Calling

A PUBLICATION OF THE NEW YORK STATE FUNERAL DIRECTORS ASSOCIATION, INC.

February 2015

The

SaveIS YOUR

Funeral Home PREPARED TO

Lives?Anthony Running for NFDA Secretary

Con

tents

NYSFDA Officers

Robert C. EnosPresident

West Seneca, 716-674-3636

Douglas R. BrueggemannPresident-Elect

East Northport, 631-368-1235

Walter J. KentSecretary / TreasurerElmira, 607-734-5368

Francis “Joe” Martin, Jr.Immediate Past President

West Henrietta, 585-424-3700

Timothy P. Doyle, CFSPContinuing Past President

Poughkeepsie, 845-452-0460

Bonnie L. McCullough, CAEExecutive Director

800-291-2629

Randy L. McCullough, CAEDeputy Executive Director

800-291-2629

Bureau of Funeral Directing518-402-0785

New York State Funeral Directors Association, Inc.1 South Family Drive, Albany, New York 12205

PHONE: 800-291-2629 • FAX: 518-452-8667WEB: www.nysfda.org • EMAIL: info@nysfda.org

THE CALLING is published by NYSFDA © 2015. All rights reserved. Please send all photos and story ideas to rana@nysfda.org. CLICK HERE

for publication schedule.

Febr

uar

y 20

15

President’s Message

In Remembrance

NYS Tribute Foundation

Classifieds

Calendar of Events

EDRS Update

Executive Director’s Message

PHOTO SLIDE SHOW: NYS Freshman Senators

COVER: Is Your Funeral Home Prepared to Save Lives?

Art in Loving Memory

Food & Beverage in the Funeral Home

VIDEO: See You in Poughkeepsie!

NYSFDA Adds to PBS End-of-Life Discussion

Military Family Bereavement Study

Pet Loss Survey Findings

Anthony Running for NFDA Secretary

VIDEO: Meet Scott Anthony

Directors Choice

PrePlan

VIDEO: Why Renew in 2015?

2015 IRS Mileage Rate

INTERACTIVE SURVEY: Talk of a Lifetime

As I sit at my desk writing my monthly message, I am reminded how cold January can be here in Buffalo. We had the NOVEMBER SNOWSTORM that left us with over 8 feet

of snow, and now in January, we are in the deep freeze of single digit temperatures. With that being said, I still enjoy the winter months and what it has to offer. I am looking forward to our annual family snowmobiling trip to Old Forge and my “guy trip” to Tug Hill. I encourage everyone to get out and enjoy the beauty and fun that winter has to offer.

Now, on to Association news . . .

2015 is a year in which we are seeing three of our largest local associations with new management. The METROPOLITAN FDA has BOB and TINA RUGGERIO; the NASSAU-SUFFOLK FDA welcomes HOLLY O’BRIEN; and my local Association, ERIE-NIAGARA FDA, welcomes REBECCA LANDY. Thank you to all of you for your leadership and guidance as Executive Directors. We wish you all the best.

I would also like to welcome back to NYSFDA NICKIE KROSS as Bonnie’s Executive Assistant. Nickie will be with us while CHERIE TESSIER is on maternity leave after she and her husband Scott welcomed the birth of their son, JACK ANTHONY, on December 22, 2014. Now that’s a

Dear Colleagues:

President’s Message

Christmas gift! I am happy to say that Cherie and the baby are doing well and we look forward to her return in March. Until then, we are very fortunate to have Nickie return to her former position. Nickie, it is great having you here.

I would like to remind everyone that the 2015 annual dues notices have been sent to all firms. Please write your check today to ensure your committed support as a member of this most respected association in Funeral Service.

The NYS TRIBUTE FOUNDATION’S 5TH ANNUAL CASH RAFFLE DRAWING is being held March 19, 2015. Tickets are $100.00 each. The prizes are substantial: 1st prize is $10,000; 2nd prize is $2,500; and 3rd prize is $1,000. Please support the Tribute Foundation for all the excellent work they do in support of Funeral Service.

Thank You.

Robert C. Enos

CLICK HERE to purchase your RAFFLE TICKET!

CLICK HERE to renew your membership dues.

New

s

A listing of friends of NYSFDA who have recently passed.

In RemembranceCLICK to view

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

CLICK to view

CLASSIFIED ADS

CLICK to view

THANK YOU to everyone who has donated to the NYS Tribute Foundation during the past year!

