Frontline Workers Battle - a Different Perspective on the Pandemic | Michael Scarpaci

Other than doctors, and healthcare professionals, there are many other frontline workers of the COVID-19. These often unseen and unlikely COVID-19 warriors are stepping up and suiting up to provide their services and protecting us all.

Frontline workers are in significant danger due to their line of work. But this hasn’t stopped them from showing up at work every single day and risking their lives for the safety of other people. These unsung heroes ensure that the trash is collected, the power is on, the hospitals are clean and they even help us bury our dead.

The United States has reached its worse on Monday, April 8, when the total deaths from coronavirus crossed 30,000. Needless to mention, the virus has taken over the entire country, and the number of affected people from the Covid-19 continuing to increase.

The situation is more terrible in New York, where more than 13,000 people have died. Funeral homes are among the most essential frontline departments that have been affected by the condition caused by this novel coronavirus.

Juju Chang, an award-winning ABC Nightline reporter, recently covered the work of Anthony Pennachio, manager at Scarpaci Funeral Home in Brooklyn, New York. “Currently, we have 17 funerals that usually require a whole month’s work but needed to be done in just 4 days,” says Anthony Pennachio. He further adds, “we are not making any in-person arrangements anymore, we are communicating through Facetime or Zoom, sending the pictures of caskets on people’s smartphones so they can make selections.”

Amidst this pandemic, funeral homes like Scarpaci Funeral Home, are not only running out of gloves, gowns, and masks but also space to keep the deceased. Considering the condition, Scarpaci Funeral Home is not only serving the community amidst this crisis but has also donated on GoFundMe and raised over 30k for many frontline workers’ meals. Michael Scarpaci says, “Today, it has become more important than ever to protect each other and stay together.”

4 Ways by Michael Scarpaci to celebrate the birthday of a deceased loved one

Birthdays are always special, as they bring joy, happiness, and celebration. But when it comes to celebrating the birthday of a deceased loved one, they may become hard to handle, especially if someone has recently lost a loved one. However, if you take time to celebrate the birthday of your deceased loved one, you will not only honor them but also help yourself heal, says Michael Scarpaci.

Please keep in mind that this time is specific to you, so it’s up to you how you want to celebrate the birthday of your deceased loved one. From visiting and decorating graves to throwing parties and just lighting a candle, these are some of the ways most people celebrate and honor their deceased loved ones’ birthday. If you have your deceased loved one’s birthday coming up, but have no idea how to make it special. Don’t worry! Below Michael Scarpaci has given a few ideas on how to celebrate the birthday of a lost loved one.

Here are some great ways to celebrate your deceased loved one’s birthday!

Plan a get together with your close friends and family members - In a world where people are throwing parties to celebrate birthdays, you can choose something fun and exciting with your close friends and family members to celebrate your lost loved one’s birthday. For example, you can either plan a dinner or do an activity that your deceased special person liked.

Plant a tree - How about adding a new tree or plant to your garden each year on the birthday of your loved one who has passed away? Isn’t it great? Whenever you take a walk in your garden, you can cherish all the memories about your loved one every time you see that plant or tree.

Donate money or time - Another great way to honor your loved one on their birthday is to donate your money or time to any charitable organizations. In case, if your deceased special one had a favorite organization or she/he was associated with any, you can help that community with your money or precious time.

Float flowers - You can also celebrate your loved one’s birthday by floating their favorite flowers down a river or any water body. Well, this act is very therapeutic as well.

To warp up

These are some of the ideas to celebrate and honor your lost loved ones. If you like to do something else like planning a trip or vacation, it's all up to you. After all, grief is personal and how you deal with it depends on you.

What are the benefits of prepaying your funeral?

Death is inevitable! One day everyone has to die.

Once the person dies, the next important step is arranging a funeral ceremony. It takes lots of planning, preparation, and decisions, which may become chaotic for some people. Besides emotional burden, often families also experience financial problems after the loss of their loved ones, especially if he/she was the only one earning bed and butter for the family. Therefore, in such situations, arranging a funeral service can further add on to their financial burden, says Michael Scarpaci.

If you don’t want to put your loved ones through financial difficulties after your death, then prepaying your funeral is the best way. Well, prepaying your funeral comes with several benefits. By doing this, you can not only take care of the cost but also plan a desirable funeral ceremony. Michael Scarpaci and his team, at Scarpaci Funeral Home of Staten Island, have helped a number of clients organize their funeral and memorial services.

Are you still confused about whether to choose a pre-paid funeral or not? If yes, then below are some of the reasons by Michael why prepaying your funeral is beneficial.

