There are many different kinds of grief that people can experience after the loss of a military service member and a cremation service in Clarksville, TN, including prolonged grief. Prolonged grief is when you continue to feel overwhelming or debilitating feelings of sadness and mourning over a loss that happened several months or years in the past.

This kind of grief is very common when you lose a very close loved one, like a child or a spouse, and is sometimes referred to as Prolonged Grief Disorder because of its devastating effects on health, mental state, and overall wellness. Here are some fast facts on prolonged grief to help you better understand the condition and its impact on someone going through a loss:

1. Prolonged Grief Disorder is a real diagnosis – Prolonged Grief Disorder, or PGD, is a real diagnosis recognized by the World Health Organization and most mental health professionals. It’s defined through symptoms, their severity, and their length. In fact, PGD is well on its way to being classified as a mental disorder. It has been suggested for inclusion in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, or the DSM.

2. The symptoms of PGD vary – The symptoms of prolonged grief include difficulty accepting the loss, irritability, loss of trust in others or oneself, and numbness to emotion as well as extreme anger or bitterness, loss of self-identity or self-worth, loss of purpose or direction, debilitating or unreasonable fear of more loss, overreactions to minor losses or issues, and fixation on the loss.

3. You can recover from PGD – While you may never “heal” from a loss, you can recover from prolonged grief disorder and be able to cope with the loss while living your life. The best ways to recover from the condition is to seek professional help, join a support group, and put an emphasis on your own personal stress and grief management.

4. Counseling goes a long way – One of the best ways to get through PGD is by seeking professional help early and often. Talking through your grief can help you accept it, which in turn can help you move forward in life. There is no shame in seeking help for any kind of mental distress, including grief.

5. Some people are more likely to experience PGD than others – Some people are predisposed to prolonged grief, such as parents who have lost a child, women, people who have lost someone suddenly or violently, and those that are already suffering from other hardships like divorce or depression.

6. Time doesn’t necessarily heal – The old adage “time heals all wounds” might be true for some, but it isn’t true for all people or all grief. In fact, for most people, grief over a loss is never fully “healed,” but rather it just becomes a part of life that they carry with them.

7. Prolonged grief isn’t just about death – People who have suffered other kinds of losses besides death can suffer from PGD. These losses can include loss of a job, divorce, or even loss of a dream.

Loss is never easy, but with the right support, you can get through prolonged grief. Do you want to learn more about grief, loss, military services, or Clarksville, TN cremation services? We are here to help. Call or visit us today.

Everyone dies eventually, so, no matter how uncomfortable it might be, it’s a good idea to be as prepared for the eventuality as possible. Your last wishes are your requests for what you want done after you die, generally regarding funeral or memorial arrangements and final disposition, and a last wishes document is how you can tell your loved ones what you want done after you die, from a cremation service to a funeral at a funeral home in Clarksville, TN.

Here are some common last wishes questions and their answers to give you more information on these important documents. To begin, what should you include in a last wishes document? Your last wishes can include anything you want, including funeral or cremation preferences and plans, body disposition preferences, obituary information, messages to your loved ones, requests for your final days, and personal information like where your will is. Some people also choose to include what they want for the time leading up to their death as well, like who they want to see, if they want to pass at home or at a care facility, or even what they want their surroundings to be like in a last wishes document.

Is a last wishes document the same as an advance directive? Advanced directives are legal documents that details someone’s wishes when they are terminally ill. Last wishes are not legally binding and deal more with how you would like to be remembered, what you would like to say to your loved ones, and other practical things.

How do you make a last wishes document? You don’t need to do anything fancy to write down your last wishes. The document should include your name, the details you want your loved ones to know, and who you want to tell them to. It can be a few sentences or several pages, typed and printed, or just written down in a notebook. Just be sure it’s kept in a safe place and that the people it addresses know about it and where it is.

Are last wishes the same as a will? Last wishes are not wills. Wills are legal documents that deal with your estate, belonging, or finances, while last wishes are non-legal documents that deal with the funeral or service arrangements. It also does not make sense to include your last wishes in your will as the will is generally read after the funeral, thereby making your last wishes useless. Finally, are last wishes legally binding? Last wishes documents are not legally binding, but most family members or loved ones at least feel morally obligated to see your wishes done.

It’s always best to be prepared. It’s also always best to tell your loved ones about these wishes in addition to writing them down. That way you can make sure they understand what you want, and they can ask any questions they may have.

We are here to help if you want to learn more about last wishes or Clarksville, TN funeral homes. Call or visit us today for more information on what we can do for you in your time of preplanning or of loss.