CLICK to view our donors

NYSFDA listens to a briefing by staff of the NYS DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH’s (NYSDOH) Bureau of Vital Records on the current status and progress surrounding the continuing development of the NYS ELECTRONIC DEATH REGISTRATION SYSTEM (EDRS). Attending were MARTIN KASDAN (R), Chairman of NYSFDA’s SELECT COMMITTEE ON FORMULATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF NYS

EDRS and funeral director manager with GUTTERMAN AND MUSICANT JEWISH FUNERAL DIRECTORS in New York City; STEPHEN HANS (center), Committee member and owner/manager of HANS FUNERAL HOME in Albany; and, RANDY McCULLOUGH (L), NYSFDA staff. NYSFDA was invited to attend and provide feedback at the January 20, 2015 briefing, the centerpiece of which was a demonstration and “run-through” by NYSDOH of how NYS EDRS is taking shape and will function. The system is on track to be fully operational in 2015.

NYSDOH BUREAU OF VITAL RECORDS EDRS staff LENNY KLUZ (foreground) and JEAN REO (back) lead a demonstration of a NYS EDRS system to NYSFDA members MARTIN KASDAN and STEPHEN HANS. Assistant Director of Government Affairs, MARIANNE SCHROM is at right.

EDRS Update

“It’s not what you know it’s who you know.”

Hmmmm . . . really?

It may seem that way to you when the idiot kid with three speeding tickets gets off because his uncle is a judge in Traffic Court. Or the other guy gets the job because his wife is the twice-removed cousin of the business owner. Or his wife is the business owner. You get my drift.

But as terrifically irritating and discouraging as these types of things may be, I would argue that in most of life and success, it’s both who you know AND what you know. Very few people, relatively speaking, get a free pass on either, and the exceptions only prove the rule.

So, for the purposes of this meandering missive of mine, let’s assume that all of you not only know everything that has anything to do with funeral service in New York, but have also read all of our legislative updates and memorized every applicable law related to your profession (caught you on that memorized part, didn’t I?). Seriously, our members know their stuff . . . they are practicing professionals that can easily understand how certain laws and regulations can or do heavily impact their work, both positive and negative.

Knowing your stuff does leave another part of the equation, and that is who you know.

Dear Members:

Executive Director’s Message

And getting to the who of things is never over, certainly not in the realm of dealing with legislators and regulators. There is turnover for lots of reasons, but turnover there is. That means you start all over again with different people. Yep. Square one.

There are 10 new state senators, 7 Republican and 3 Democrat. The following page lists who they are.

What a fabulous opportunity. You may already know the new senator in your area, and if you don’t it’s time to get acquainted. You don’t need to ask for anything . . . attend a fundraiser, reach out to them if they are in your funeral home, chat and be visible. Simply build a relationship, the kind that will help you be comfortable reaching out to them later on critical funeral service issues.

The who AND the what. How can funeral service lose?

Sincerely,

Bonnie L. McCullough, CAE

NYS Freshman SENATORS in PHOTOS!

CLICK the THUMBNAIL to see a LARGER photo & bio!

New York State

photo & bio!

GEORGE AMEDORE 46th Senate District

Political Party: RepublicanDate of Birth: April 2, 1969Birthplace: SchenectadyResidence: RotterdamOccupation: CEO, The Amedore GroupPrevious: NYS AssemblyFamily: Wife and three childrenReplacing: Cecilia TkaczykTwitter: @GeorgeAmedore

CLICK TO ENLARGE THE SENATE DISTRICT MAP

IS YOUR

Funeral Home PREPARED TO SaVe lIVeS?

Your Healtha CloSer looK aT an “aeD”

Last May, a NYSFDA member in Long Island found himself performing CPR on a salesman who had gone into cardiac arrest during routine business at the funeral home. Thankfully, that funeral director had taken a training course in the community and knew how to respond. That salesman’s life was saved by the funeral director’s

quick action until the EMTs arrived to transport the salesman to the hospital.

A few years back, a Central NY funeral director witnessed a member of the AMERICAN LEGION HONOR GUARD go into full cardiac arrest at a very rural cemetery on a 90-degree day. The cemetery had a one-way road that was full of cars from the funeral, which made getting emergency vehicles to him real challenge. Thankfully, he survived because the funeral director was also an EMT.

