• Funeral Consumers Alliance
Our parent organization, the Funeral Consumers Alliance, has a slew of resources on their website, covering funeral options, financing, decision-making, legal issues, and more.
• PracticalBioethics.org
The Center for Bioethics in Kansas is a site full of relevant webinars, articles, and videos for professionals who can provide ideas, guidance, and resources about many varied end-of-life topics and issues.
• RespectingChoices.org
This division of CTAC (Coalition to Transform Advanced Care) Innovations provides training for an array of educational programs to support an organization’s or community’s transformation to best practices in a person-centered healthcare system.
• TheConversationProject.org
A national public engagement initiative to encourage meaningful and important talks between the generations about end-of-life choices and requests. The Conversation Project offers tools, guidance, and resources to make these difficult conversations easier, making sure that our own wishes and those of our loved ones are both expressed and respected.
• FoundationEOLC.org
Foundation for Improving End of Life Care
• LeadingAge.org
Members of LeadingAge are the leaders in innovative aging services, representing the full continuum of providers who believe in the moral imperative of putting people above profits. They are driven to help improve the field so that elders can age in a place called home safely and with dignity. Many states have their own chapters, including Georgia, whose association of over 170 housing and service providers is THE trusted voice for non-profit and other mission-driven organizations dedicated to providing quality housing, healthcare, and community-based services for Georgia’s seniors.
• CINDEA.CA
Even though this organization, the Canadian Integrative Network of Death Education & Alternatives, is focused on Canadian resources, many are available in the US or are universal. One of their resources is a free series of video training for performing the many aspects of a home funeral. The listings are divided into pre and post-death categories. Products, service companies are listed, as well as many links to free website resources and helpful content.
• BeingMortal.weebly.com is a website that provides links to articles, presentations, recordings, and other sites related to the award-winning PBS Frontline documentary Being Mortal, based on the book by Dr. Atul Gawande.
• Georgia Consumer Protection Division handles complaints alleging an unfair or deceptive business practice by a funeral services provider. The Georgia Cemetery and Funeral Services Act of 2000 (O.C.G.A. Sections 10-14-1 through 10-14-30) requires that most cemeteries and funeral service providers register with the Secretary of State, pay an annual renewal fee and file certain reports. Any individual who sells funeral services on a pre-need basis must be licensed by the Secretary of State (family burial plots, fraternal and government-owned cemeteries, and those belonging to churches and synagogues are excluded). Registered perpetual care cemeteries must ensure proper maintenance of their grounds, with a full and complete schedule of charges for all services posted for the public to see. Complaints regarding the care and maintenance of the grounds or about merchandise should be directed to the Secretary of State’s office, using the public complaint form on their website.
• The Federal Trade Commission enforces The Funeral Rule, which requires funeral homes to give consumers an itemized General Price List (GPL) at the start of a visit to make funeral arrangements. Funeral homes must show consumers separate casket and outer burial container price lists if those prices are not included in the GPL. By requiring itemized prices, consumers gain the ability to compare prices among funeral homes and buy only the goods and services they want. The FTC accepts complaints from consumers involving deceptive or unfair acts or violations of the Funeral Rule by such providers. The FTC cannot investigate each individual complaint but will use this information as part of an investigation if they see a developing pattern of violations.