Your loved one has died, and they chose a cremation service in Clarksville, TN. What happens to the body after the death? How long before the cremation takes place? What happens after the cremation? Here are all the details of how a body is prepared for a cremation.

First, the funeral home or crematory picks up the body. After the death, the funeral home or crematory of your choice will usually pick up the body and bring it to the funeral home or crematory. Once there, it will be placed in a prep room or in refrigeration. Next comes service planning.

The bereaved will then meet with a funeral director or cremation provider to plan a service, if desired, and determine the cremation details. During this time, the body is kept in a refrigeration unit between 36 and 39 degrees to slow decomposition. If the deceased or bereaved chose direct cremation, the body will stay refrigerated till the cremation. If they chose a public viewing, the body will be placed in a prep room for embalming.

The cremation provider will then prep the body by removing all jewelry, pacemakers, or medical devices in order to prevent melting or explosions during the cremation process. Jewelry is returned to the family and medical devices are often recycled or returned to the family. If the family or deceased chose direct cremation, there is no other preparation required. If the family chose a public viewing, the body will be embalmed, bathed, dried, dressed, and put in a casket. Next comes identity verification

A family member or next-of-kin will complete and ID Verification form after preparation to signify that the body has been properly identified and is ready to be cremated or viewed at a service. Each facility and state have different procedures, but your funeral director or cremation provider will walk you through each step. Finally, there’s the cremation itself. After the body is identified and after any chosen service, the body is then placed in a cremation container.

Cremation containers can be solid wood caskets designed for cremation or corrugated cardboard boxes also designed for cremations. The cremation container with the body inside is then put into the cremation chamber and heated between 1400 and 2000 degrees for about two hours. Some crematories allow family members to view the cremation itself. If you wish to view the cremation, speak with your provider. After the cremation, the remains are cooled for about an hour and then processed through a machine that grinds remaining bones into powder. These powdered remains are returned to the family in an urn of their choice or in another kind of container.

This is only the basics of how a body is prepared for cremation. Do you want to learn more about the cremation process or Clarksville, TN cremation services in general? We are here to help. Stop by and pay us a visit or give us a call today for more information on what we can do for you in your time of loss.

No matter how unsettling or uncomfortable it might be, it’s important to know what happens to a body after a death if you’re planning a veteran’s cremation service in Clarksville, TN. Here is a breakdown of what happens to a body after death, from death pronouncement to final decomposition.

The first step is death pronouncement. The death pronouncement is when the person is officially declared dead by a medical professional. It can be different from the actual time of death as sometimes doctors are not present when the person actually dies. Instead, the death pronouncement is given after the doctor examines the body and determines that death has occurred. Next comes body transportation to the funeral home. After a death, someone has to notify the funeral home or cremation provider and then have someone come to the place of death and transport it to the funeral home or cremation location.

There’s also the option to preserve the body. Several ways bodies are preserved before a cremation service or funeral include refrigeration and embalming. Bodies are kept cold with ice, dry ice, air conditioning, or refrigerators. They can also be traditionally embalmed or eco-embalmed, which is a method that does not use formaldehyde.

Most people choose to have some kind of memorial event for their lost loved one. The most traditional events are viewings, visitations, and wakes. A viewing or wake is when the embalmed body is present, and a visitation may or may not have the body present. Viewings and wakes are also generally more religious than wakes. There are also traditional funerals, which are services in which the body is present in a casket. Funerals are also usually religious events held at funeral homes or churches. Families can also choose to less traditional and host a memorial. Memorials are services at which the body is not present, either because the body was cremated or because the body was already buried.

Lastly, there’s the service and the final disposition. The body’s final disposition is where the body will be put to rest. Whether the body is buried or interned in a tomb or mausoleum, the service for final disposition is called a committal. When a body is cremated and placed in an urn or scattered, the ceremony is called a cremation ceremony or a scattering service. There are many different ways to put a body to rest, but the most common include burial and cremation. Bodies can be buried in the ground at a cemetery, above-ground in a mausoleum, entombment in a lawn crypt, or naturally buried in other locations. Final disposition options for after cremation include cremation with burial in a cemetery, above-ground burial in a columbarium, scattering of ashes, and inurnment with the urn kept at home. There are also alternative disposition methods such as alkaline hydrolysis, burial or scattering at sea, and body preservation.

Do you want to learn more about the process, veteran’s services, or Clarksville, TN cremation services? We are here to help. Call or visit us to learn more about what we can do for you in your time of loss.

