Preparing for the Arrangement Conference After a Death in Lakeland or Winter Haven

Lakeland Florida Cremation Services

When most of us think of a conference, we think about a group of sports teams, a big meeting featuring keynote speakers and everyone wearing name tags. But when it comes to an end-of-life arrangement conference is when plans are made for cremation.

If you haven’t attended an arrangement conference, there can be anxiety leading up to the meeting due to not knowing what to expect. Understanding what will occur goes a long way in making the arrangement conference less scary.

An arrangement conference is a coordination and meeting where initial decisions are made about cremation. It is time set aside for those wishing to be part of planning to meet with the cremation provider. And, the more prepared a family is for the meeting, the better and more productive it will be.

Cremation providers normally begin by collecting facts about the loved one if they were not already provided including specific information for documents such as the death certificate, obituary or other published notices. If possible, the facts about the deceased should be brought to the arrangement conference unless they were provided during a pre-planning meeting or phone conversation.

There is specific information required by the Department of Vital Statistics for deaths occurring in Florida even if you are arranging a simple cremation.

  • Full Legal Name including any suffix (Jr., III, etc.)
  • Birth Date
  • Birth Place (City, State)
  • Social Security Number
  • Spouse’s Full Name (including Maiden Name), if applicable
  • Father’s Full Name
  • Mother’s Name (including Maiden Name)
  • Home Address
  • Highest Education Level
  • Professional Industry
  • Occupation
  • If the deceased was a veteran
  • Race
  • Photographs (electronic versions are typically preferred.
  • Organizations they were involved in (churches, clubs, volunteer work)
  • Education history (including names of schools, years attended)
  • Military service details
  • Work history

Also, we must establish who has the legal right to approve the cremation. This would normally be a spouse. If there is no spouse, it would fall to the all of the children. If there are numerous children, one of them could slow the process considerably. If no spouse or children, then all siblings. This is why that it is so important that the deceased themselves sign their own cremation authorization prior to their death.

Be ready to receive information, as well as giving it. The staff at Gilley’s Family Cremation will assist the family in making decisions about the cremation and explaining any other details.

  • Ask questions. There are no insignificant questions, especially at this time. Be sure to feel comfortable with the decisions being made and understand what is involved.
  • If needed information requested at the time of the conference is missing, don’t worry. It can be provided after the meeting.
  • Take notes. Many people think they will remember it all but when they get home, there are details they have forgotten.

Arrangement conferences are a valuable part of arranging cremation. If pre-planning did not occur, it is when all of the important decisions about the cremation are made.

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