The Healing Support Services we provide are designed to intentionally address our families’ need to begin healing.
While we serve our families in many ways, an activity can only qualify to be called a Healing Support Service if three essential components are present…an activity must be educational, therapeutic and interactive. We carefully plan, assign and carry out these services to ensure that every family benefits from as many of these services as possible. Healing Support Services engage and empower the family to help themselves and those around them begin the healing process by caring for their emotional, relational and spiritual needs. By customizing the experience for each family and to do so in a systematic way enables us to provide every family with a plan to Begin Healing.Educating
Before the Farewell & Meets Emotional Needs
Experience of Healing
Educating the family during the arrangement conference on the acute loss period and the seven stages of our essential plan for healing: Hearing, Sharing, Seeing, Gathering, Connecting, Reflecting & Celebrating.
STAR Class: Healing Support for Children
The STAR Class provides answers to questions like, “What is a funeral anyway?” for children between the ages of 3 and 13. In this activity, we will answer questions about death, funerals, cremation and burial and give the children a chance to write their own message to their loved one on a star-shaped piece of paper.
Adult Loss Class
This class for adults includes the Experience of Healing and its seven phases and prepares family members for the family farewell.
Family Farewell
The family is guided through the first viewing by our experienced staff, who will care for and coach each generation of your family.
Family Coaching
Helpful tips and techniques are shared with the family to assist them in preparing to meet their extended family, friends and the public during visitation or gathering. Realizing that different generations will have different roles at this time, our staff focuses on how to best prepare your family to begin to tell your loved one’s story.
Friends Farewell
Those who attend a farewell need instruction and encouragement on the reasons why we gather and how they can help you. Our staff invites them to Connect, Reflect and Celebrate with you and thank them for providing their most important gift – their presence.
The Healing Tribute
Your memorabilia will serve as a gathering point for friends and family to remember and share stories about your loved one. We set these areas up to provide both access to enjoy and intimacy for sharing.
Engaging
During Relational Needs
Farewell Memories Questionnaire
A helpful questionnaire that prompts memories. These memories may be collected and shared with the clergy, other family members and friends. Providing this information to the clergy, celebrant or master of ceremonies will help them prepare for celebrating the things that mattered most to you.
Life Narrative
Professionally written story of your loved one’s life capturing the essence of who they were, their passions and their legacy. The Life Narrative is used for newspapers and online obituaries and will tell their story for generations. $150.
Internet Guest Book
Registry of names and messages left by friends and family collected on a blog-style webpage and available for the family to review and save.
Farewell Tributes
Personalized memorial folders, acknowledgement cards and register book that can include up to10 photographs of your loved one, and verse and text selected by you that provides a heart-warming memento for family and friends. $245 to $345 based on selected package.
Concierge Service
Our service associates are prepared to provide you everything you need during your gathering time which concludes by completing a Finals List of important details for the ceremony the following day. Because we believe that any unnecessary obstacle you must deal with interrupts your loss experience, we are prepared to respond to your needs.
Veterans Tribute
Honoring those who served our country in a special way is not only just and proper, but it can also help instill a sense of duty and service to future generations. A commemorative case in which to display the flag and 50 American flag pins are included in this tribute. $175.
"What I Remember Best" Notes
Small notecards will be placed on tables throughout the gathering room to allow friends and family to write down a memory or a thought they would like to share with your family. The notes will be collected and displayed on an easel during the Community Farewell and then given to your family after the service.
Reflections of Life
As you share your favorite photographs of your loved one, you allow those who gather to remember happier times and to reflect on the things that matter the most in life. Pictures are the primary catalyst for the reflective thinking that occurs at every Community Farewell.
Empowering
During Spiritual Needs
Farewell Tribute DVD
A picture says a thousand words. Pictures can help tell a life story. Using photographs provided by your family, our staff produces a DVD presentation to be viewed during the gathering and/or service. This presentation brings together many of the components of the Experience of Healing including sharing, gathering, connecting and reflecting in a powerful way for your family and friends. Starting at $175.
Dove Release
The dove is a strong spiritual image and its release at the conclusion of the ceremony can be uplifting and truly meaningful. A single dove or multiple doves may be released in this powerful expression of faith. $275.
Balloon Release
The uplifting nature of a balloon release as part of a ceremony can provide closure and a sense of relief to those who participate. Clergy often use the phrase “we lift up our prayers and hopes to be with your loved one” as part of this group activity that includes 50 colorful balloons. $175.
Transitioning
After the Community Farewell & through the conclusion of the Acute Loss Period
Stepping Stones
There are many tasks and notifications that need attention following a farewell. Our trained staff provides your family with a service we call Stepping Stones. The sole purpose of Stepping Stones is to help survivors resolve many of the practical matters that can be daunting following a loss.
Keeping the Story Alive
Our commitment to work with your family to design a fitting, permanent memorial that will keep your loved one’s story alive and be a touch stone for future generations to see, touch, learn and be thankful. We will help you eliminate dozens of extra steps, trips and confusion.
Holiday Remembrance Program
Holidays offer a special challenge following a farewell. The first holiday season without your loved one will present opportunities to reflect and celebrate. Our Holiday Remembrance Program provides support, comfort and a chance to share with others who are coping with the same feelings as you may be experiencing.
Step-by-step Guide to Closing an Estate
This guide lists the activities you may need to consider when closing an estate. It includes templates for letters to creditors as well as checklists to keep you on task during each important step in the process.
Begin Healing Today
This Facebook community helps families face acute loss by providing resources such as inspiring stories of recovery and healing.
Meierhoffer Facebook Page & Blog
Our Facebook page and blog regularly offer insights, motivational messages and interesting information related to the Experience of Loss and Healing. Like our Facebook page or find our blog on our website, Meierhoffer.com.
Silver & Gold Senior Club
Brings together the talents, resources and energies of those over the age of 60 in Northwest Missouri and meets at least once a month.