We know that there are numerous similar stories around New York State and across the country, whether the victim was an employee, vendor or sales rep, or someone visiting the family during services.

IS your Funeral Home prepareD? According to the AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION, the shock and stress of bereavement may spark a heart attack. In fact, a study of nearly 2,000 heart-attack survivors found they had their attack soon after a family member or close friend died. Another recent study found in the day following the loss of a loved one, a person is 21 times more likely to suffer a heart attack. For funeral directors, this is an alarming fact as that time frame of increased risk is when the family is in your funeral home for visitation and services.

Because February Is AMERICAN HEART MONTH, this is a great opportunity

for you as a business owner to take a closer look at your own efforts to provide a safe environment for your employees and members of the community who visit your funeral home. With the availability of a reasonably priced, easy-to-use AUTOMATED EXTERNAL DEFIBRILLATOR (AED), the days of simply having a standard first aid kit with Band-Aids and a few alcohol swabs are a thing of the past.

THe numberS Don’T lIeSUDDEN CARDIAC ARREST (SCA) is a condition in which the heart stops beating suddenly and unexpectedly due to a malfunction in the heart’s electrical system. The only effective treatment for SCA is to deliver an electrical shock using an AED, which stops the chaotic rhythm of the heart, allowing the heart to start beating effectively again. AEDs are about the size of a laptop computer, and are extremely easy to use; just turn them on and follow the voice prompts given. An AED will not shock someone who does not need it, making them very safe to use by virtually anyone. Having an AED available within minutes of a person collapsing can mean the difference between life and death for them. 5% of Cardiac Arrest patients survive. The number jumps to nearly 50% if CPR is started immediately and there is an AED connected within 5 minutes of the onset of Cardiac Arrest. Although not everyone treated with an AED can be saved, an AED may be the difference between life and death for someone stricken with sudden cardiac arrest.

How To obTaIn an aeDThis month, take some time to create or review your emergency response plan. Does it involve the use of an AED in your funeral establishment? Have you and your staff been trained in CPR or first aid recently? How prepared is your staff to recognize and handle emergencies involving heart attack, stroke, seizures, choking or allergic reactions?

Your Health

NYSFDA encourages each funeral home to put your emergency response plan in writing, create phone lists for emergency contacts and arrange for the appropriate training sessions for your entire staff.

The AMERICAN RED CROSS and the AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION are just two of the national organizations who offer hands-on training in CPR and using an AED device. Local health care and medical support organizations in your area may also provide information and training for you and your staff.

Should you decide to install an AED in your funeral home, like we have done here at NYSFDA, we strongly encourage you to use an AED program management service.

A management company can help with selecting which exact AED unit is best to purchase, identifying a physician and establishing the necessary

“collaborative arrangement” with him or her, and monitoring all of the important details of an AED program, including:

• Site assessment and evaluation• Registering with the NYS DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH (DOH)• Medical oversight and direction• Tracking of AED hardware expirations (AED Hardware expires, so

monitoring is crucial to avoid liability)• CPR and AED training and certification for you and your employees• “Post-event” support (downloading of data or submission of written data

from the rescue for DOH statistics)

It is important to note that costs for staff training and for the actual AED itself are quite minimal and, as such, well worth the expense!

lIabIlITy anD rISKNYS law does not currently require funeral homes to maintain an AED.

Your HealthHowever, New York law does require the following facilities to maintain AEDs on-site:

• Schools (including school-sponsored or extracurricular events)

• Health clubs (with more than 500 members)

• Places of public assembly: i.e., stadiums, concert halls, theaters, and the like - both private and public. NYS Public Health Law defines a “place of public assembly” as those facilities with an occupancy capacity of at least 1,000 persons

• State and other public buildings

For facilities where an on-site AED is not required by law, NYS encourages businesses – funeral homes included – to have AEDs available.

If a business or funeral home elects to voluntarily maintain an AED, NYS law specifically releases that business from liability when using an AED except for instances of gross negligence. The law outlines the following:

• No person may operate an AED without successfully completing a training course in the operation of an AED approved by a nationally-recognized organization or the state emergency medical services council, and the completion of the course was recent enough to still be effective under the standards of the approving organization.

• However, the law does not prohibit operation of an AED by someone who is acting in good faith, with reasonable care, and without expectation of monetary compensation, to provide first aid that includes operation of an AED; nor will the law limit any “Good Samaritan” protections provided by law.

