Resources
Resources & Links for More Information
What To Do When You Can't Afford a Funeral
Advice from Josh Slocum, former FCA executive director
"The most important thing to remember is that a meaningful, heartfelt memorial doesn't need to cost more than your family can afford. Whether you spend $600 or $10,000, you'll love and miss the deceased just as much. It's the coming together of family and friends to laugh, cry, and love each other that makes a funeral meaningful, not the amount of money it costs.
And this is crucial: there is no charity or government organization that will pay off any debt you've accrued if you arrange a funeral that's beyond your means. It's your family's responsibility to spend within its budget. Funeral homes are not required to let you pay in installments; many these days are asking for payment upfront. While this might seem frustrating, it's a responsible business practice and it prevents many grieving people from falling into a financial trap when they're not thinking clearly. Sweating the monthly bills six months after the death because the funeral payments are high does not, I assure you, help lift the burden of grief."
There are some suggestions for creative ways to economize, and otherwise pay for funeral or memorial expenses on the FCA website.
Advance Planning
A 2-paged checklist of things to do for pre-planning from Death With Dignity
"Before I Go You Should Know" - An editable, printable workbook from the Funeral Consumer Alliance for $9.99 on their website. A place to record everything your survivors will need to know to be able to handle your estate and carry on.
Compassion and Choices - A non-profit that educates, empowers, and advocates for expanding end of life options, including physician aid in dying.
Out Of The Box End-of-Life Planning - a compassionate, new approach to End-of-Life planning
Funeral Consumer Alliance - over 25 printable informative pamphlets available. Topics include: Green Burial; How to Plan a Memorial Service; Common Funeral Myths; Organ and Body Donation; Veterans Bureau
Compassion & Choices - a legislative body that supports Medical Aid in Dying legislation, state by state.
Price Comparisons & Affordability
Our Colorado Price Comparison Sheet - Here you can find our collection of data about pricing and services from funeral service providers in Colorado.
Parting.com - This site allows you to search and compare Funeral Homes prices and services by state and area of state.
“How to Arrange a Home Funeral” - An article by Funeral Consumer Alliance
"How to not break the bank paying for your funeral services". - An interview, headed by Mark Koebrich of Channel 9 News. The interview, conducted by Koebrich, highlighted our own Funeral Consumers Society of Colorado, featuring Board member Jill Ross, and one of FCSC's Contract Providers, Jim Stork.
“What to Do when someone dies” - pdf for printing.
For Families
“What to do when someone dies” - pdf for printing.
Bureau of Vital Statistics: Colorado Department of Public Health and the environment - a place to get vital records (birth certificates, death certificates; marriage, divorce, and other vital records.
Link to be able to order death certificates – needed in many post death transactions.
Heavensmaid - A service company that cleans gravesites and delivers flowers in all fifty states.
Body Donation Resources
ScienceCare - A body donation organization that only works with researchers and educators. They also do free cremation/file papers and return remains.
State Anatomical Board of the State of Colorado - University of CO @ Denver, receives donated bodies for the purpose of education and research
Lone Tree Medical - an organization that receives body and organ donations for medical research. They will pick up bodies at no charge.
Donate Life Colorado - to sign up to be a tissue/organ donor.
Donors Alliance - a non-profit organ and tissue procurement organization.
Donating Pacemakers - article on donating your pacemaker
Dementia
Dementia Values and Priorities Tool - this tool is to help early-stage dementia patients make clear decisions about the course of their care/illness for the benefit of their loved ones.
Dementia Decoder - this decision tree/ checklist process helps guide you in your control of the future course of treatment and your end of life choices.
Compassion & Choices Values Tool - this tool helps a person create a Dementia Directive to add to their Advance Directives.
COVID-19
How to Grieve Loved Ones When Funerals Aren’t an Option - HuffPost Live
I’m a funeral director. The pandemic has made saying goodbye painfully lonely - Washington Post
COVID-19 and the dead: facts, not fear - Funeral Consumers Alliance