Planning & Resources
Death and Loss Are Difficult
END-Of-LIFE PLANNING SHOULDN’T BE
Whether you are planning for end-of-life care decades in advance, planning for imminent care, or you and your family need our services now, we are here to answer any questions and guide you through this difficult time. We Are Here 24/7.
If a death is unexpected, please call 911. Emergency services will arrive, assess the situation, and notify the County coroner. At this time, please contact Endswell by calling 919-907-9777 or completing our Make Arrangements Now form.
If death is expected soon and your loved one is at home or in the hospital, please inform hospice, your social worker, or your nurse about the family’s end-of-life plan. Let everyone involved know that you have chosen Endswell Funeral Home, so they can keep us informed. We will be ready to take your loved one into our care.
When a death occurs, please call us directly and we will be here to answer any questions and help in any way we can, at any hour.
Endswell offers aquamation, cremation, and green burial. We take care of every aspect of the process. At Endswell, there is no upselling, no hidden fees, and nothing unexpected.
We do not pressure you with pre-need contracts. However, we are here to help you plan your arrangements in advance so you and your family know that everything will be taken care of at the time of death. Planning ahead unburdens loved ones from additional stress and gives families the opportunity to focus on what matters.
Losing a loved one can feel paralyzing. Endswell is here to answer any questions and help you plan and prepare both before and after the death occurs.
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Planning Ahead / Advanced Planning
Advanced planning can provide peace of mind for you and your family. Anyone can create a plan for after-life care at any stage of their life. When you plan ahead, you can prepare for every outcome, discuss your wishes openly, and create a plan based on your needs.
How You Can Plan Ahead
- Choose what you want to happen to your body: aquamation, cremation, green burial, or burial with embalming.
- Notify your family of your choices as well as what actions to perform after your death.
- Choose who you want to work with (Endswell or another funeral home).
- Consider a plan for a memorial service.
- Gather information for your obituary.
- Get organized: (Consider pets, pending financial matters, and any unfinished business).
After-Life Wishes
Consider writing down or discussing your after-life wishes with friends and family. How would you like your life to be celebrated, honored, and remembered? This may include photo albums, legacy projects, exit parties, celebrations of life, and funeral and memorial planning.
Mental Health
Consider talking to a professional about how you feel. This time in your life can feel overwhelming. Resources include social workers, religious and spiritual groups, psychiatrists, group therapy, books, and online resources.
Legal and Financial Matters
Legal considerations include:
- advanced directives
- last wills and testaments
- estate planning
- power of attorney
- bank accounts
- life insurance
- and much more…
Don’t hesitate to contact an attorney or a CPA for legal and financial questions.
Practical Matters
Downsizing, plans for pets, digital accounts, and end-of-life housing arrangements are all important considerations for you and your family.
Comprehensive Planning Checklist
- Please visit our End-of-Life Planning page to review what your family will need to do after your death.
- Contact Endswell anytime to answer questions and help you with advanced planning.
- “End-of-Life Planning Checklist: A Guide to the 12 Documents You Should Consider” Freewill
Planning Now / Immediate Need / End-of-Life Planning
Endswell is here to answer any questions you have about end-of-life planning. For immediate needs, please contact us anytime to make arrangements or inquire about our services.
The following resources are for individuals and families who need to plan for imminent death.
Hospice
Hospice focuses on the palliative care of terminally ill patients. LEARN MORE If you or your loved one is in need of hospice care, please consider contacting one of the local organizations listed below. Note that all hospices also have bereavement services available to the public.
LOCAL HOSPICES
The following resources and articles can help answer questions about what to do when a loved one dies.
Considering your options for environmentally friendly final disposition
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AQUAMATION
GREEN BURIAL
Death Awareness and Death Positivity Resources
Life Celebrants and Death Doulas
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Life Celebrants and Death Douals are available both before and after death. They assist with vigils, rituals, celebrations, and they provide support for individuals and families the end of life and at the beginning of the grieving process.
Grief and Family Resources
- Hospice is one of the best resources for grief support.
- For support groups, we recommend Griefshare.