Just the fact that we now call it the death care industry and not the funeral industry is proof that things are changing in the U.S. Surprisingly, some of the biggest shifts are the result of preferences among younger people who shouldn’t need death care services for decades.
But funeral homes are considering that the younger generations are also going to be handling the death care services for their parents, which means they will be highly influential in terms of what services are selected in the near future. Given that only 43% of people over the age of 55 have a last will and testament specifying their desired funeral services, the next of kin will be making the majority of the decisions.
Our team took a deep dive into the data and preferences of people in the 40 and younger crowd. What we found is that they have very differing views on death care compared to older generations and that is having an impact on what services are offered.
Non-Religious/Non-Denominal Disposition
A little while back we went into detail about how irreligion is shaping the death care industry, and that trend has continued. Religion has played a major role in death care rituals over the centuries. But younger people aren’t as likely to factor that into the equation these days.
Recent studies have found that on a whole younger people (Gen Z and younger) are:
- Less likely to believe in God.
- Less likely to have a religious affiliation.
- Attend church less often.
- Don’t pray as often as older individuals.
- Not as trusting of religion and religious groups.
People who are 30 or under are much less likely to label themselves as unaffiliated or none for religion. For many people in younger generations, there was less religious activity from an early age and that has carried over to adulthood. Part of the result has been a mindset among younger people that they can do spirituality on their own without belonging to a specific church or religion.
Less Formal Funeral Services
With fewer religious formalities to incorporate and personal preference playing a major role, younger people are leaning towards less formal funeral services all around. People who are 40 and under are more interested in relaxed gatherings that happen in personal homes or places with special meaning to the deceased as opposed to scheduling services at a funeral home.
It’s one of the many reasons that cremation is more appealing than burial for younger people. There’s less pressure to have formal funeral services in a funeral home and a place of worship.
Simple Packages That Make Services Easy and Affordable
The younger generations are just as focused on affordability as their older counterparts, but they’re wanting even more pragmatic options. While aspects of death care are getting more personalized, for the essentials younger people are requesting simplified packages that include all of the necessities.
Funeral service packages make it very easy to make arrangements. Often it also reduces the cost since it’s standardized for the funeral home. Plus, with packages that clearly spell out the services that are provided for a certain price there is more transparency, which is also important for younger consumers.
Hyper-Personalized Services Even If They’re Simplified
Like so many services today, younger consumers prefer things to be very personalized. Even when it may seem contradictory to other points covered here, at the end of the day, many people of all ages say that personalization is a priority. However, with younger people it’s really a given.
Even if they want simplified packages that make things easy to arrange, at the end of the day the process still needs to be personalized and address their specific needs. This has helped to significantly expand death care services in recent years giving people many more options.
Emphasis on Bereavement
Bereavement happens when someone experiences a huge loss and is in a state of sadness. During this time a person experiences emotional, mental and even physical distress. In the past, many people simply powered through the bereavement period, sometimes distracting themselves from the thoughts and feelings in order to cope. However, we now know that suppressing such feelings and emotions can be much more detrimental in the long run.
Younger people are increasingly interested in and concerned about proper bereavement and having enough time to grieve in their own way. They don’t want to deny the bereavement period and instead want to fully embrace it, process the emotions and heal in a positive way. But this of course takes time. It’s one of the reasons that cremation and natural organic reduction are more appealing. People don’t feel rushed through the funeral process, which can occur with traditional burial that is on a tight timeline.
With cremation services and natural organic reduction, family members have the ability to schedule a memorial or scattering ceremony after the disposition is complete. The family can wait weeks or even months to have a formal service to honor the deceased, giving themselves the bereavement time they need.
Eco-Friendly Funerals All the Way
It should come as no surprise that younger consumers are very interested in green death care services. In fact, many of them prioritize eco-friendliness when they are considering the type of disposition they would choose for themselves or a loved one.
In recent studies the majority of younger consumers have rated green funeral services as either appealing or very appealing. As a result many funeral homes are now taking the initiative to reduce the carbon footprint of their establishment and their services.
Minors in Texas can’t choose their disposition, but many people who are 18+ have strong opinions about death care. Those opinions and perspectives are now being seen within the death care industry and will only get more influential in the coming years. So if you want a barometer for where things are headed with funeral services you need to only look at what’s in-demand with people 40 and under to know.
Cremation.Green is an innovative funeral home that has been leading the way in eco-friendly death care services in Texas. If you have questions about what types of funeral services are available in the state give us a call, text or email at any time.
