Senior News January, 2002 Vol. 21. No.  1

 

Published by the Humboldt Senior Resource Center in Eureka, California. HSRC is a non-profit community-based organization offering services for senior citizens, multi-generational families and caregivers.

A time of giving-community groups nurture themselves and others: Pacific Union School

Health care: Senator Chesbro holds public forum

Major education summit set for the North Coast

Our community at work

Caregiver Registry: New two-tiered model will make it easier to meet community demand

Del Norte County: Northcoast Writers Group forms after conference

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Pre-plan vs. pre-pay
Funeral Alliance recommends "last bills" account
by Tracy Jordan French

The Funeral Consumers Alliance of Humboldt (formerly the Humboldt Funeral Society) held its annual membership meeting in April at the Humboldt Area Foundation Community Center.

Guest speaker was Karen Leonard, president of the Redwood Funeral Society. Karen is a funeral consumer rights activist and consultant. She monitors state legislation regarding the funeral industry and sends her team of "Guerilla Grannies" undercover into mortuaries to keep tabs on the practices of funeral directors.

Although she touched on the growing trend of home and family-directed funerals, "green burials" (see Senior News May 2003) and other end-of-life issues, she focused primarily on the pros and cons of pre-paying for funeral arrangements. In short she advised against pre-paying and instead encouraged consumers to pre-plan.

She cited numerous examples of how funeral purchasing has become one of the top abuses of the elderly in this country. Leonard suggested setting up a long-term, interest bearing "last bills" account. She told the audience to plan ahead, consider our end-of-life wishes and expenses and most importantly, to share this information with family members.

The brief business portion provided an overview of the past year, a treasurer's report and the election of two new members to the board of directors. New to the board are Jan Rowan, nurse/midwife and Evelyn Wiebe-Anderson, a nurse at Sunbridge Care Center.

For further information call the FCA of Humboldt at 707-822-8599 or e-mail Karen Leonard directly at karenl@monitor.net.

Tracy Jordan French is co-chair of the Funeral Consumers Alliance of Humboldt board.