• The AED must be maintained and tested according to applicable standards of the manufacturer and any appropriate government agency.

• Every use of the AED on a patient shall be immediately reported to the appropriate local emergency medical services system, emergency communications center or emergency vehicle dispatch center as appropriate and promptly reported to the emergency health care provider.

• A sign or notice must be posted at the main entrance to the facility or building in which the AED is stored to let people know of its presence on site.

• The business maintaining the AED must enter into a collaborative agreement with an emergency health care provider (such as a physician) for the operation of the AED. This collaborative agreement must provide the practices and procedures to comply with the Public Health Law and a copy of the collaborative agreement must be filed with NYSDOH.

wHy Don’T more buSIneSSeS proTeCT lIVeS wITH aeD?If AEDs are so effective, easy to use, and affordable, why don’t more businesses have AEDs? With cost less of an issue than it used to be, businesses typically cite two reasons why they don’t have an AED on hand and ready to save lives: lack of training, and liability.

Many companies are afraid of being perceived as “lifesaving experts,” and then sued if they fail. However, one could argue that each funeral home has a fire extinguisher in their building, yet that does not make all funeral directors firefighters. Indeed, those two concerns are made virtually non-existent by New York State law, as cited above.

Business Tips

IS your Funeral Home prepareD?

While it is not currently required under New York State Law that a funeral home must have an AED on its premises, as maintaining AEDs becomes more common in business facilities, there could be a negative public relations issue if a

person has a heart attack or other medical emergency in a funeral home and that funeral home does not have an AED available. The general public might assume that the funeral home should have an AED available given the fact that there are numerous people in the funeral home at various times, and that many of these people are of an advanced age, making them more susceptible or likely to be the victim of a sudden cardiac arrest.

Understandably, an AED - a sophisticated medical device with a big, fancy name - might seem like an overwhelming responsibility for you as a funeral home owner or manager to consider. Yet, by acquiring an AED and the relatively easy proper training like we’ve done here at NYSFDA, you will be increasing the chances of survival for your employees, co-workers, the families you serve – or even yourself!

We’d be happy to share with you our experiences with the AED and provide any additional information you may need to get you started should you be considering AED installation at your funeral home.

Please contact MARIANNE SCHROM at marianne@nysfda.org or 800-291-2629 to learn more.

arT IN Loving Memory

BY ED MUNGER, JR.

Consumer Information

Memories Endure on Canvas A young mother reaches towards the sky to touch tree branches forming the shape of a heart – a young girl looks down from the heavens. The child in the painting represents Heather, a vibrant youngster claimed by a brain tumor at the early age of five.

Sisters Taryn and Gillian view their sister’s memorial painting

During her short life, Heather left memories that couldn’t be captured on a headstone or a funeral prayer card – so her mother turned to ANNA LARUCCIA’s ART IN LOVING MEMORY in hopes of capturing important features that symbolized elements of her daughter’s life.

There was the mimosa tree Heather played beneath as a toddler – and the favorite Annie doll her mother clung to after she died. Three large white birds represent her three sisters and a peacock, watching all of them – depicts her father.

Re-creating colorful details of a loved-one’s life is now a passion for Laruccia, an accomplished artist and photographer who started her Art education at an early age and in a unique place – cemeteries near where she grew up.

Laruccia is helping people face grief and embrace the love they shared with their departed friends and family from her home-based business Art in Loving Memory.

Her goal is to infuse important aspects of loved-ones’ lives onto canvas – leaving friends and family with a memorable memorial fit for display.

MEMORIALS OF LIFE

Laruccia recalls packing lunches with her brother Johnny when she was 7 or 8 years old. They’d head off on bicycles to Long Island sites like the FROST FAMILY CEMETERY and the UNDERHILL CEMETERY.

Some headstones were too old to read -- others revealed names, birth and death dates and sometimes a small message. All of them left an impression on the young Laruccia who would eventually travel thousands of miles to view some of the grandest memorials people have established for the ones they love.

Laruccia recalls slipping through a broken fence at the LOCUST VALLEY CEMETERY near her elementary school. She’d bring her classmates to tour graves during recess, and she recalls her parents were a little concerned about the habit.

“I was very attracted to spending time at the cemetery,” Laruccia said. “I wasn’t having problems, I was just curious.”

