The 3 most important questions to ask before selecting a funeral home...

Transcription

1 The 3 most important questions to ask before selecting a funeral home... How do I honor the life of my loved one? Who can best guide our family through the grieving? Can I afford the service my loved one deserves? When it comes to funeral care, newspaper ads and TV commercials may tell only part of the story. The low quote approach used by some funeral homes is designed simply to get you in the door. Once you re inside, costs can rise significantly. And you may not get the attention to detail that you deserve. At family-owned Schoedinger Funeral and Cremation Service, we provide compassionate care and affordable services to each and every family we serve just as we ve done for more than 155 years. It s a legacy of care and trust you won t find anywhere else in Central Ohio. Creating Healing Experiences for Those Touched by Death Call (614) at any hour or visit

2 How do we honor the life of our loved one? Many funeral homes focus solely on price or disposition of the body. Others serve families with compassion. The best funeral homes provide a safe environment for families and friends to honor their loved one, share their grief and start the journey toward healing. At Schoedinger, we call it, healthy grieving. As the leading funeral professionals in Central Ohio, Schoedinger provides the services of our MourningStar certified funeral arrangers. These specially trained professionals work with you to create a unique service, rich with tributes and life stories, to honor your loved one s entire life. A permanent memorial stone or bronze plaque can be helpful in the grieving process by giving people a special place to honor their loved one. At Schoedinger Monuments, we offer all of the services necessary to create the perfect monument, from design to installation. Grief shared is grief diminished. Rabbi Earl Grollman Visit and select What We Do to learn more about honoring the life of your loved one.

3 Who can help my family through the grieving? The death of a loved one presents unique challenges to people of all ages. If left unaddressed, grief can lead to serious emotional, even physical, problems. At Schoedinger, our MourningStar certified funeral directors are trained to guide you through these difficult times before, during and after the actual service. For children, we created HUGS Healing, Understanding Grief and Sharing. This half-hour program is usually presented in conjunction with a service or visitation, using special literature and crafts to help young people express and share their grief in a healthy, loving manner. The HUGS program is offered to our clients at no additional charge. The focus is on children ages 8 to 18 at our family-oriented Camp Hope, set in scenic Logan County. We created this special, weekend retreat to help entire families grieve together, and to begin healing together. And everyone is invited to take part in Schoedinger s annual Candlelight Memorial Service. Each December, families from all walks of life come together to remember loved ones they ve lost over the past year. Schoedinger is honored to present this community-wide event at no cost. Visit and select Grief & Healing to view a video of the Camp Hope experience.

4 When comparing funeral prices, be sure to find out what s included and what isn t. The discount provider whose price looks so good in a newspaper advertisement or television commercial may not be telling the full story. So, ask questions. And use this guide to discover the Schoedinger Difference. Can I afford the funeral my loved one deserves? Types of Funeral Homes: A Direct Disposer may provide only a burial or cremation. A Discount Provider advertises low prices, but may charge extra for services normally taken for granted. A Typical Funeral Home usually competes on the quality of service they provide, but rarely addresses the healing needs of your family and the surrounding community. Beware of Hidden Costs! Make sure the funeral home you choose is up front about its charges for all services (removal, embalming, use of staff) and all merchandise (casket, vault, etc.). Prices for caskets and vaults, and the quality of those products, can vary widely from one funeral home to the next. Some funeral homes offer cash advances to cover items typically provided by a third party (cemetery plot, monument, clergy, florist, etc.). Some funeral homes will charge an additional fee for these advances. At Schoedinger, you can count on our professional staff to address every funeral detail, including your well-being. It s the highest level of affordable care you ll find. Service Provided Body Identification Fee Life Insurance Processing Interest Free Payment Plans Donation of Service Fee Satisfaction Guarantee Grants via Grief Care Foundation Advance Planning Price Protection Direct Disposer Service not available No Discount Provider Typical Funeral Home The Schoedinger Difference Varies Varies No Charge. All families can rest assured that their loved one is in our good care at this private viewing. With mark-up fee Varies Yes, and with NO mark-up fee. No No No Yes. We offer interest free payment plans. No No Maybe We offer our services free for children under 12, & for military, fire & police personnel killed in the line of duty. No No Maybe Yes. We will refund the cost of any portion of the service with which you are not fully satisfied. No No No We help locate funds for you through our Grief Care Foundation. No Financial Considerations Pricing not guaranteed Varies, pricing may not be guaranteed Yes. Our pricing is inflation protected. You will never pay more for the services or merchandise selected at the time the arrangements were made. The statements presented in these comparison tables are accurate based on information gathered in January Fees and services are subject to change without notice. Visit and select What We Do for answers to common questions.

