When a loved one dies, it can be hard to imagine life without them in it. But somehow, life continues whether you are ready for it to or not. This fact is never more present than when we start a new year. But how do you move on when you’re grieving the loss of a loved one?

Moving on doesn’t mean letting go

When you are grieving it’s almost impossible to imagine life without your loved one. But as the days go by, you’ll see that daily activities resume, and people seem to be going about their lives. Work responsibilities return, children’s school and extracurricular activities require your involvement, birthdays and holidays are celebrated, trips are planned. Life is continuing without your loved one.

For many, there tends to be guilt tied to moving on. But continuing with your life doesn’t mean forgetting. It’s simply learning to live without that person in your everyday life and taking their memories with you. It’s your chance to pay tribute to your loved one and honor them as you begin the healing process of living without them.

You take their memories with you

While life continues, your desire to stay put can be stronger than ever for fear that you will forget not only the loved one you’re grieving for, but the way you lived your life with them in it. But part of the healing process tied to moving on is learning to live again – happily and productively.
It’s important to remember that while their constant presence will be gone, their memory and the love you shared will always remain. These memories and feelings will provide you the strength you need as you begin the next chapter of your life.

You do it in your own time, in your own way

No matter if your loved one died 4 years ago, 4 weeks ago or 4 days ago, the healing process is different for everyone. Some may be ready to take the next step into their new life sooner than others. There is no timetable and no rule telling you when to move on. Only you will know when you’re ready, keeping in mind that moving on doesn’t mean that your grief or pain is gone. Some days will be easier than others and some days will be especially challenging. The grief process is about learning to live again, and it doesn’t happen overnight. It’s more about moving forward […]

How can you get through the holidays after the loss of a loved one?

The holiday season is a time typically spent with family and friends. While usually seen as a joyous occasion and a time to reconnect, for those who have lost a loved one the holiday can also be a challenging one.

For those who are experiencing the loss of a loved one, the holidays seem to compound the grief and the sense of loss. How can you get through the holiday season without your loved one?

Every person grieves differently. The holiday season can bring this grief to the forefront. But one thing you should remember, especially during this time of the year, is that you’re the only one who can decide how best to handle your grief. Here are some tips that might make things a little bit easier:

1. Socializing may be the last thing on your mind. Sometimes being around those who care about you can help in the grieving process. Other times, being around family and friends without your loved one present can intensify the pain. You may choose to attend some events and not others. You may go to an event, only to leave immediately after your arrival. Whatever decision you make, don’t be too hard on yourself as there is no wrong decision.

2. Remember your loved one with a prayer or dedication. Light a candle in their memory.

3. Decide how you want to spend the holiday – do you want to keep with tradition or create a new one.

4. Shop early or shop online. Not only will this keep you out of the stores, where the holiday spirit is all around you, it will also take away some of the stress and anxiety tied to the holiday.

5. Tell a story or share a special memory. When you try to forget, it tends to only make things worse. Most likely you will not be the only person thinking of your loved one and the stories shared can help in the healing process.

6. Alter the routine – holidays are steeped not only in tradition, but repetition. Families tend to do the same types of things every year. Try something different this year and mix things up a little. It will take some of the pressure off everyone who is trying to re-create an event that will never be the same again.

7. Remember that you are not alone. […]

The period following the death of a loved one is a difficult time.  There are many decisions to be made, and navigating all the options available to honor the life of a veteran can be confusing.  That’s where Accu-Care comes in.  Planning a funeral or memorial service for a veteran who has chosen cremation comes with its own set of questions, our veteran’s specialists will help guide you through the process.

What cremation benefits do veterans receive?

The specific benefits awarded a veteran vary based on several factors including the years of service, and whether they died while on active duty or after the completion of their service.  Accu-Care’s specialists explain these benefits with compassion and respect.

The cost of a cremation and an urn is not covered by veteran’s benefits, nor is transportation.  For those families who wish to have a grave marker, that is provided, however, a spot for placement is only provided at a national military cemetery.  Placement of a military provided grave marker at a private cemetery may come at an additional cost.

Where can military honors be performed?