Decades of life and years of education later, Laruccia has moved from learning about how people remember their beloved to helping them do it.

Much of her art now aims to reflect the thoughts and memories people have of their loved-ones. Through conversations with family or friends, Laruccia gathers ideas about frequent pastimes, favorite animals, peculiar symbols and other images that marked the lives of the dear departed.

Consumer Information

And she turns these objects and thoughts into works of art suitable to stand as a monument of the love people want to express for these loved-ones.

WEEKS OF WORK

A painting can take weeks – but Laruccia isn’t looking to get rich off of memorializing the dead. She uses a “sliding scale” to determine compensation for her time.

“It’s not always about the money. It’s about comforting people that come to me. If there’s a way I can help … I will make it work,” Laruccia said.

For her, helping people cope with grief and embrace those they’ve lost is a gift she embraces.

“It’s rewarding for me to know I did something for someone to connect with someone they lost, and all the paintings do that.”

Laruccia’s efforts to draw out the essence of a subject give her the sense that the deceased are helping to guide her work that’s aimed at easing the pain for those left behind.

“I somehow connect with the person who passed,” Laruccia said.

That’s how she explains why she kept seeing fireworks while working on a

Anna Laruccia

scene in honor of a girl who passed away.

She asked the girl’s mother if there were any rhyme or reason to fireworks and the question left the mother in tears. Laruccia learned there were fireworks underway as the family left the hospice the day the girl died.

“When I’m done with the painting the message goes away. It’s almost like `we know you’re trying to help the person who misses us so much.’ They know that we’re all on the same page,” Laruccia said.

People come to Laruccia at different stages following the death of a loved-one, she said.

“Some people walk in a coma for months, they still can’t process what happened to them especially if it’s a child. Those are the people that call me the most because they want to keep their child alive,” Laruccia said.

Laruccia’s outlines her capabilities and offerings from the Art in Loving Memory website – a site with the motto “Every Painting Tells a Story.”

For more stories like this one, visit NYSFDA’s blog: sympathynotes.org.

“This painting has served as a source of healing to my family and each time we look at it, we are reminded of the beautiful life Chrissy had and the family that misses her so dearly. I thank Anna for her God-given gift to interpret our precious family."

New York State

NYSFDA Legislation to Allow Limited

FooD and beVerageIn the Funeral Home

Re-Introduced in State Legislature

By Randy L. McCullough, CAE, Deputy Executive Director

A bill to authorize food and beverage in funeral homes in NYS has been re-introduced in both the State Assembly and Senate. The legislation,

drafted and supported by NYSFDA, would repeal a 1950’s-era regulation that currently prohibits any kind of beverage or food within a funeral establishment. This legislation overwhelmingly passed the Senate last year and was poised to be taken up for a vote in the Assembly when that chamber adjourned for the year. The bills are sponsored by Assembly Health Committee Chair RICHARD GOTTFRIED (D-Manhattan) and State Senator ELIZABETH “BETTY” LITTLE (R-Queensbury).

What follows is a summary of the main provisions of NYSFDA’s legislation. They are fully consistent with the collective views expressed by members at the 2014 Regional Meetings and supported by NYSFDA’s Board of Directors. The legislation has been negotiated and stands agreed to by both the Assembly and Senate:

• A funeral establishment may provide space, facilities, equipment or supplies for the preparation, sale, service, distribution or consumption of beverages

and limited types of food. (This is completely at the option of the funeral home.)

• Limited food means such things as baked goods, sandwiches, snacks, platters and hot trays, or those truly required by the religious practices of the deceased person or the deceased person’s family. (The bill does not envision a funeral home acting like a restaurant and serving so-called “seven-course meals” within the establishment.)

• Beverage can include anything the funeral home wishes to serve, except alcoholic beverages. However, alcoholic beverages are specifically prohibited unless truly required by the religious practices of the deceased person or the deceased person’s family.

• These types of food and beverages may be served in the funeral establishment to or by persons in the funeral home who are there to make pre-arrangements, attend a funeral or memorial ceremony or service, or who are participating in the care and preparation of a body for final disposition.

• These types of food and beverage may also be provided during a funeral home open house or similar community function that is funeral-related in nature. This can include an informational seminar on such topics as preneed that a funeral home may wish to hold for members of their local community.