Use these ideas to soothe your pain and grief after the loss of a loved one, such as seeking help from a professional. After all, the death of a military servicemember, their cremation services in Clarksville, TN, and the subsequent grief will never be easy. However, there are ways you can help ease the pain and help yourself heal.

Speaking with a mental health professional like therapist or counselor can be very helpful and comforting in a time of loss and grief. If you’re unsure if you need to speak with a professional, take a moment to be honest with yourself and your situation. There is no shame in getting help. You also need to take care of yourself. It’s easy to let self-care fall by the wayside when you’re grieving. However, you shouldn’t add physical ailments on top of your mental pain. Take care of yourself by eating regularly and healthfully, getting plenty of rest, exercising when you can, sharing your feelings with others, and allowing yourself to cry.

Be aware of clinical depression and watch out for complicated grief. It’s natural to feel depressed after a loss. In fact, many common symptoms of grief are the same as those of clinical depression. However, there is a difference between grief and clinical depression, and clinical depression does require professional help. Be on the watch for signs of clinical depression like your sadness does not subside over time, you feel hopeless or even suicidal, as though life will never get back to normal, you’ve pulled further and further away from your friends and family, and no grief-coping strategies seem to have worked for you.

Complicated grief is when you’re unable to move on after a loss. While grief does not have a fixed duration, it does generally ease with time. Complicated grief, however, involves prolonged and painful symptoms that prevent you from accepting the loss and living a normal life again. If you feel you might have complicated grief, seek help from a professional.

Don’t forget to seek support. Feeling of loneliness are very common after a loss. In fact, they’re natural. While its noble to try to stand on your own during this difficult time, you don’t have to do it alone. In reality, its actually better to lean on others when you’re going through a loss. Try interacting with friends, family members, or other people in your community to remind yourself of the love, support, and positivity that surrounds you. If you can, fight the urged to isolate yourself. Even if you don’t want to talk about your grief, just spending time in silence with others can be helpful. If you’re not comfortable looking to friends or family for support, you can try a local support group.

We are here to help if you have more questions about grief or Clarksville, TN cremation services for your military servicemember. Remember, just as no two people will grieve the same way, not all of these tips will help everyone with their grief after the loss of a veteran. Do what works for you and what makes you feel healthy, happy, and that you’re moving towards healing.

Everyone will experience grief at one time or another, generally after the loss of a loved one and a cremation service in Clarksville, TN. However, sometimes people experience losses one right after another can lead to what is called “cumulative grief.”

Cumulative grief can occur when someone experiences more than one loss in a short period of time, causing the pain of each loss to compound each other into oftentimes overwhelming grief. The symptoms of cumulative grief include numbness, high blood pressure, sleeplessness, feeling overwhelmed, avoiding processing the losses, and processing one loss but not being able to process any others.

Here are fast facts about cumulative grief to help you understand this phenomenon and how you can get through it. To begin, all grief, even cumulative grief, takes time to work through. Don’t try and rush through the feelings even if it hurts as this may just leave you feeling overwhelmed. Don’t try to avoid the feelings, either, as they will continue to build up and cause more pain in the long run. Remember, it’s not shameful to seek help, especially since cumulative grief can affect your physical health.

Finding professional help, like a therapist or counselor, can go a long way towards easing you through cumulative grief. Grief can devastate you emotionally, mentally, and physically. In fact, it can raise blood pressure, increase the risk of blood clots, and even alter the heart muscle to mimic the symptoms of a heart attack. Age increases the risk of cumulative grief.

As people get into their 70s, 80s, and 90s, they oftentimes find themselves experiencing more frequent loss of friends, family members, and other loved ones. Substance abuse can also increase the risk for cumulative grief. People that use drugs or alcohol to numb grief oftentimes don’t fully feel their losses, putting them at greater risk for cumulative grief when they stop using the drugs or alcohol. Multiple loses can also heighten feelings. The simple nature of cumulative grief is that it’s hard. How could feeling the pain of multiple losses not be? As tough as feeling the heightened emotions all at once, it’s better than ignoring the feelings until they become too much to bear.

Grief is also cyclical. Grief, especially cumulative grief, is cyclical, meaning that one day you might feel better, but then the next you start to feel terrible again. This doesn’t mean you’re regressing or not making progress, it’s just part of the grief experience. This cyclical nature also means that you can make room for joy and happiness within your grief journey. After all, being happy does not negate the love you had for your lost loved one. Finally, cumulative grief isn’t just about death. While death is the most common cause of cumulative grief, it can also be caused by other losses like a change in friends, loss of identity, job loss, or a loss in future dreams or goals.