Peace of mind - There is nothing more comforting than knowing that everything will be in order, even after your death. Of course, your family and friends will always miss your presence. But at least, they won’t be dealing with finances to arrange your funeral when life already will be chaos.

By prepaying your funeral, you can lessen the financial burden on your loved ones during a difficult time. Don’t forget to tell your friends and family the details of the funeral home where you have pre-planned your funeral.

Plan a desirable funeral - Almost everyone has some thoughts about their funeral ceremony. For example, you probably want your family and friends to play your favorite music, use your favorite flowers for decoration or bury/cremate your body.

With so many things to manage during the funeral, your loved ones may forget to use your favorite flowers or play your favorite music. Therefore, it is best to leave your funeral ceremony planning to professionals. By pre-planning your funeral, you can tell your wishes to the funeral home manager, such as the theme, the venue, the flowers, the music and more. However, make sure you involve your loved ones in funeral planning, as it plays an important role in grieving.
 
It saves you money - Another major advantage of prepaying your funeral is that you can save a lot of money. When you plan ahead and prepay your funeral, you pay according to the current price and the cost of the funeral will rise due to any reasons, even inflation.

In closing

When it comes to prepaying your funeral, it is not only empowering but also brings a great sense of peace of mind. This is because your loved ones don’t have to experience financial and decision making stress after your death. Instead, they can take part in your funeral, which is an important part of grieving.

Attending a funeral ceremony? Swap those flowers with these alternatives

Time is changing, and so are the way funerals and memorials are celebrated.

Today, people are ditching the old ways of celebrating the deceased's life. From playing their favorite music to using their personalized things for decoration and cooking their favorite meal, these are some of the ways people choose to celebrate the lives of their loved ones. Michael Scarpaci, at Scarpaci Funeral Home of Staten Island, has been helping people arrange customized funeral ceremonies for them and their families.

Although flowers have been associated with funerals for many years, people have started to swap them with other alternatives due to various reasons. Maybe your bereaved friend doesn’t like flowers or flower arrangements may not seem an ideal way to show your love and affection.

If you’ve recently lost a close friend or family member and they don’t like the idea of keeping wilted flowers days or weeks after the funeral, then you may want to choose an alternative to sympathy flowers.

The following are the alternatives to sympathy flowers that you can choose to show your love and respect towards your bereaved loved one.

A potted plant - One of the major disadvantages of flower arrangements is that they wilt after a few days and eventually die. It is often disheartening for the deceased’s family to throw those flowers away. This is why unlike flower arrangements that are usually thrown to the dust bin, a potted plant can last longer and brighten up a room. However, it is advisable to choose a plant that requires minimum care and water to survive.

A charitable donation - These days, people are choosing to make a charitable donation then spending money on lifeless flower arrangements. After all, it is always better to opt for a cause that is close to the heart of your deceased loved one. For example, if your loved one was suffering from a particular disease, you can donate to organizations or charities helping people with cure and care.

Food - Another great way to tell the bereaved that you care is cooking food. It is one of the best ways to lend your support to the grieving family, as food would be the last thing they would be thinking after the loss. Therefore, you can either cook food for the bereaved or send a basket of muffins and cookies. Or, if you’re looking for a healthy option, a fruit basket is also a great option.
In closing

If you’re looking for a unique way to show your love and respect to the bereaved, then choosing one of these options is the best idea. 

Michael Scarpaci : 6 Ways to reconnect with yourself after the loss

Of course, the loss of a loved one is painful, says Michael Scarpaci. Michael and his team meets a variety of people grieving after the loss. In fact, Scarpaci Funeral home of New York has helped a number of people getting back on track after the grief.

Often, people feel a sense of loneliness or lose interest in activities they used to enjoy the most. Some people choose to stay at home, and others may shut away from the world. But do you know if this type of lifestyle goes on for a long time the person may not be able to heal? This is why it is important to keep yourself engaged in things that nurture you, even when you don’t feel like doing it.

If you or your loved one have been grieving over the loss of someone special for a very long time, it’s time to reconnect to life.

Here are some ways that help you reconnect with yourself after grief.

Look for the right opportunity to reconnect - Grieving is normal. Once you have been given enough time to yourself grieving, the next step is exploring to identify the right opportunity to slowly make a way to your routine life. It’s not necessary to look for big ways to re-engage in your life, you can begin with small steps. For example, you can call a friend or family member to have a conversation at least for a few minutes, you can meet a friend over a coffee for an hour, or can even go out to lunch.

Never try to run away from your feelings - Often, grief results in turbulent emotions and most of them are negative ones, which we try to avoid. You may experience some days when you will not feel like getting out of your bed. No matter how hard it is, don't beat yourself up for spending several hours in bed without food. Instead, accept your feelings and try to make new changes in your life.

