Yes, a funeral convention….. “You mean caskets and parties?” That is what most people think of when I tell them I am headed for the National Funeral Directors Association convention. Yes, those are all part of our convention. But there is much more than meets the eye.
It is quite interesting to see the reaction of the convention hall staff as they stare at the hearses when they are being moved onto the display floor, or the wide range of unusual caskets that are placed under bright lights as if they were a piece of fine jewelry. Some are wide eyed, but most are extremely curious and have lots of questions as they roll out carpet and set up display booths.
NFDA 2015We get asked frequently about the National Funeral Directors Association and what goes on at the show. Here is a quick video from Joe at the 2015 NFDA show highlighting a few of the interesting things he has seen.
Funeral directors and and their staff come from all over the world. There were more than fifteen foreign country’s represented in Indianapolis this week. They all come to learn from experts and other funeral directors. What do they learn? The topics range from business seminars focused on accounting and management, ways to help avoid burnout in the stressful profession of caring for grieving families, and skills to help families develop healthy ways to cope with the loss of a family member.
My favorite seminars spur my imagination to help me create more meaningful ways to express the memories and stories of a loved one, both before and after death. New technology for using video and photos are always intriguing for a geek like me. Additional coaching through these programs helps us draw out the stories of an individual to help paint the picture of the deceased’s personality.
Yes there are cocktail receptions where I meet directors from around the world. We share our experiences and learn from each other. At the same time we build ties that help us serve the people in our local community much better.
And there are displays of everything from computer software for managing the business, to caskets and urns, to clothing for staff members.
It all is presented to help us improve our ability to care for the families who experience loss in our county. Improving our care for our community means the families we serve will have a better support system to carry them through loss to a healthy resolution.