Funeral director urges Jamaicans to discuss end-of-life wishes

Mattrasingh, 53, who operates House of Wills Mortuary in Four Paths, Clarendon, is encouraging Jamaicans to consider pre-arranging their funerals and documenting their wishes long before the need arises.

“People don't like to talk about death, but planning ahead is one of the greatest gifts you can leave your family. If people know these information, death wouldn’t be so scary for them,” she said during a recent interview with Old Harbour News.

According to Mattrasingh, funeral pre-arrangements are more than simply paying for a funeral in advance. They allow individuals to outline specific instructions regarding how they want to be remembered, whether they prefer burial or cremation, the type of casket they want, and even details such as music, programmes and other funeral preferences.

“It's like insurance, but more detailed,” she explained. “It tells your family exactly what you wanted rather than leaving them to guess during a difficult time.”

She noted that family disagreements over funeral arrangements are common, particularly when loved ones have not clearly expressed their wishes before death.

“I've seen situations where relatives argue over how money should be spent, whether someone should be buried or cremated, and even where the funeral should be held,” Mattrasingh said. “When there is a pre-arrangement in place, much of that uncertainty is removed.”

The funeral director recalled the case of a client who paid for her cremation several years ago because she feared family members would ignore her wishes after her passing.

“She told us exactly what she would want and that's what I will honour. It doesn’t matter what any of her family members will say, whenever she pass, I know exactly what to do so they [her family] can mourn peaceful without the added stress of funeral planning” she said.

When asked when someone should begin considering pre-arrangements, she stressed that funeral planning is not only for elderly people, stating: “The younger you plan, the better, don’t wait until you are old. Life is unpredictable. The important thing is ensuring your wishes are known.” 

Mattrasingh explained that individuals interested in pre-arranging their funerals can visit the mortuary and discuss their preferences with staff. Once a package is selected, a contract is prepared outlining the person's wishes and the services to be provided. Payment plans are also available, allowing clients to pay over time, although arrangements only take effect once they are paid in full.

She also encouraged clients to keep important documents together in a clearly marked file or envelope. These documents may include receipts for funeral payments, contracts, burial plot deeds, identification documents and other records that could assist family members to easily access the information when needed.

In addition to reducing confusion, pre-arrangements can help families better manage funeral expenses by allowing them to plan financially over time.

While funeral packages and costs may change because of inflation and rising import costs, Mattrasingh said having a plan in place can still ease the burden on relatives.

“It helps families make informed decisions and reduces some of the stress during difficult times like those. This company’s aim is to make planning funeral easy, the death is already hard so the planning shouldn’t be hard as well…you should be relief and not stressed. Funerals are usually described as ‘nice’ or ‘good’ when it was executed the way it was suppose to” she explained.

The funeral director also believes funerals should reflect the life and personality of the deceased rather than the preferences of those left behind.

“A funeral should tell that person's story,’ she advised. “How they lived, what they loved and how they wanted to be remembered. Not what others prefer or think.”

As attitudes toward end-of-life planning slowly evolve, Mattrasingh hopes more Jamaicans will become comfortable having these conversations while they still can.