Elderly bury the taboo against preparing own funeral
An unconventional funeral service has helped to break the taboo among single elderly people against preparing for their own funerals.
The Funeral Navigation Service, launched in September last year by the welfare group St James' Settlement, has already registered 150 elderly people with few or no family ties and friends, to help them with funeral arrangements. It is processing a further 100 applications.
The service is subsided by the government, so for now applicants must be receiving social welfare payments to qualify. It hopes to expand the service to paying elderly customers later.
'There has been this kind of service in other countries for many years but Hong Kong has not had such a service. The reason why we initiated this service is to fill this gap for single elderly people,' said Josephine Lee Yuk-chi, senior manager of St James' Settlement.
There are 200,000 elderly single people and couples without other family members in the city, according to Ms Lee. Many are afraid no one will prepare a funeral for them.
'[They are worried that] their souls will have no permanent resting place,' Ms Lee said. 'There are also single elderly people who don't dare spend money because they are saving it for funerals. We want them to live better rather than worry about the funerals.'
The service, which was launched by social workers Gary Sham Chi-wing and Chan Ping, is believed to be the first of its kind in Hong Kong.
Mr Sham said interest was growing rapidly, with more seminars and workshops being held.
Services provided by Funeral Navigation include taking photographs for funeral parlours, holding seminars and workshops, giving legal advice on wills, and providing health checks and bereavement counselling for those whose close relatives have recently died.
While seminars and advice about funerals are available to all, only elderly people with no relatives who live on social security and need financial support qualify for the service.
'There are exceptions. We'll do assessments before deciding whether elderly people qualify,' Ms Lee said. She said the organisation received many phone calls whenever the service was publicised.
