WELCOME Thank you for joining us today As

~ WELCOME! ~ Thank you for joining us today!

As we begin. . . let’s see a show of hands… �How many of you have heard of Forest Park Funeral Home and Cemeteries? �Have you attended any services at Forest Park Funeral Home and Cemeteries? �How many of you want to save money? many of you want to make good business decisions?

Why do we do this? ◦ We encourage education and good decision making ◦ We serve you better if you are prepared ◦ It allows you to get to know us ◦ We believe our business is about experience and relationships

What this seminar isn’t… ◦ Selling ◦ You will not be asked to sign a contract, spend any money today or make any firm decisions

Did you Know? �With 60% of our Business, no one has died. �Then, what exactly are we doing? …

So ask yourself this…. . �How do you choose to be remembered? …. for the things you’ve done or the things you have not done?

Today, let’s talk about…. �Choices & Decisions you’ll need to make �The Value of a Funeral �Why Pre-Arrange Services �Key Consumer Advice

Choices you need to make for your Services…. 1. Your Disposition: Earth Burial, Entombment, Cremation 2. Your Service: A celebration, a tribute, a spiritual affirmation 3. Your Memorialization: Cemetery Memorials & Cremation Options

Earth Burial �Most Popular � Despite a misconception that burial space is limited, there are plenty of burial spaces to serve our future needs

Forest Park Cemetery – Section 20

Cremation �Process by which the body is reduced by intense heat over several hours to produce small fragments. These fragments are then processed and placed in a container called an urn. The urn is then placed in a Memorial Niche or Ground Space in a Cemetery or kept in some other location, such as your home.

Forest Park Cemetery ~ Catholic 1

Entombment � One of the oldest forms of disposition � Most cemeteries maintain mausoleum crypts. These crypts can be indoors, such as in a chapel building, or in an outdoor garden

Forest Park Cemetery ~ Chapel of Peace Mausoleum

Anatomical Donation � Must be decided before death � Completely different from Organ and Tissue donations � Cremation follows months later. Typically with anatomical donation, the cremains aren’t returned to the family for years.

Regardless of the type of disposition, you can have any type of Service ◦ Visitation and Funeral prior to cremation…a very popular choice ◦ Cremation with procession to cemetery for inurnment of the “ashes” ◦ Visitation and Funeral prior to burial

But why is a Funeral or Memorial Service so Important? �Grief is your internal emotions. � Mourning is your outward expression of your grief. � “Your �It’s grief gone public” a shared social response to loss

A Funeral … Helps you gently embrace a new reality ◦ Helps you (especially a spouse) adjust to a new identity ◦ Allows for the first steps toward healthy emotional adjustment after a loss ◦ We must accept that a death has occurred before we can begin resolving our grief

Creating the Significance of our Loved One…. .

A Funeral … Allows for a final act of love ◦ Allows us to create the significance of our loved one and our loss ◦ Like a Baptism or Wedding, the “Rite of Passage” (service) allows us to recognize an important event that distinguishes our lives forever ◦ It commemorates life ◦ Allows family and friends to say goodbye

Ways to Create a Lasting Tribute

A “Themed” Memorial Service Tribute

A “Themed” Visitation & Funeral

Traditional or Non-Traditional…

Cremation Memorials

Cremation Urns, Keepsakes & Jewelry

A Funeral … �Helps you establish ongoing support ◦ Provides a “safe” environment to grieve ◦ Provides an opportunity for extended and sometimes unexpected family, friends and acquaintances to grieve and show you compassion, comfort and caring ◦ Some people are “safe” …. you just feel safe talking with them while you are grieving

Why Pre-Arrange? �Emotional Value. . . The burden on the survivors is enormous �Financial Value. . . Eliminates emotional overspending �Peace of Mind…You arrange what you think is best

Be Good to Your Loved Ones ◦ Emotional Value � The burden of your surviving family is enormous � Your survivors will have in excess of 50 decisions to make � Children commonly say, “ It’s one of the nicest things Dad did for us”

Focus on Your Family �Allow your family to focus on the wonderful ways to show significant someone was. �Not �The the financial aspects foundation of how to honor someone’s wishes is through a family’s active participation in creating a tribute

