Make Your Funeral Home Visit Less Stressful With These Tips

Visiting a funeral home to attend the visitation of funeral service or someone who has recently passed away can be a stressful experience. On one hand, you're trying to manage your own grief, which can be considerable if you had a close relationship with the person, while you're also trying to provide comfort to the family and show your support. It's easy for this anxiety to increase if you're uncomfortable or unfamiliar with the experience of visiting a funeral home. You can often reduce this anxiety, however, by getting acquainted with some simple tips that can make the experience go more smoothly.

Don't Try To Say Too Much

If you're standing in line waiting to offer your condolences to the deceased person's immediate family and are feeling extremely anxious, you might be putting excess pressure on yourself to deliver highly polished remarks. Remember, though, that you aren't giving a eulogy. Your role in this situation is simply to say that you're sorry for the family's loss and let each member know that you're holding him or her in your thoughts. Your exchange with the family doesn't have to be long; in fact, it's often beneficial to keep the remarks short so other guests also have a chance to offer their condolences.

Keeping Your Visit Brief Is OK

It's stressful to attend a funeral visitation and not be sure how long you should stay. After all, it's easy to be concerned that leaving a little too early might make you appear insensitive. It's important to remember that a brief visit is perfectly acceptable. As long as you have a chance to meet with the family members and share your support, there's no need to remain at the funeral home. While the size of the gathering can often influence exactly how long you stay at a visitation, it's within reason to stay for about 15 minutes or slightly longer if you're speaking to other people who have attended the event.

Picking Your Outfit Isn't As Challenging As You Might Think

Many people get anxious over selecting their funeral attire, but customs have become less formal in recent years and you don't need to fret over ensuring that your entire outfit is black. In terms of what's suitable, men can wear everything from a suit to some dress shoes and a dress shirt. Women can wear a dress, skirt-and-blouse combination or slacks and a sweater. For either gender, subdued colors and patterns are ideal. Instead of black, you can safely opt for green, blue, brown and gray.

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