Many families who choose cremation question where exactly they can have military honors bestowed upon their loved one.  The good news is that the honors can be performed just about anywhere.  Accu-Care can assist with all the arrangements to ensure your veteran receives all the honors their service deserves.

Honors include the playing of Taps and the presentation of the flag by a representative of the veteran’s branch of service.  Accu-Care helps arrange these items and others such as scheduling and obtaining your Presidential Certificate.

Why is Accu-Care my best option?

A former marine who served in the middle east operates Accu-Care and has a deep understanding of how to provide the compassionate and respectful service veterans and their families deserve.  We guarantee the lowest cost cremation services in the Southern California and Arizona areas and have worked closely with the Department of Veterans’ Affairs for over 20 years. We allow you to focus on what’s most important, grieving your loved one. We manage the details of arranging the cremation and military services.

We have specialists available 24 hours a day to answer your questions and ease the transition for you and your family.

As evidenced by the rapidly increasing popularity of cremation, most people possess at least a familiarity with the practice. Where we at Accu-Care Cremation & Funerals find confusion enters into the conversation is when they must decide between a traditional cremation and a direct cremation. Today, we will discuss direct cremation and how it may be the best option for your friend or loved one.

As a friend or family member of one who is recently deceased, the end-of-life arrangements may have fallen to you. Never is this more true than when, for whatever reason, preplanned arrangements have not been made. It is in this situation that most people begin their research and learn about direct cremation and its many benefits over a traditional cremation.

To begin, a direct cremation is usually preferred for individuals who live in a location different than many of their family members. Due to the logistics in having distant family members and loved ones travel out for a traditional cremation ceremony and memorial, it is usually easier to opt for a direct cremation and then later transport the remains to a more accessible location for a memorial service at a later date.  […]

It is true that we at Accu-Care focus our attentions on attending to families and individuals who require an immediate cremation for a friend or family member who had not preplanned their own cremation arrangements. However, we are addressing in this blog post a cremation trend that is growing, not just here in the United States, but across the globe. More and more people are choosing cremation as a way to keep their pets with them after they have died.

According to the Cremation Association of North America, an advocacy group that highlights the advancement of cremation in Canada, Mexico, and the United States, the pet memorialization market is one of the fastest growing segments of the industry in both Canada and the United States. As demand continues to increase for this service, more and more traditional cremation providers are exploring if and how they should responsibly offer it as a service they provide.  […]

If a friend or loved one has died and the responsibility for the next steps has fallen to you, you may be wondering how to proceed. This resource is available for those who know that the deceased intended to be cremated.

1. Report the Death – Care facilities, (like nursing homes, hospitals, and hospice care), have trained professionals to handle this. If the deceased passed at home, contact their cremation provider, if one has been chosen. If no other options are available, call 9-1-1.
2. Inform the Family – If the deceased is not related to you, you will want to reach out to any surviving relatives to inform them of their passing. If there are no surviving relatives, a well-written notice should be prepared for a printed obituary to inform other friends and acquaintances.
3. Decide on a Service – Depending on the deceased’s wishes, you can select among a funeral or memorial service. The primary difference is that a funeral is held before cremation where a memorial is held afterwards.
4. Plan the Service – The cremation provider you select for an at-need cremation will be happy to guide you through the details of planning a service for your friend or loved one.

[…]

The current California drought crisis is receiving a lot of attention right now. With the revelation by NASA that our water reserves are at an all time low, (with just one year of stored water left), everyone, from city planners to agricultural scientists to the highest levels of state government, is hurriedly exploring actions that can be implemented immediately to spare the state from the catastrophic human and economic consequences of this desperate situation.

The land that we build upon, bury in, and use for agriculture is similar to the sponge you have at your kitchen sink. In the best of times, it is moist and pliable. As it experiences less and less water, it begins to contract upon itself, receding from its healthy state to a shallower, more brittle landscape, marked by cracking and unsightly pock marks. Any California homeowner whose residence is built upon a concrete slab foundation has likely already witnessed the steady recession of the land immediately surrounding it, often leading to unsettling and cracking of the foundation. […]