Do you want to learn more about grief or Clarksville, TN cremation services? We are here to help. Call or visit us today to learn more about what we can do for you in your time of loss.

Though it’s impossible to be completely prepared for the death of a loved one, you can be somewhat prepared by having a plan. Even though talking about death is never easy, these conversations are essential. It never will be easy to talk to your loved ones about their after-life plans for cremation services in Clarksville, TN. When you’re ready to have the discussion, you can use these questions to help guide you and make sure you get the information you need.

To begin, ask if they have a will. According to a study done in 2020 by Trust & Will, only 32% of all adults have a will or living trust, and only 36% of adults with children under 18. Wills are vital documents that make sure a person’s last wishes are followed in the event of their death. Create a will with your loved ones, or make sure that that have one of their own, and keep it in a safe but accessible place.

Don’t forget to ask about Powers of Attorney or Health Care Powers of Attorney. Power of Attorney is a document that gives a designated person the power to make legal decisions for another person if they become unable to make them for themselves. A Health Care Power of Attorney does the same, but for medical decisions instead of legal ones. These documents can be essential if your loved one is getting older or suffering from cognitive disorders like Alzheimer’s Disease or dementia. You also need to ask about financial information. Financial institutions are strict about giving people access to other people’s accounts, even if they are a spouse or close relative. That’s why it’s important for your loved ones to have their financial information written down and that you know where its kept. They should include sources of income and liabilities, accounts receivable, bank accounts, real estate, assets, securities, and personal property.

You should also discuss how they would like to be celebrated. Perhaps the most important part of the after-life discussion is how your loved ones would like to be remembered and celebrated. Do they want to be buried or cremated? Have a funeral, memorial, or celebration of life? Asking about this now ensures your loved one’s wishes will be honored after their death. Finally, ask about who will take care of their pets and what you should do with their online accounts. Most people love their pets like children and will therefore have specific wishes as to how they should be cared for upon their death.

Make sure these wishes are written down in a safe place. Some people choose to keep their online presence as a digital memorial upon their death, while others would prefer that their digital presence is removed. Either way, make sure you have a list of their online accounts and passwords so you’re able to carry out their wishes when they pass.

We are here to help if you have more questions about preplanning, or would you like more information on Clarksville, TN cremation services? Call or visit us today to learn more about what we can do for you in your time of loss or of preplanning.

Everyone wants their lost loved one’s service to stand out and be remembered for years to come. This is especially true if your lost loved one was a veteran. But it can be hard to impress people when you’re not exactly sure how. Are you looking to really honor the memory and life of your lost veteran with a memorable and unique celebration of life after a cremation service in Clarksville, TN?

Use these ideas to help make your lost loved one’s veteran’s service really stand out.

You can start with live streaming. Social media has another connection-boosting feature: live streaming. Almost every platform from Facebook to Instagram can live stream your celebration of life. Streaming also allows guests that can’t attend in person the chance to celebrate the life of your lost loved one. You can also make a grand entrance. Everyone loves to make an entrance, so make sure the gateway into the celebration of life is something to remember. Dress up your entrance with lots of decorations and unique touches to make it feel more special and memorable.

You can even create a unique hashtag that guests can use when posting so everyone can see the photos. You want people to never stop talking about your event, and what makes people talk more than art? Hang unique and thought-provoking art pieces at the celebration of life. They double as décor and conversation starters. You can also choose to hang large pictures from the deceased’s life as a way for guests to remember big moments. You can add a red carpet, flower wall, step and repeat, or a balloon walkway to make your event feel just like a celebrity award show. Or you can create a large photo collage of the deceased or make the entrance themed to something that he or she loved in life. What about photo opportunities and art? It’s no secret that social media is huge these days. Take advantage of the craze for your loved one’s celebration of life by creating Insta-worthy photo-ops. You can rent out a photo booth or just set up a corner of the space with a backdrop and props. Not only will these chances to take photos help your guests have fun, but they will also help create more memories of your lost loved one that will live on.

Don’t forget about food. People love food, so it’s not surprising that one the biggest parts guests remember of any event is the food. So, make sure your food really shines! Talk with your caterer to create a menu that focuses on fresh, local, and high-quality food, and don’t forget to include plenty of options for common dietary restrictions like gluten free, vegetarian, dairy free and vegan.