Don’t shy away from seeking others’ help - Never hide from your friends and family about how you are feeling after the loss. It is good to seek support and companionship from your loved ones in your hard times. Don’t shy away from asking them to regularly check on you and invite you for family or friends gatherings.

Takeaway

Everyone griefs after the loss of their special ones. It is very normal. But one thing you need to keep in mind is that grief is a process, not a prolonged event. This means no matter what, you need to resume your normal activities after a certain period. If it’s difficult for you, there is nothing bad in reaching out to others for help.

Michael Scarpaci:Everything you need to know about the wake!

Everyone has to go through the pain of losing a loved one. Whether or not you have ever experienced this, it is important to get yourself familiar with all the “after-death rituals.”

“Wake” is one such ritual that plays a great role, says Michael Scarpaci. 

What is the wake? - It is an intimate gathering of the deceased’s family before a funeral service. Today, people host wakes at a funeral home or house of worship. This can either be held on the same day as the funeral or the day before. 

However, there may be slight variations in the wake service. The purpose remains the same. The wakes are typically hosted to console the deceased’s loved ones and family and to say goodbye to the lost loved one. The guest list of a wake includes close friends, family or colleagues.

According to Michael, the wake is an opportunity to gather, and comfort each other after the great loss. 

What you should say?

The wake is the gathering involved a few people. This means it is difficult to escape the ceremony without saying anything. Most often people have no idea about what they should say to the deceased’s family and friends at the wake. Never say cliche lines, such as “I understand how you feel,” or “He or she is in a better place”. 

Instead, share a short story or memory that you have with the deceased. And, never forget to sign the guest-book before leaving. Always remember, grieving doesn’t end with the funeral. It is a journey that can last for months, years, or lifetime. Hence, it is important to stay in touch with the grieving person and help them heal. 

What can you wear?

When it comes to the dress code for a wake, it is similar to what you wear to a funeral service. Although it's not necessary to wear black, you should pick simple clothing that represents the somber nature of the occasion. You can also attend the wake in your work clothes if you’re directly coming from your office. Just remember, stick with the basics and you’re good to go to the wake. 

What to expect?

In the wake, an obituary or death notice will be read to tell the mourners about the place and time of the services, such as funeral, and memorial.

These are things to keep in mind while attending a wake. For more tips and suggestions, consult Michael Scarpaci. 

Insight into memorial service etiquette by Michael Scarpaci

Memorial services are important says Michael Scarpaci. 

Scarpaci Funeral Home in Staten Island, Michael Scarpaci understands that it’s stressful for both friends and family to deal with the loss of a loved one. The funeral or memorial service time is very vulnerable, and people are still high on emotions. In such a condition, even the smallest mistake can cause an outburst. Hence, it is extremely important for you to behave properly at the memorial service and respect all the rules. 

What are memorial services? - These rituals usually take place in the absence of the body after it has been cremated or buried. This service involves people saying prayers, singing songs, delivering eulogies, and reading passages from the scripture. 

Memorial service is a somber occasion. Therefore, if you behave or dress inappropriately, it can hurt the feelings of the deceased’s family and friends.  

If you have a memorial ceremony to attend and it's your first time, here are the memorial service etiquette you need to know.  

Where to sit? 

The venues for memorial service can range from a theater to fire station, cultural arts hall, restaurant, and a nature preserve. If it's your first time to a memorial ceremony, it is important to know that the front seats in the memorial service are usually reserved for the family and intermediate relatives. And other guests can sit anywhere. However, if you arrive late for the funeral service, make sure you take a place at the back without disturbing others.  

How to dress up? 

Well, the place and time play an important role in deciding the dress code for the memorial service. For example, if the service takes place on a beach, lose those high heels. Overall, you can dress formally for the service. These days, families even have a dress code for the memorial service, so make sure you follow the dress code and dress accordingly. 

What to say?

The main purpose of having a memorial service is about sharing memories about the deceased person. This includes who the deceased was and talking about the good and positive things. If you have any beautiful memories related to the deceased person, memorial service is an ideal place to share it with the deceased's friends and family. 

In fact, some people even organize an open mic at a memorial service where guests can speak publicly about the memorable moments with the deceased. If you’re not comfortable talking publicly, you can share your best thoughts with the deceased’s family in private. But make sure, keep it real. Using canned phrases such as “ she’s in a better place” or “I know how you feel right now,” can make things worse than comforting. 

The bottom line

Usually, a memorial service is organized to honor and remember the deceased loved one. And every guest should behave properly to avoid making it more stressful for the deceased’s family and close friends. These are some of the things you need to consider while attending a memorial service. 

For more tips and suggestions about memorial or funeral service, consult Michael Scarpaci.