5 What is your peace of mind worth? Schoedinger has been providing peace of mind to Central Ohio families for more than 155 years. Experience has taught us that the emotional care of our clients is just as important as the tangible services we provide. We consider it our primary responsibility to create healing experiences for those touched by death. In turn, you ll be much better prepared to handle the emotional needs of your loved ones and friends. A proper funeral includes literally hundreds of details. You can count on the experienced team of caregivers at Schoedinger to make sure each one is addressed to your satisfaction. In fact, we guarantee it. If any portion of our service does not meet your satisfaction, we will refund that portion of the cost. At Schoedinger, we are always here when you need us. We have a licensed funeral director on-hand whenever you call, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to answer your questions or offer assistance. We never use an answering service. Service Provided Privately Owned Crematory Children s Grief Counseling Direct Disposer Discount Provider Typical Funeral Home Healthy Grieving Benefits The Schoedinger Difference Rarely Rarely Maybe Yes. Your loved one never leaves our care No No No Yes, with our complimentary HUGS program, Healing, Understanding Grief and Sharing. Video Tribute Memento No Additional fee may apply Additional fee may apply Yes, and at no additional charge. MourningStar Certified Arrangers No No No Yes. Certified professionals work with you to create a unique service to honor your loved one s entire life. On-Staff Celebrants No No No Yes. We have two certified Celebrants, for those who need someone to officiate their services. Interactive Memorial Web Page Webcasting of Funeral Service No No Maybe, a fee may apply No No Maybe, a fee may apply Yes. With access for all loved ones to leave messages, share photographs and select memorial gifts. Yes. We were the first in Central Ohio to offer this unique service so all loved ones may view the funeral. Family Care Program Family Grief Retreat No No No Yes. Our complimentary program helps your family address the many details that remain after the funeral. No No No Yes. Camp Hope, in scenic Logan County, offers families a safe place to grieve and continue healing. Visit and select Grief & Healing to request 365 Days of Grief Support e-messages.

6 Creating healing experiences... You have only one opportunity to give your loved one the funeral he or she deserves. That s why we re here. At Schoedinger, we create healing experiences for those touched by death, recognizing that every life deserves to be remembered, shared and honored. Call us today for a no-obligation visit with one of our professional, licensed funeral directors at (614) For many, the healing experience starts long before the funeral, with pre-need planning. There is no better way to take the burden off your loved ones. There are financial advantages, too. When you pre-fund your funeral with Schoedinger, you lock in today s prices. Your cost never goes up. Regardless of the service you choose, rest assured that Schoedinger s goal is to meet or exceed your every need. If any portion of our services fails to meet your high expectations, we will refund those fees. It s the exclusive Schoedinger Satisfaction Guarantee. Giving back to our community Schoedinger is committed to devoting time and resources to the communities we serve. The Schoedinger family and associates contribute to local charities, remain active in service organizations and sponsor or support many community needs: Camp Hope We support this weekend retreat, where families gather to overcome grief and share their experiences with others. Visit to view a video of the camp experience. Donation of Services We donate our services to families of military, police and fire personnel killed in the line of duty, and to families who have lost a child under the age of 12. Grief Care Foundation We support the Grief Care Foundation, which helps provide dignified services for those in need. Visit for a complete list of our neighborhood chapel locations in Central Ohio.