Have the Talk of a Lifetime Campaign Helps Families Learn More About Their Loved Ones
National public information campaign aims to help people begin the conversation about what matters most in life and how they want to be remembered
February 2016 – Brookfield, Wis. – An individual’s life story – memories made, principles and lessons learned – is a gift that should be shared with family and friends. The Funeral and Memorial Information Council (FAMIC) has launched Have the Talk of a Lifetime, an awareness and education initiative to help families have important conversations during which they can have discussions about the things that matter most and how a person’s life story can be remembered and honored in a meaningful way.
“FAMIC members hear firsthand about the struggles families have; funeral professionals are dedicated to helping families discover how they can honor and celebrate a life in a meaningful way,” said FAMIC president Kathleen Berry. “Memorialization is so much more than it used to be. Today it can reflect a person’s life story, values, interests and experiences. Meaningful memorialization can be transformative, healing and comforting. Have the Talk of a Lifetime offers families practical advice and tools to help them have conversations about the things that matter most and how they hope to be remembered when they die and for generations to come.”
Families often want to learn more about the rich lives their loved ones have led; however, they may be unsure about how to begin a conversation. On the Have the Talk of a Lifetime website, www.talkofalifetime.org, families will find a wide range of free tools and information. The site features a downloadable workbook filled with advice on how to start a conversation and discussion questions to help families get to know their loved ones in new and surprising ways.
In addition, the site has videos, a blog where people can share their experiences “having the talk” – what worked for them and how it made an impact – and much more.
Throughout 2016 and beyond, FAMIC will raise awareness of Have the Talk of a Lifetime through online and mobile ads, video testimonials from families that have had the talk, and through social media. In addition, thousands of funeral homes that fall under the FAMIC umbrella are sharing information with their communities and offering advice and guidance to support families as they have the talk.
Families can learn more about Have the Talk of a Lifetime by visiting www.talkofalifetime.org, or by contacting their local FAMIC-member funeral home using the “Find a Funeral Professional” tool on the website.
About the Funeral and Memorial Information Council
Since 1991, FAMIC has been committed to making available to the public direct and open information regarding deathcare and memorialization from the leading associations of service providers and businesses. FAMIC recently launched Have the Talk of a Lifetime, a consumer education outreach effort to urge families to talk with loved ones about life, the things that matter most and how they want to be remembered when they die. FAMIC members include: Casket & Funeral Supply Association; Funeral Service Foundation; International Memorialization Supply Association; International Order of the Golden Rule; Life Insurers Council; Monument Builders of North America; National Concrete Burial Vault Association; National Funeral Directors & Morticians Association; National Funeral Directors Association; and Selected Independent Funeral Homes.
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