Since 1933, Gilbert MacIntyre & Son has provided funeral and burial services to the community. The family business has seen many changes over the years, including a growing shift towards celebrations of life.
Michael Labelle, Director of Pre-Planning, explains, “A celebration of life differs from a traditional funeral in that there is no religious aspect or mass. Traditional funerals are based around Catholic rituals. While a celebration of life can certainly include a spiritual or religious component, it is not the same. It’s more a tribute and it has a different atmosphere. The celebration is up to the family and how they want it to best honour the life past. It can be somber. It can be humours. It’s all about them.”
Life celebrations during COVID are highly dependent on the current government regulations. Gilbert MacIntyre & Son consults with the Bereavement Authority of Ontario (BAO) and keeps abreast of each reopening stage to ensure compliance with COVID regulations. They also sanitize the facility between events and provide adequate space for distancing.
How does Labelle see things changing after the pandemic has passed? He says, “People will hug again. People will extend physical contact. When you can’t hold your loved ones while mourning, it’s tough. Still, a celebration without contact is better than nothing and it does help with the healing and grieving process. We also expect a return of post-celebration receptions where people can gather for refreshments. We can’t do that right now.”
Another change is the higher rates of streaming the service. While this was already offered by the funeral home before the pandemic, more people are taking advantage of streaming since capacity restrictions are in place.
“I expect streaming will continue,” says Labelle, “but perhaps not at the current rate. People still value meeting up.”
As the Director of Pre-Planning, Labelle expects he’ll see more families going through the pre-need process – something already happening during the pandemic.
“When something like this crisis happens, you think about your mortality more,” says Labelle. “As a result, people realize they don’t have their affairs in order.”
Labelle got into the pre-planning side of funeral service because he loves helping people. “Basically, I deal in something that is inevitable,” he says. “I help people see the benefits of taking the responsibility of dealing with a funeral off their hands and doing it ahead of time. This provides peace of mind. I get a lot of couples that have recently mourned a death and realize how much work it is to complete the arrangements while also grieving. The average arrangement is 85 questions – but you can do it all ahead of time.”
He continues, “In addition to helping protect the survivors emotionally and financially, there are a host of other benefits. When you pre-plan, you make better informed decisions and avoid emotionally overspending. When people prearrange, there is protection for your money from consumer laws. The money is for your funeral, not for the funeral home. If the funeral home closes or goes bankrupt, your money is safe. If rates increase, you are locked in at the purchase price. You can pass away 20 years after your pre-plan is made, and not have a cost increase. Inflation is offset by the investment and if not, we make up the difference.”
Whether you are holding a traditional ceremony, a celebration of life, or pre-planning your arrangements, Labelle notes, “There is no right or wrong way to grieve. Everyone does it differently. If you have the support of your family, that is the best thing. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.”
Learn more about Gilbert MacIntyre & Son Funeral Home on their website.