Beyond Streaming Services: Three Ways Technology Can Benefit Families Navigating End-of-Life Matters

When a family loses a loved one, the little details can bring comfort to a family. Throughout their interactions, funeral directors provide a personal touch to help families navigate the difficult time.

To some, technology may seem impersonal, the opposite feeling than what a funeral director or cemeterian wants to create for a family. Many are excited to learn that technology can enhance connection between family and funeral home, providing a unique layer of personalization and communication to supplement in-person care.

Here are three opportunities technology can benefit families navigating end-of-life matters:

1. Create Engagement Opportunities
   
   Outside the industry, “streaming” is often synonymous with Netflix or one-way content consumption. Helping others be present for a family is an important way to provide support. Technology can present unique virtual experiences that allow a funeral home and supporters to engage with families.
   
   Similar to signing a registration book at an in-person service, one opportunity is to enable a virtual guestbook for virtual service attendees. Features such as this enable virtual attendees to ensure families know they were they and leave personalized messages for the family.
   
   Additionally, leading streaming services offer two-way streaming. This facilitates the opportunity for an attendee to eulogize a loved one from anywhere, a huge benefit in today’s global world. It also allows for virtual arrangement meetings, enabling families to include members who may not be able to be in-person attend the arrangement meeting and participate in key decisions.

2. Offer Instant Feedback Moments
   
   Planning a funeral can be an overwhelming time for many families. Technology presents opportunities to help set expectations in real-time, reduce confusion, and visualize specific service elements or keepsakes.
   
   Funeral directors can use programs to help show families what the prayer card and service folder will look like. Helping them see these beautiful tributes in printable formats enables them to feel at peace knowing one decision is taken care of. 
   
   Enabling programs such as automated aftercare personalizes ongoing support and shows continued care at key moments, including the anniversary of passing others may not consider. Imagine sending a message around the 15 day mark, helping a family understand how to order more death certificates, right around the time they realize they may need another copy. The immediacy of feedback and process provides a support to help families planning and well beyond the service.

3. Reduce Stress
   
   For a family navigating end-of-life, grief, family pressures, decision making, and many other factors are likely to increase stress levels. Technology can provide services to help coordinate efforts to remove part of the strain.
   
   FuneralPlan(™) and other comprehensive tools help families stay organized. Resources like FuneralPlan arrange all funeral-related information in one place. Simple to share, supporters can find the information online or families can email it, so that families do not have to answer the same questions over and over. Supporters can easily find service information, send a condolence gift, or provide a contribution.
   
   Connecting systems through integrations can eliminate data duplication, reducing time and stress for a funeral director. Funeral directors can spend more time focused on families and meeting their needs, rather than administrative functions, to provide additional support and services.

Each of these opportunities adds personalization to a family’s experience and helps the funeral home extend the relationship beyond the service. The right technology can serve as a bridge to more communication and enhanced family care, helping families navigate this difficult time.