Financial Value �Statistics show that funerals, like everything else, more than double in cost every ten years. Stop inevitable inflation by paying today’s prices �Death can leave your loved one coping with financial pressures in addition to losing you �Eliminates emotional overspending

Financial Value �Allows you to pay “Over Time” �At the time of death, payment due in full �When you preplan…you can do it together �If you haven’t preplanned: ◦ ◦ Uncomfortable/embarrassing Can cause friction Can be an unexpected financial burden You may question yourself and other family members’ decisions

Be Good to You ◦ Pre-plan so that your wishes may be honored ◦ Your peace of mind will bring peace of mind to your family

Planning for your service…. Balloon Releases….

Planning for your service…. Military Honors – our Walk of Honor….

Planning for your service…. Dove Releases….

Planning for your service…. Special Urns. . .

Evaluate and prepare for Funeral Costs: �You MUST make a decision regarding these costs: ◦ Services from the funeral home –visitation, gathering, funeral service, or celebration of life, followed by cremation or burial ◦ Cemetery memorialization: burial space or mausoleum crypt, cremation niche, scattering garden, family garden estate, and memorial marker or monument ◦ Depending on type of service, merchandise items such as casket & vault or urn & urn vault ◦ Cash Advance items: newspaper tributes, clergy, flowers, musicians, Medical Examiner fee, and death

FAQs…Key Advice & Consumer Information You Should Know: �All Louisiana cemeteries and funeral homes are licensed, audited and inspected twice a year �All cemetery and funeral home contracts have been state approved � 100% Satisfaction Guarantee

FAQs…Key Advice & Consumer Information You Should Know: �Know Your Consumer Rights: ◦ GPL – required by FTC and by law to offer to you ◦ Burial Vaults – not required by law but by the cemetery ◦ Embalming is not required (Our funeral homes do require embalming for public viewing)

FAQs…. Key Advice & Consumer Information You Should Know: ◦ Yes, cremation requires approval of your death certificate by the Parish Coroner ◦ Only one person is cremated at a time

FAQs…. Key Advice & Consumer Information You Should Know: w All individuals must be in an alternative container at the least…. cremation caskets are popular as most people prefer to have a visitation or private viewing �But, do I have to buy a casket if I want a visitation or gathering? No – Choose a Ceremonial Casket

FAQs…Key Advice & Consumer Information You Should Know: ◦ No, Cremation doesn’t take longer, if you work with someone who doesn’t own their own crematory ◦ We use Trusted Partners that actually perform the cremation process. They employ only certified and licensed operators.

FAQs – Are all Crematories alike? �No! ◦ We Use Trusted Partners ◦ Certified Crematory Operator ◦ We have a strict ID Process ◦ Licensed by the State of Louisiana

An example of a crematory:

FAQs…. Key Advice & Consumer Information You Should Know: ◦ Yes, the Death Certificate and Burial Transit Permit are facilitated by the funeral home

FAQs…. Key Advice & Consumer Information You Should Know: ◦ Yes, you can “authorize” (“selfconsent”) your own burial and/or cremation ◦ Yes, if you do not provide your own consent prior to your death, your NOK must. And, if your NOK is your children, then they ALL must agree and consent (Yikes!)

FAQ… Do we have any Veterans? ◦ Funeral & Burial Benefits: � Flag � White House Certificate � Complimentary space at our cemetery � Burial marker provided � Active duty military honors

Veteran Tributes

Our Veteran’s Garden of Honor

Ask: Who Owns the Company? ◦ Family Owned �A deep commitment to upholding professional standards and providing personal service �Personal Pride - our business is a part of our home town �We’re building relationships so that your family and friends will return to us �We’re accessible…we’re your neighbors

At the end of the day…it’s all about understanding your wants, desires, needs and then creating the perfect tribute. I hope your perception of who we are and what we are willing to do has been enhanced. How do you feel?

◦ Ask Questions! ◦ Become informed consumers …congratulations for being here today! ◦ Make the “Business Decisions” (the financial decisions) the right way ◦ Complete a Personal Record Guide …Thank you for coming today and thank you for allowing us to share this critical and educational information with you! Al Simms (318) 221 -7181