Funeral directors sending Valentine’s Day cards to care home residents?!

[Clafoutie]

Who on earth thought that was a good idea?

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2024/feb/16/relatives-decry-undertakers-valentines-cards-sent-to-care-home-residents?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

The care home itself said the residents were ‘delighted’ to receive the cards. I find that hard to believe. I think it is just so crass. AIBU?!

You know when people come on a thread and write:
OMFG, what have I just read?
That was made for times like this.

YABU because this small family business has already apologised for how it came across and they don't need any more of a backlash. Hope to God you never mess up and never end up on the receiving end of public outrage from hundreds of thousands of people who never met you. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-surrey-68316465

I'm a funeral arranger and we're strictly not allowed to advertise ourselves direct to care homes, hospitals, hospices or similar settings. I find it disgusting that this company has behaved in this manner and I hope there are serious repercussions for them.

Edited to add: there are firm government guidelines on this, so the company have no excuse.

Is that you Mrs Sanders 😂

Rotherham hospice calendar one year had a photo of people at an event and in the background was a huge poster for Coop funeral care, bad taste to say the least.

This feels like the time a picture of Harold Shipman was used to advertise life insurance.

I'm sorry, I'm going to hell because I pmsl at this 🤣

I've worked in a Hospice where the local undertakers used to get involved in death cafes and support afternoon tea events for dying matters weeks.

It's easy to criticise, but some people approaching death want to discuss their funeral plans. It can be hard for families to do this, whereas undertakers are professionals who will listen, engage and offer suggestions.

I don't love the valentines idea, but care home residents are going to need their services and it's not unreasonable to advertise and build relationships.

I don’t object to the advertising or having plans in place, but can understand the viewpoint of many people in the home having lost their life partner.

They shouldn’t have done that. It’s a grave error of judgement. It’s just dead wrong.

I hope they undertake never to do this again.

Although this is in very bad taste - if you do have a relative in a CH they are not long onto your case as to who will be the Undertaker should your family member die. We had to take out a funeral plan for this scenario - my late Mum was in a CH with Dementia. The CH tend to have very good relationships with the local Undertakers.