Monthly Archives: September 2019

Trenton, NJ, funeral home

10 Grief Warning Signs

Grief can be extremely difficult to handle, even long after you leave the Trenton, NJ, funeral home. Everyone experiences grief in different ways, but sometimes the grief can be too much for you to handle on your own.

With all the different ways grief presents itself and the range of time it can last, how do you know when your grief is too much? Use this list of 10 signs to know if you might need to seek extra help or counseling for your grief.

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. Thoughts of Hurting Yourself – Feeling you want to hurt yourself should not be ignored, and must be addressed with a professional.
  5. Avoiding Time with Loved Ones – Sometimes its easier to process grief on our own, but its also important to be with loved ones. If you find yourself consistently avoiding other people, you should consider counseling.
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. 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.
  9. 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.
  10. 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.

If you experience any of these signs, don’t be afraid to seek help from a friend, loved one, or professional. There is no shame in getting the help you need.

If you want to learn more about grief or funeral homes in Trenton, NJ, please reach out to J. Allen Hooper Funeral Chapel by visiting 41 W Trenton Ave Morrisville, PA 19067, or calling (215) 295-7725.

cremation service in Yardley, PA

Should You Host a Cremation Ceremony?

Do you need cremation service in Yardley, PA? After your loved one dies, you might have a lot of questions. Cremation ceremonies are common but they’re not a guarantee. What you decide to do depends entirely on your culture as well as the culture of the deceased.

Many people opt to host a cremation ceremony because it allows them to express their feelings. Losing a loved one is very, very difficult. You have to do whatever you can to manage your grief. One strategy is to host a memorial for the deceased.

A cremation ceremony is very similar to a traditional funeral. The main difference is that you’re not restricted by time. A funeral typically proceeds a burial. A cremation ceremony, however, can be held before or after the cremation.

How you host the ceremony depends on what you want. A common plan is to host the event at a funeral home or crematory. They have the space for it and the staff is used o dealing with death.

Churches and other religious institutions are also common locations. Religious significance can be extremely powerful. You’re honoring your loved one in a space that has spiritual power. If you believe in it, you might be strongly affected.

Some people choose the untraditional route and host the ceremony on a mountain top or by a lakeside or any place that was special to the deceased. Often, the deceased’s ashes are spread in the location.

The ceremony itself tends to follow a pattern no matter what the person’s beliefs are. There’s almost always a section of the service devoted to sharing stories. People like hearing about the deceased affected other people. Even a simple story about a laugh that the deceased shared with one of the mourners can be moving.

If you decide to host a cremation ceremony, you should work with the deceased’s other friends and family members to create a plan. It’s a good idea to honor everyone’s wishes if possible. You want people to come to the ceremony.

The planning won’t be easy. You’ll have to put aside your grief and focus on organizing the event. Some people say that this actually makes them feel better. They put their energy into planning the ceremony and they spend less time dwelling on their hard emotions.

For others, however, the road is more difficult. If you feel incapacitated by your grief, you might better off letting someone else plan the cremation ceremony. It’s a lot of pressure that will be difficult for you to handle. You can ask a family member or hire a professional. You have options.

Ultimately, a cremation ceremony is a good idea.

Whatever your cremation needs are, J. Allen Hooper Funeral Chapel can take care of you. We’re the best option for cremation services in Yardley, PA because our team is compassionate, professional, and reliable. Please give us a call at (215) 295-7725 or visit us at 41 W Trenton Ave, Morrisville, PA 19067. Start planning your loved one’s memorial service today.

funeral home in Yardley, PA

5 Foods to Serve at a Funeral Reception

Eventually, local families are going to need the services of a funeral home in Yardley, PA. Death is unavoidable. When you’re confronted with the loss of a loved one, there’s a lot that you have to think about.

One of the matters that you have to settle involves the funeral reception. It’s a critical part of the experience. All of the mourners gather in a single spot to share stories about the deceased. It can be powerfully moving.

The menu plays a role in the experience. Food brings people together. It can be soothing. If you don’t serve food, people will be uncomfortable. They may go home earlier than they normally would.

Here are a few recipe ideas you can try.