We are here to help if you want more assistance with creating a memorable celebration of life. We are a Clarksville, TN cremation service provider with the experience necessary to help you in your time of loss or of preplanning. Call today to learn more about what we can do for you.

Many people want to set up a monument to their lost loved one after a cremation service in Clarksville, TN, but can’t afford the more traditional structures. What can you do?

Memorials have long been used to memorialize the deceased. They are usually permanent fixtures like large headstones or statues however, there are other monuments that are just as special but more affordable. This list of ideas for affordable monuments can help you memorialize your lost loved one while staying on budget.

To begin, use your memories. Your memories of your loved one are always with you and are also completely free. Use your memories as a monument to the deceased by telling stories about them to younger generations and by asking friends, family and other loved ones to share their stories as well. Make these memories more permanent by asking people to write them down in a journey or, for more the more tech-savvy, making a video compilation of them telling their memories. What about pictures? Everyone has many pictures of loved ones, so it’s easy to use photographs as a monument when someone you love passes away. Simple framed photos and scrapbooks are equally meaningful and help you remember them.

What about making a mixtape? Music is very powerful and can help us work through difficult emotions. Make a playlist or a mixtape that reminds you of your lost loved one so you can listen whenever you’re thinking about them or you miss them. Don’t forget to share it with family and friends. You can also give to charity. One of the best ways to honor the deceased is to help their good legacy live on through charitable giving. Even a small donation will go a long way towards helping a cause that your lost loved one believed in or cared about. You can also write a memorial or repurpose belongings. Even if you’re not a gifted writer, it can still be meaningful to write some kind of memorial for your lost loved one. Try writing a poem, memoir, short story, or even just an essay about how you feel about their life and loss. You can repurpose almost any of your lost loved one’s belongings as memorial. For example, you can turn a shirt or blanket, pillow, or stuffed animal.

Or plant a memorial garden. Flowers, trees, bushes and other living things are always a beautiful reminder that life goes on and there can be beauty in the wake of loss. Plant a memorial garden for your lost loved one at home in your yard or work with your local authorities to plant a garden or even a tree in a public place. Finally, there’s cremation jewelry. Cremation jewelry takes part of the deceased’s cremains and turns it into jewelry that you can wear or carry with you at all times.

Do you want more tips on memorialization or information on Clarksville, TN cremation services? We are here to help. After all, these are just a few of the many ways you can memorialize your lost loved one without spending a large amount of money. Call or visit us today.

There are a lot of details that go into a memorial after a cremation service in Clarksville, TN. However, not every detail matters as much as others. There are some aspects of funerals and memorials that guests don’t really care about at all, but there are some that they care about a lot. In order to save you time and energy on planning your lost loved one’s service, here are the details that your guests actually care about. Use this list to help make your lost loved one’s service the best it can be!

To begin, people care about the flow. When it comes to any kind of even, even funerals and memorials, the “flow” refers to the way your guests move from moment to moment in the event. For example, from the service itself to the refreshments or burial. You don’t want to keep your guests waiting, so it’s important to optimize your flow by keeping your funeral director, celebrant, or any other person in charge appraised of your wishes and delays.

Don’t forget to focus on the date and tie. Your guests want to be able to come to your lost loved one’s service! When choosing the date, be mindful of holidays. Even though getting days off from may make it easier for them to travel, many people may want to use holidays for vacations or standing family reunions. When choosing the time, try not to make the service too early or too late. Having the ceremony at 9am might make it hard to guests to be ready, but a service at 9pm is later than others might want to stay up. The food at the service one of the most important aspects, so you need to make sure your catering is the best it can be. That means not only delicious, but also hot, fresh, and well-presented. Don’t forget about options for people with dietary restrictions.

The location is also important. Do your best to choose a location that’s as accessible as possible, whether that means keeping it close to home to minimize travel or ensuring it has wheelchair ramps or close parking for differently abled guests. Also, don’t forget to consider the weather if the venue you choose has outdoor options. You don’t want your guests to sweat through their black clothing or freeze in cold weather. Do your very best to talk with or say hello to every one of your guests. It can be tough to accomplish, especially if you have a big service, but it’s important to try so they feel appreciated for taking the time and energy to attend. Finally, focus on the service itself. The majority of funeral guests are at the event because they cared about the deceased. So, make sure the service honors and remembers the deceased in the best ways possible.

You shouldn’t waste your precious funeral or memorial planning time working on details that your guest won’t care about or even remember. We are here to help if you want more tips on planning or Clarksville, TN cremation services. Call or visit us today.