• The bill explicitly allows for (and contemplates) the funeral home’s use of a caterer not owned by or affiliated with the funeral home.

• The bill also allows a funeral home to purchase from a local store or bakery food and/or beverages and then provide them to the family.

• Funeral home employees are limited to preparing beverages and serving food and beverages, making clear that such funeral home staff won’t be engaged in cooking – on premises – full meals.

New York State

• Funeral homes are explicitly exempt from being deemed “food service establishments” simply because they choose to offer the types of food and beverages allowed under the bill. This means that, although some basic permits will be required, funeral homes will not be subject to the same regulatory oversight and scrutiny as would a restaurant.

• Bill would take effect 180 days after it becomes a law, and the NYS DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH may issue regulations as necessary to ensure implementation on that date.

I hope this information is helpful as to the make-up and current status of our initiative. We will certainly keep you apprised of any further developments with regard to this legislation.

CLICK to view video

NYSFDA Annual Convention

POUGHKEEPSIEAugust 16 - 19, 2015

NYSFDA Adds To

End-of-Life Discussion

PBS

The NEW YORK STATE FUNERAL DIRECTORS ASSOCIATION added to the discussion of end-of-life as part of the series AGE WISE, a co-production of PBS affiliate, WMHT, and the ALBANY GUARDIAN SOCIETY.

Medical concerns, advance directives, palliative care and hospice are among topics of this episode as well as thoughts about the relief pre-planning a funeral can bring to families who are grieving the loss of a loved-one.

Member News

NYSFDA Super Region B Director, MARK T. PHILLIPS, of WILLIAM J. BURKE & SONS/BUSSING & CUNNIFF FUNERAL HOMES in Saratoga Springs, explained that many families are personalizing funerals - a change from earlier days when these ceremonies and rituals did not vary much.

Holding deep meaning for all family members and loved-ones, a funeral and its planning can be seen as a “journey,” NYSFDA Executive Director BONNIE McCULLOUGH said. “This is really a journey for all of us. We have to accept the reality of the death,” McCullough said.

NYSFDA hosted producers from WMHT and a television crew in October.

The Age Wise program concluded with a studio audience event, Age Wise in the Capital Region, featuring discussion on each episode’s topics which included: Where We Live, How to Age in Place, Caregiving, End-of-Life and Communities that Care.

View the End-of-Life episode of AGE WISE! . CLICK to watch video.

MILITARY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT STUDY

In the ten years after September 11, 2001, approximately 16,000 service members have died on active duty status. These deaths included accidents, combat deaths, illnesses, suicide, and homicide. Although the study of bereavement in the civilian population is robust, there is little empirical research on the impact of the death of a service member on military

families, especially the families of these deceased service members.

The goal of the NATIONAL MILITARY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT STUDY is to hear about the experiences of family survivors (parents, siblings, spouses and

Veteranschildren) of all circumstances (accidents, combat deaths, illnesses, suicide, and homicide, etc.) of active-duty deaths since 09/11/01.

The study is the first large scientific study of the impact of a U.S. service member death on surviving family members. The research is being conducted by UNIFORMED SERVICES UNIVERSITY OF THE HEALTH SCIENCES (USUHS) CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF TRAUMATIC STRESS (CSTS) in Bethesda, MD. The multi-disciplinary research team is led by STEPHEN J. COZZA, MD, Associate Director of CSTS/Director of the Child and Family Program.

The death of a family member is a life-changing event for the entire family. Although bereavement eventually occurs in every family, not all bereaved persons grieve in the same way. Surviving members of military families may offer a unique perspective to understanding grief.

There is a lack of substantive research on the impact of the death of a family member serving in the U.S. military. The need to study individual and family bereavement when a U.S. military service member dies is critical to understanding the experience of grief and loss in this unique survivor population.

The study investigates the impact of community support and services on the bereaved and how available resources impact resilience or vulnerability in surviving families. Finally, this study builds on the growing evidence addressing the intersection of grief and trauma and its effects on military family member’s bereavement process.

The families you serve may benefit from sharing their experiences about changes in their life during the period of adjustment following their service member’s death. Future families will benefit from participation because what is learned in this study about the effects of bereavement on children and families will be used to help military and civilian health and mental health communities provide improved support and better programs for the bereaved.

WHO CAN PARTICIPATE IN THIS STUDY?

