By Marsha Mullings, MPH
In normal times, funeral homes are not the source of front-page news stories. They are the places we see advertised in the middle pages of our newspapers. They enter our thoughts only inour moments of deepest pain – at the loss of loved ones. It is at these moments that they occupy our foremost thoughts: when we seek their guidance and expertise in honoring and laying to rest departed loved ones. But these are not normal times. The Funeral Home has entered the realm of popular news.
The advent of the Coronavirus pandemic has brought dying and death to the forefront of our collective consciousness, and of course, the funeral homes loom large in this consciousness. Many of the solemn rituals that we desire in seeing our loved ones off are now curtailed as the funeral homes have had to implement restrictions that are extremely painful to the families of departed loved ones.
This is especially distressing in Black communities, where large gatherings and expressive celebrations of the lives of de-parted loved ones are essential features of funeral culture.
The CDC’s disease mitigation mandates have affected all parts of public and private life and funeral homes everywhere have had to institute restrictive disease mitigation measures in their normal practices.
In Black communities though, these restrictions eliminate many of the expressive festivities that are central to the culture.
The viewing areas of funeral homes have had to restrict the number of family members to ten at a time. Individuals must wear masks and must always stand at least six feet apart from each other. No more than 40 individuals are allowed in chapels at any time. Gravesites similarly have adopted the mandates: no more than ten individuals are allowed at the site and while there, they must observe social distancing rules.
The large supportive family and friendship networks that are so much a part of the Black family experience, particularly in times of grief is all but destroyed with these restrictions.
Some families have been angered by the restrictions and have chosen other institutions to conduct services and burials. Others, to avoid dealing with grief while suffering through re-strictive social measures, have opted to cremate their departed loved ones.
For some families, the restrictions add an element of insult to the sorrow they experience. However, many have become resigned to the necessity of the disease mitigation efforts.
The funeral homes, for their part have adapted to the constraints placed upon their businesses. Many have implemented the use of technology in their practices, giving family members the option of viewing their departed loved ones over mediums such as Skype or Zoom.
Large groups of individuals can safely convene and share their grief on video. Certainly, videos cannot replace the human experience, but the videos provide a comforting option to say goodbye and a good path to reducing the spread of a dangerous disease.
Funeral directors, when asked about their ability to provide emotional support as they have done in the past, have all responded with positive affirmations of their ability to rise to the challenges posed by coronavirus mitigation measures.
For some, the use of technology and a large medically certified support staff provides comfort and assurance to family members dealing with grief and social-distancing constraints. Others have relied on humor and professional grief counseling staff to comfort grieving family members who feel robbed of the opportunity to share their sorrows with a large supportive gathering.
Whatever their method for providing service and emotional support to their clients, the directors of large Black-owned funeral homes all agree that their business is critical to the needs of grieving Black families and they can create the conditions necessary to provide impeccable service and support to families in their time of sorrow, especially within the time of this pandemic.
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