Academy Staff Ready to Listen

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Funeral directors must be prepared to listen to what a family wants when organising a funeral service, then take care of all the details to make sure it happens just as they wanted, says Academy Funeral Services manager Wayne Lyons.

“There are so many decisions to make – where to have the funeral service, who should take the service, what music and readings to have, burial or cremation and where that should be, what flowers to have, and where to have the viewing. It helps to have an experienced professional on hand,” Wayne says.

Once the choices are made, Academy’s experienced and caring funeral directors assist with all the necessary arrangements so the family can be sure everything will flow smoothly, he says. Academy can also assist families wanting to pay for the funeral in advance.

As a member of the FDANZ professional body, Academy offers the FDANZ Funeral Trust bereavement plan which allows for payment by easy instalments of $20 a fortnight, or lump sum payments, which are exempt from asset testing for long-term residential care.

Academy’s role is to liaise with clergy and celebrants, doctors, hospitals, government departments, coroner and other officials, crematoria and cemetery authorities, so that the details are all taken care of.

The funeral director can also arrange music, an organist, place notices in the newspapers, provide vehicles, order family flowers, arrange the placement of ashes and memorials, and anything else required.

“Many families these days are opting to have the viewing of the body at home, although some prefer to have viewing at the funeral home,” he says. “Many people, of all ages, find that spending some time with the deceased before the funeral service helps to provide an acceptance of the death and assists with the grieving process.”

Wayne and his team enjoy speaking to groups, and say they welcome calls from local groups who would like him to come and talk to them about funerals and what is involved. Alternatively, he says, he is happy to show people around the chapel, reception area and viewing room at Academy’s premises on the Main South Road, Christchurch.

Academy has been serving the western Christchurch community for many years and supports many local community groups.

Find details about Academy Funeral Services here

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