Those eligible to participate will include: parents/step-parents/adoptive/legal guardians; siblings/step-siblings; spouses/ex-spouses; children/step-children whose related service member has died by all circumstances of death (such as accident, homicide, illness, killed in action, suicide) on active duty status in the U.S. Military (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard — active, guard & reserve) on or after September 11, 2001.

CLICK for study information.

Pet Loss Survey

FINDINGSThe PET LOSS PROFESSIONALS ALLIANCE (PLPA), a group of about 400

pet loss providers and related businesses, released the findings of its latest PET LOSS PROFESSION SURVEY recently. This is the second annual survey of the pet loss profession. The survey was completed by 69 pet loss service providers in 40 states and two countries.

Of the respondents 55 percent operate a funeral home.ADDITIONAL FINDINGS:

• 23 percent operate a cemetery• 35 percent operate an on-site crematory• 3 percent offer hospice services• 47 percent operate more than one of the above types of business

PLPA approximates that there are around 750 pet loss professionals in the United States. From this assumption and survey results, PLPA estimates that the U.S. figures for 2013 are:

• 1,467,024 pets were seen by pet loss businesses

• 14,774 were buried (1 percent)• 1,463,456 were cremated (99 percent). Of those cremated:

• 103,412 (7 percent) were partitioned cremations (a physical separation was employed to keep comingling of ashes to a minimum)

• 915,608 (63 percent) were group cremations (several pets cremated at once using no means of physical separation)

• 444,432 (30 percent) were private cremations (one pet cremated at a time)

Other information in the report includes annual revenue, size of staff, and how many respondents operate solely pet or pet and human businesses.

“The information in the report gives us a great opportunity to stand back and take a look at the size our industry,” said Bill Remkus, CPLP, PLPA Co-Chair, owner of Hinsdale Animal Cemetery & Crematory in Willowbrook, IL. (Source: PLPA)

Member News

Former NEW YORK STATE FUNERAL DIRECTORS ASSOCIATION (NYSFDA) President SCOTT B. ANTHONY, CFSP, CCO, is engaged in a campaign to serve as Secretary of the NATIONAL FUNERAL DIRECTORS ASSOCIATION (NFDA).

Co-owner of ANTHONY FUNERAL & CREMATION CHAPELS in Rochester, Anthony is a longtime member of the NYSFDA - considered one of the largest state-level funeral director associations in the nation.

He has volunteered his time in several positions within groups aimed at improving the profession. Anthony currently serves as the 2013-15 at-large representative on the NFDA Executive Board which follows service as a New York representative on NFDA’s Policy Board and membership on its Advocacy and Pursuit of Excellence committees.

He’s also served as board member and president of the FUNERAL SERVICE FOUNDATION and he’s held leadership positions at the ROCHESTER-GENESEE FUNERAL DIRECTORS ASSOCIATION in Upstate New York. He’s done so while his family funeral homes served about 500 families each year.

Despite the commitment of time, Anthony said playing a role in associations is essential to understanding them.

ANTHONY RUNNING FOR NFDA SECRETARY

“I just saw value in networking with others, understanding how they run businesses, what their needs are. It’s something I think I was attracted to and that just kind of grew,” he said.

Anthony’s newest goal is the seat as Secretary of the national organization that represents roughly 20,000 funeral directors.

According to NFDA’s bylaws, the Secretary is charged with ensuring all meeting notices are posted and to record proceedings during meetings of the House of Delegates, Policy Board and Executive Board. The Secretary is also responsible for maintaining reports and statements and other documents that have to be kept and filed and to review and process applications for members in the NFDA. The Secretary is also charged with receiving and distributing or publishing amendments, resolutions and other forms of NFDA business pursuant to the organization’s constitution and bylaws.

The NFDA advocates on behalf of its members and focuses on topics they face including federal regulations enforced by the OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION; veterans’ funerals and burial benefits, environmental safety and health, health insurance, small businesses and taxes and other issues.

Secretary of NFDA is a position the Upstate New York funeral director sees as another way to help those working in a meaningful profession he refers to as a “calling.”

“I find a commonality with folks that have a heart for serving because I think that’s truly my nature,” Anthony said.

Anthony’s work with funeral service associations spans several decades, including roughly 18 years as a member of the NYSFDA. These meetings of like-minded professionals have helped Anthony hone his knowledge of the field both in New York and nationwide.

