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Bio-urns, funeral emcees to cater to changing consumer needs for funerals

SINGAPORE — To keep up with changing consumer demands and trends, funeral services and products have evolved in recent years as companies offer individuals and families more ways to deal with the death of their loved ones.

Retiree Lilian Chiang, 61, wants to prepare for her own funeral after the hassle of having to handle her younger daughter’s funeral in 2006. She does not see it as a taboo subject, compared to many in her age group. Photo: Raj Nadarajan/TODAY

Retiree Lilian Chiang, 61, wants to prepare for her own funeral after the hassle of having to handle her younger daughter’s funeral in 2006. She does not see it as a taboo subject, compared to many in her age group. Photo: Raj Nadarajan/TODAY

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SINGAPORE — To keep up with changing consumer demands and trends, funeral services and products have evolved in recent years as companies offer individuals and families more ways to deal with the death of their loved ones.

One new trend is the pre-planning of funerals, said founder of The Life Celebrant Ang Jolie Mei, who has been receiving five to eight such enquires every month since last year.

Said the 36-year-old, one recent request was from a 39-year-old woman who knows that her days are numbered. Instead of having a funeral service that she cannot participate in, the client opted to organise a “farewell party” where karaoke sessions will be held and her family and friends can share eulogies.

“She has requested that her friends share interesting stories and memories about her and at the same time, she will also take the opportunity to address to everybody by thanking them during her difficult time,” said Ms Ang.

This idea of pre-planning funerals has caught on not just among the terminally ill but also the healthy, she added, as more people want to put their affairs in order to avoid burdening their families with funeral decisions after they pass on. Some clients also want more say over their final journey.

Retiree Lilian Chiang began pre-planning her funeral - a “happy function” with white carnations on display - after her younger daughter died of lymphoma in 2006. Most of her circle of friends are less “pantang” (superstitious in Malay) and are open to the idea, she said.

“I can tell (my family beforehand), then they will have an idea (of what I want, so they) don’t need to think hard what does mummy like,” said the 61-year-old who still has a daughter. “The last day (of my funeral) can be on a weekend, so it (is) convenient for people to send off”.

With consumers becoming more environmentally conscious, some overseas trends have also sparked local interest. For example, Ms Ang has received “many” requests from clients pre-planning their funerals to be buried in biodegradable urns that she sought — successfully — to become the sole distributor of the product in Singapore with two orders received to date.

A biodegradeable urn which can hold human ashes can be combined with a seed that will grow into a tree when planted. Photos: Raj Nadarajan/TODAY

Known also as “tree” burials, human ashes are combined with the seed of a tree in a biodegradable pot, which can grow into a tree. Thus the deceased becomes one with the soil, does not take up cemetery space and can be planted right at home.

Personal touches are also becoming more popular in funerals, with companies introducing touches such as funeral emceees, “wishing trees” and eulogy services as part of their packages.

In the last two years, Direct Funeral Services introduced a “memory board” and a “wishing tree” as part of its funeral packages to allow families to commemorate the dead beyond the traditional funeral rites.

For instance, on a “memory board” supplied by the company, family members can stick photographs of themselves and their loved one who has passed on.

“When guests come they can actually have a look at how the deceased’s life was, rather than what it was like in the past, you go to a wake just pay your respects, but you don’t really know much about the deceased,” said Direct Funeral Services managing director Jenny Tay, 31.

The “wishing tree” allows guests to write their final messages on a piece of heart-shaped paper to the deceased and hang them on a small potted plant.

“It’s a personal touch for families to get involved and write their well wishes or the memories that they shared (with the deceased) … when families of the deceased see the well wishes, it’s very moving for them also,” Ms Tay added.

At Singapore Casket, family members are encouraged to give eulogies to their loved ones during the funeral. To help those who are interested in the idea but not keen to deliver the speeches themselves, the company started training its funeral supervisors from last year to be emcees to help families pen and deliver the speeches, said its senior marketing and customer service manager Calvin Tang.

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