Spring is almost here, bringing with it warmer weather and renewed hope that the COVID-19 pandemic will soon be behind us. It's hard to believe it has been a year since our world turned upside down, and, with more than 500,000 deaths in the United States alone, it's difficult to forget the impact this pandemic has had on millions of people. Nor should we forget.
The March 2021 Remembering A Life Community Digest is all about ways you and your families can honor the lives of the people who have died during the past year, whether by having a memorial service after the pandemic, reflecting on memories, or simply lighting a candle in the window.
New Podcast! Listen in!
We're thrilled to announce Remembering A Life has launched a podcast! The first episode features Dr. Sara Murphy speaking about the losses experienced by so many people during the pandemic. She also does an excellent job explaining the importance of having a post-pandemic service to honor the life of a loved one who died during the past year. Please take some time to listen to this first episode and share it on your firm’s social media channels - these are the messages your families need to hear now.
Visit www.RememberingALife.com/podcast to listen!
Make it Work for You
1. Listen to the March podcast - part one!
2. Mark your calendar for March 24 so you can be among the first to listen to part two!
3. Share each podcast on your Facebook or Twitter platform - either by sharing Remembering A Life posts or linking directly to the podcast.
Free Conversation Guide for Funeral Directors
For thousands of families who experienced the death of a loved one during the pandemic, having a service after the pandemic can be an important opportunity to gather, mourn together and begin to heal. Some families, however, will struggle to see the value in having a service weeks, months or even more than a year after the death. Whether they "don't want to relive the pain," think it will make grieving more difficult or simply think it would be easier to just move on, families may push back on your suggestion that they plan a service.
A new conversation guide, designed exclusively for NFDA members, provides you with strategies to have this very important conversation - and the "If they say this, then say this" format makes it easy.
Make it Work for You
1. Download this free conversation guide. (Members: Find it in the COVID-19 Information Hub: Communicating with the Public – be sure you are logged in!)
2. Review the guide in advance of meetings with families.
3. Adapt answers as appropriate for each family and put into your own words.
Free Social Media Toolkit
As we mark the one-year anniversary of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have an opportunity to honor the lives of the people who have died during the past year. This series of posts invites families to keep their loved one's memories close during a time when it has been challenging to gather and say goodbye.
Make it Work for You
Visit Social Media Toolkits for Members and ...
1. Download this month's social media toolkit and schedule the posts on your Facebook page.
2. Browse toolkits for previous months and download as many posts as you like!
3. Download Bonus Content social media posts with links to free resources your families can use today!
Free Download for Families
As a funeral professional, you know better than anyone how the pandemic has affected families’ abilities to say goodbye and begin to mourn following the death of a loved one. Many will feel long-term effects of not being able to gather with family and friends to support each other, share stories and honor the life of the person they loved.
Still, it’s never too late to honor a life, and there are many options to do so in the future, once it is again safe for family and friends to gather. A new, free guide helps families through the process of planning a service in the future – and how an NFDA-member funeral home can help them create a meaningful tribute.
Make it Work for You
1. View the guide on the Remembering A Life Free Resources Page.
2. Link to the guide on your website or in your e-newsletter.
3. Post a link on your Facebook page using our Free Resources Bonus Social Media Posts.
Sign Up Now and Get Free Resources in Your Inbox!
Looking for free resources you can easily download and share with your families? Interested in connecting with your families and community in new, innovative ways? Want to learn more about NFDA’s Remembering A Life consumer outreach initiative and discover creative ways to use it? Interested in winning Remembering A Life resources?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, sign up to receive NFDA’s new free Community Digest. Each month, you'll receive a digest of the tools and resources that will help you engage with the families you serve and within your community at large.