FERGUS – Planning a funeral during a time of grief is no easy feat but planning one during a pandemic added new challenges to families, and to the businesses that provide funeral services.
Graham A. Giddy Funeral Homes is among the businesses that have felt the weight of the pandemic and had to find ways to adapt.
The Fergus business, owned and operated by brothers Rob and Scott Giddy, also has locations in Elora and Waterloo.
The homes provide a variety of services, including burial services, cremation services, memorial services and celebrations of life.
Pandemic impact
With gathering restrictions constantly subject to change over the last two years, the funeral industry has felt the impacts of the pandemic.
Scott Giddy noted that due to the strict public health restrictions that were in place, many families have opted not to have formal services when a friend or relative has passed.
“Many families felt they would plan something for the future when regulations were lifted but we are not seeing many of those families doing so,” he explained.
“After someone has experienced a loss, it is emotionally difficult to have to face that loss again, months or years down the road.”
He added the changing restrictions have also impacted how people were pre-planning for funerals and services because of the uncertainty of when the restrictions would be lifted.
Despite the continuous changes and levels of uncertainty, Giddy said the funeral home has found ways to adapt.
“One of the ways we and many funeral homes adapted was through the necessity of live streaming or the recording of funeral and memorial services,” he explained, adding the idea of offering services through a live stream was “all but unheard of before the necessity presented itself.
“Although live streaming or recording doesn’t provide the ‘real feel’ of the service, it does offer viewers the opportunity to confront the death and move closer to understanding and accepting the loss.”
As restrictions are easing in Ontario, Giddy said funeral homes have been seeing a return to families wanting services and celebrations.
“One of the most talked about subjects amongst funeral directors has been ‘I wonder if things will ever get back to normal after the pandemic is over?’” he noted.
“In my opinion, they are,” he said.
“Hopefully the past two years will just be an anomaly that we will look back on, and hope it doesn’t present itself again.”
Planning tips
A memorial service is something many people need but may have not thought about or planned ahead for, but Graham A. Giddy Funeral Homes may have some helpful advice.
“The general trends we are seeing is a move away from formal and solemn services, moving towards a lighter and more celebratory event,” Giddy explained.
“We definitely encourage families to think outside box and include a greater degree of personalization.”
His advice to families he meets with is “there is no right way or wrong way to what we are planning.
“Whatever you envision and plan is the right way for you and your family and friends.”
For someone going into the planning stages of preparing for a funeral, Giddy said the home suggests that people take the necessary time to gather as much information as they can.
This includes visiting the funeral home for consultation and going home to think about the choices before committing to a plan, he explained.
“We also encourage people to talk with their families and friends to get their opinions and insight,” he said.
