European to Buddhism and Hinduism.   

J. Allen Hooper Funeral Chapel, located at41 W Trenton AveMorrisville, PA 19067, is continuing this long funeral home tradition. We offer a wide range of Newton, PA funeral home services, and would be happy to help you and your loved ones in your time of loss. Please give us a call at (215) 295-7725 to learn more about what we can do for you.  

cremation services in Trenton, NJ

How To Pay For Cremation Services

Its common knowledge that it’s important to preplan cremation services in Trenton, NJ. However, most people don’t preplan for how they’re going to pay for these cremation services. Cremations can be expensive, so it’s important to make plans now for how you will pay for yours. This way your loved ones aren’t suck with a massive tab when you’re not around.   

Paying for a cremation isn’t as easy as leaving some money in a savings account, though. When someone dies, their bank freezes their accounts and assets for a month, or sometimes longer. This means that after you die, your family won’t have access to your savings accounts until long after the cremation is over.   

Luckily, there are a few ways you can set money aside: 

  • Insurance – Most life insurance policies will pay out a lump sum of money to a beneficiary when you die. This lump sum can go a long way towards paying for your cremation expenses. These insurance payments are made almost directly after death so your loved ones can access the money right away. There are also special insurance policies for death related costs like burials, funerals, cremations and more.  
  • Payable-on-Death Account – Payable-on-death accounts, or PODs, allow you to set money aside specifically for funeral and other death-related expenses. Your beneficiaries simply have to present a death certificate to the bank in order to obtain the money. They will not have access to the money until after your death.  
  • Veterans Benefits – If you served in the military you may be eligible for veteran’s benefits, including burial, funeral or cremation at no cost. The Veterans Administration will pay a burial allowance to your loved ones to cover related expenses. Check the VA website to see if you’re eligible.  
  • Borrowing – Banks also offer loans specifically for cremation payments. However, as these loans are personal and unsecure, they can get expensive. Interests range usually from 16 to 35 percent on these kinds of loans. Since the FCA recommends that you do not go into debt for a cremation, be sure to only take out a loan you can easily pay back. 
  • Low-Cost Options – If you don’t have money to set aside right now, and feel like you won’t later on either, you can plan for low-cost cremation options. From direct cremations and at-home funerals to green burials, or even donating your body to science, there are definitely low-cost options out there. If you do plan to donate you body to a medical school or other institution be sure to enroll in advance.  

Make arrangements to pay for your cremation services in advance using these tips. This will not only make your life easier, but will also save your loved ones stress after you’re gone.   

J. Allen Hooper Funeral Chapel, located at41 W Trenton AveMorrisville, PA 19067, has years of experience in the Trenton, NJ cremation services industry. Pease give us a call at (215) 295-7725 if you want to learn more about preplanning cremation services.  

Cremation services in Langhorne, PA

4 Ways to Help Ease the Cost of Cremation Services

It seems our current economy is only making things more expensive, including cremations. Cremation services in Langhorne, PA can get pretty pricey, even for just the basic cremation and not including extra money for a service or memorial. With the cost of cremation getting so high, its no wonder that people are looking for help to pay for them.

Here are 4 ways you can get help paying for or lower the cost of a cremation:

  1. Preplanning – Check the deceased’s papers and information to see if they made any plans to help pay for their cremation. They might have put in place things such as:
    • Prepaying programs
    • Funeral insurance
    • Life insurance
    • Payable-on-death bank account
  2. Fund Raising – Don’t be afraid to ask for help from your community, neighborhood, friends or other family. You’d be surprised how quickly people will chip in. Get creative with fund raising like:
      • Car washes or bake sales
      • Church groups or donations
      • Memorial funds at the deceased’s workplace or bank
      • Crowd funding websites like GoFundMe.com or GiveForward.com

    Social media is also a great tool to make your need known and get more people involved. Don’t be afraid to share any fund raising, or write posts about your need.

  3. Government Assistance – Local, state and even federal government programs can help pay for funerals and cremations. Check with your local social service, county treasurer, or public fiduciary to see if any systems are in place. These programs have varying requirements, especially since local government budgets are tight and they are making such programs more difficult to qualify for. Be sure to double check that you are eligible.The Social Security Administration can also provide assistance. Call to report a death and you may be eligible for a lump sum of $225 or other survivor benefits. Other federal programs that can help include:
    • Medicare
    • Medicaid
    • The Bureau of Indian Affairs
    • The Railroad Retirement Board
    • Veteran’s Administration
  4. Low Cost Options – If you still can’t get enough funding, there are tons of low-cost funeral and cremation options you can choose from, including:
    • Memorial service at home or a community center
    • Pot-luck food for the service
    • Service at a church or other religious establishment
    • Body donation to a medical school or other organization (Science Care is the world’s largest body donor program)
    • Direct cremation
    • Burial on family land or a family plot

There is no shame in asking for help paying for a cremation or other death-related service, as everyone needs help now and again.  

If you want more tips on how to save money on a cremation, or would like to learn more about your Langhorne, PA cremation service options, reach out to J. Allen Hooper Funeral Chapel. Located at 41 W Trenton Ave Morrisville, PA 19067, J. Allen Hooper is happy to help you. Give us a call today at (215) 295-7725.  

 

funeral services in Penndel, PA

Funeral Services For Grief Support

Everyone will experience and loss and the resulting grief at one time or another, but this knowledge doesn’t make the experience any easier. That’s why many funeral homes offer grief support in addition to their other funeral services in Penndel, PA. Some funeral homes have in-house counseling, while others are able to connect the bereaved to additional resources.   

The following is a list of online resources for coping with bereavement and grief to give you additional support 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.  

  1. 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.  
  2. 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.  
  3. 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.  
  4. 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.  
  5. 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.  
  6. 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.  
  7. 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.  
  8. 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.  
  9. Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors Inc: TAPS specifically serves families who’ve lost a member of the military through peer-based support.  

Its important to remember that getting extra help and support for grief is not shameful. In fact, seeking the help you need makes you brave and strong. Use any of the above resources to help you through your loss.   

If you want to learn more about grief support resources like these, or have additional questions about Penndel, PA funeral services, contact J. Allen Hooper Funeral Chapel. You can visit us in person at 41 W Trenton Ave Morrisville, PA 19067, or give us a call at (215) 295-7725. We would be happy to assist you in any way we can.