1. Salad Bar

Modern people are very health conscious. They want to put the best possible foods into their bodies. Even when they’re grieving, they don’t want to eat junk food. It just doesn’t appeal to them.

However, they would love a well-stocked salad bar. They can load up on fresh, nutritious food.

Salad bars also appeal to picky eaters, especially if you add fruit.

2. Dessert Bar

A dessert bar is a good idea for the opposite reason of why you should have a salad bar. Lots of people are comforted by junk food. They don’t want a salad when they’re grieving, they want a cookie or a piece of cake.

Additionally, social events often involve sweet foods. It’s become part of our culture.

A dessert bar is also very affordable. You can find tasty treats at any grocery store or you can even make them yourself.

3. Kabobs

Kabobs are popular because you can please a lot of people. Meat kabobs will make the majority of your guests happy while vegetarians can focus on vegetable and fruit kabobs. They’re very easy to make.

The key to your funeral reception menu is to keep it simple. You don’t want to have to worry about creating an elaborate menu that will give you extra stress.

4. Sandwiches

Sandwiches are universally liked and easy to prepare. You have a ton of different options. IF you don’t want to worry about cooking or buying ingredients, you can easily find a company that will cater sandwiches for a very affordable price.

Or you can present your guests with a buffet-style sandwich bar.

5. Pasta

Serving pasta is a great way to save money and still please your guests. You can make the meal vegetarian and your meat-loving guests won’t even notice. A good idea is to create a buffet of two or three different kinds of pasta.

You can search for more recipes online.

When you’re searching for funeral homes near Yardley, PA, you’re going to come across J. Allen Hooper Funeral Chapel. We’re conveniently located at 41 W Trenton Ave, Morrisville, PA 19067. You can also reach us at (215) 295-7725. You don’t have time to waste with an inferior company. Work with a company you can trust. Our team is known for its excellence.

cremation services in Trenton, NJ

Are Cremation Services Religious?

People often expect cremation services in Trenton, NJ to be held in a religious setting. Death is extremely emotional. You need to rely on something to get you through the experience. For many, religion fills that role.

Yet, that doesn’t have to be the case. You’re absolutely free to have a non-religious memorial service. There are a couple of things that you should consider before you go down that route.

One of the most important factors are the beliefs of yourself and of the deceased. If you have powerful religious convictions, it will be very hard to ignore them when you’re planning the cremation ceremony. The same will be true if the deceased was deeply religious.

Are you the sole person organizing the cremation? If you’re not, you’re going to have to deal with other viewpoints. The deceased’s other loved ones may follow a religious system that they want represented during the memorial.

Whether or not you decide to think about the guests is up to you. It’s true that many people will naturally assume that the cremation service will have a religious tinge. It’s possible that some of the mourners will even desire this.

However, this doesn’t have to factor into your planning if you don’t want it to. You might have a very strong reason for hosting a non-spiritual memorial. For instance, it may have been important to the deceased. Some people leave very specific directions regarding how they want to be remembered. You should honor those wishes whenever you can.

If you do decide to skip having a religious ceremony, you need to have something else in its place. The event has to be significant somehow. You could do that by hosting the ceremony in a location that was sacred to the deceased. Or you can fill the event with stories from your loved ones.

The most important thing to focus on is the deceased’s memory. Ultimately, what you’re trying to do is show your respect for someone who was very important to you. It feels natural.

There’s a lot to consider when you plan a cremation service for your loved one. You want everything to be perfect yet your planning abilities aren’t at their best. Your mind is completely shaken with grief.

That doesn’t mean you can’t make good decisions. It simply means that it will be more difficult. Whether or not have a religious ceremony is one of the first decisions that you’ll have to make. People are usually cremated or buried within a few days of their death. Biology demands that we don’t wait too long.

Stay strong in your decision. It’s a tough situation for everyone and emotions are running high. If someone disagrees with your choice, try to talk to them without getting angry.

The search for the right cremation service is easy. Just contact J. Allen Hooper Funeral Chapel. We can be reached by visiting 41 W Trenton Ave, Morrisville, PA 19067 or by calling (215) 295-7725. Our team is equipped to handle your needs with compassion and care.