Should You Have A Visitation Before Funeral Services?

When you work with funeral homes in Morton, PA, there are lots of options to consider. You are going to want to move toward whatever feels best to you. Many families like to go with a traditional route, where you have a visitation, then a funeral, then a burial service. However, you don’t have to have a visitation service before the funeral. Which direction should you take? Here are a few options to consider. 

What The Visitation Is 

A Visitation service is more of an open house. You give a range of hours, like 1-4, for example, where people can come and go, see your loved one, comfort you, and pay their respects. People generally come and stay for 20-30 minutes while immediate family is there the whole time to greet and welcome guests. During the visitation, your loved one is present in their casket and more often than not, it’s an open casket. People can see them, say their goodbyes, and get the closure they need. The casket can be closed, but that’s not the norm. 

Where To Hold It 

Viewings or visitations are almost always held in the funeral home’s facilities. They have a great location with plenty of room and space for such things. You could consider having it in your local church as well, especially if that is where you are going to have the funeral service. 

Allow Closure 

When you have a visitation service for a loved one, you allow closure opportunities for your family and even friends. Everyone has the chance to see your loved one in their casket and that will help them to recognize that the person is gone and they are not coming back. Saying those final goodbyes can also be very important. People can approach the casket and actually say goodbye to the person’s face. 

Gain Family Support 

When you see the people who show up for the visitation, you are gathering support around yourself and other family members. Your immediate family will likely be at the visitation throughout the service, but other family and friends can come and go. When you see your friends show up for you, you get that support you need to get through these hard times. They might not all come to a funeral, but to a visitation, which is more casual, they might want to come and lend their support. 

Share Memories 

While things are quiet and somber at a funeral, you can talk and tell stories at a visitation. This service is a great time to share memories and talk about your loved one. Guests can even learn things they didn’t know about your loved one before. You might as well. 

If you are trying to figure out what you want to do for a loved one with funeral homes in Morton, PA, the professionals are there to help you through the service planning and implementation process. It’s nice to know you have that professional support throughout that process. Visit our specified webpage for more information!