What Is A Perpetual Care Cemetery?

When people think of what is a perpetual care cemetery, they often think of a beautiful, upscale setting for their family grave. Others think about a small plot in the backyard where they can bury their loved ones who have passed on. One other thought is that they are simply paying for the privilege of being able to be buried in a place that will always be taken care of. Some may think that there is no difference between a public cemetery and a private cemetery other than the expense. In actuality, there is a huge difference between the two in both cost and in importance.

Perpetual care cemeteries are important because they provide a family with peace of mind. In most cases, a person who passes away has been a part of the family for quite some time, so they are considered part of the family even after they die. Burial is often difficult for those who have been close to someone. It brings up feelings of not being understood and sometimes it causes family members to feel as though they have failed their loved one who is no longer with them. With a perpetual care cemetery, this never has to happen. The land will always be kept intact for the family to use at a later date.

Since a family may want to choose the site of their perpetual care cemetery depending on the plot, many often find themselves thinking about the plot itself. When a body is cremated, the cremation residue often gets buried in the plot. Some people do not feel comfortable with this. There are also those people who are adamant about placing a loved one in a particular plot because of their religious beliefs. They feel that this is a burial site for them and therefore would do whatever they can to make certain that it stays intact.

The answer to what is a perpetual care cemetery is best found with the family. Determine what the desires of the deceased were. What did they want? What would they have wanted? How are the wishes coming along for the burial? These are things that should be considered by the surviving family members.

If the deceased had a specific preference, make sure that you respect them. Always consider the wishes of the person who will be buried at the plot. This is important for two reasons. First, if something were to happen and there is not enough room for all family members to be buried in the ground, then the deceased may have wanted that special spot and now the family needs to make arrangements to make it possible.

Since there is not an additional expense associated with the plot, this is something that will be looked upon as an investment by the family. The investment will become something more than just a burial ground because of how well the land is maintained. In the long run, this means that more land can be bought and used in the future.

When looking into the costs of a plot, it will help to look into the expenses associated with the permanent plots. Some plots currently cost $3,500 or more. For families that do not have that much money to spend on a burial, this can be a difficult issue to overcome. 

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