Whenever a family member or close friend passes on, it is natural to experience grief and sadness. However, apart from going through your emotions, you could also be the person tasked to handle such funeral matters after their demise.
If you are tasked with the responsibility of arranging a funeral in Singapore, we understand you would want to give the best funeral service for your departed loved ones. To facilitate your process, here’s a list of things you need to cover:
1. Take immediate action after death
This is usually the most challenging as you are still struggling in coming to terms with the situation. Especially if their death was unexpected.
You need to make the first call and inform the appropriate people like close family and friends, religious leaders and authorities where necessary.
If the death occurs in a hospital, the Certificate of Cause of Death (CCOD) will be issued by the hospital.
2. Preparations a few days after a death
After obtaining the CCOD, you can use it to register the death at a neighbouring police post or the Citizen Service Centre. Bring the deceased’s ID and yours along as well as the CCOD for the registration.
Register their death to get the necessary permits for burial or cremation, whether it’s a Christian funeral, a Buddhist funeral or other religious funerals.
3. Arranging the funeral
Before you move to start organising the funeral, check if the deceased has planned their funeral arrangement in advance so it can save time. If there was no plan previously indicated, reach out to a preferred funeral home from the Association of Funeral Directors in Singapore to assist you.
Check with the family if they’ll hold a memorial service and of their religious inclinations. Draw up a guest list and choose the location for the funeral. Make sure when planning to keep in mind of their religious rituals.
Next, you can browse on the funeral packages and what funeral services are covered. Discuss with your funeral provider on what are included in the packages, and if you have any special requests.
4. Choosing cremation or burial
If the deceased will be cremated, the funeral home will help to book a date and time slot for the cremation. For the Buddhists and Taoists, they may also need to choose a preferred crematorium, as they have the option of either the government-operated Mandai Crematorium or a private crematorium operated by a temple. If the deceased will be buried, identify a suitable cemetery and complete the necessary transactions through the funeral home.
5. Post-Funeral
If you have plans for the wake or reception after the funeral, you can hold it at an event hall or even at home to mourn the passing of your loved one. It also gives the opportunity for friends and relatives to gather and provide support for the close family. You can arrange a small catering for the people attending and include special touches into the arrangement of the reception, such as a simple display of photos or video recordings of the deceased.