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“I’m getting a flavor of how other states and how other regions memorialize their loved-ones and how the funeral directors work with families,” Anthony said.

There is a long list of differences among the states when it comes to funeral service, Anthony said. “Each state has its own issues, each allows certain things.”

In most states, food and beverages are commonplace at a funeral ceremonies, while neither are allowed in NYS funeral homes. In some states, funeral directors can own cemeteries, crematories, catering centers and flower shops – in other states they can’t. Knowledge of these variations, Anthony said, is an essential prerequisite for service as an officer on the board of NFDA.

“These kinds of things are unique to each state. The national organization

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needs to be sensitive to everybody.”

Membership on the NFDA’s Executive Board, Anthony said, has broadened his understanding of the field. This awareness, and staff at NFDA Anthony describes as “first rate,” makes the association an important influence in the livelihood of funeral directors.

“It’s an organization that’s got a fairly-consistent staff base and people that really are there for more than just a job. They believe in funeral service, they believe in funeral directing,” Anthony said.

Though society is in a constant state of change, one of the primary dynamics facing the profession of funeral directing is no mystery – cremation. It’s gradually

Photo: NFDA

Member Newsreplacing burial as a preferred means of final disposition.

To Anthony, this development signals the need for funeral directors to adjust.

“More and more, the majority of work we do will be where, perhaps, the body is not going to be part of the ceremony. It’s our role as funeral home owners to teach and show value to families so they can get what they want.”

Anthony said he does not see the migration away from burial as a direction away from funerals altogether.

“I think people are still going to want some celebration, some memorialization. When there’s a death people want to get together and share stories . . . talk about their loved-ones. They need a place to do that. They need a professional to guide them through that,” he said.

The change in thinking about final services for loved-ones means funeral directors have to strive to ensure that their abilities and services remain relevant to people’s lives, he said.

“It takes more work now. We can’t assume that people are just going to come to us because we’re here.”

Despite these changes, Anthony says families often acknowledge the important role funeral directors play in their lives.

“People want to show their appreciation. Families are coming to us because we provide a service that they value.”

Anthony, 63, is also a family man. He and his wife Debbie have two adult daughters, Lisa and Sara.

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DIRECTORS CHOICE ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS

Conference CallTuesday, February 17th

12:00 Noon

We encourage you to dial-in for this meeting. This is your

credit union – you have a vested interest in its operation, its growth, and ultimately its success. There will be an election for two positions on the Board of Directors, each position for a 3-year term. The Nominating Committee submits the following nominees:

• EUGENE M. GUARINO, Graham Funeral Home, Rye• WALTER J. KENT, Walter J. Kent Funeral Home, Elmira• WARREN H. RILES, CFSP, Riles & Woolley Funeral Home, Forestville

CALL INSTRUCTIONS

• To attend this meeting, please call in at least five minutes prior to the start of the meeting

Business Services

• Dial toll-free: 1-888-428-9480• You will be greeted by an operator

• Identify yourself and request the DCCU Annual Meeting of Shareholders• Provide the operator with your name, employer affiliation and city for roll

call purposes

• You will then be joined to the call

CALL AGENDA

• Call to Order

• Roll Call / Establish Quorum

• Approval of Minutes of Annual Meeting of Shareholders of Previous Year

• Report of Chairman

• Report of Secretary/Treasurer

• Report of Supervisory Committee

• Unfinished Business

• New Business

• Report of Nominating Committee

• Election

• Adjourn

Medicaid/SSI 101WHAT IS MEDICAID?MEDICAID was established by Congress in 1965 as a government health insurance program for individuals of any age whose income is too low to provide routine health care costs, or whose health care costs are too high to be covered by their income. These health care costs include the cost of nursing home residence. Medicaid eligibility is determined from detailed documentation provided by an applicant regarding their income and assets. The figures below reflect the amount of resources an applicant may retain and still qualify for Medicaid. Resource levels depend on the number of family members living with the applicant.

2015 MEDICAID RESOURCE LIMITS

• 1 person household $14,850• 2 person household $21,750

Excludes irrevocable burial account, house, car, life insurance with face value of $1,500 or less.

An applicant may also set aside funds in an irrevocable burial account for certain family members and such funds will not be considered an asset when determining Medicaid eligibility.

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RATE WATCHANNUAL NET CONSUMER YIELD

1.33%CURRENT CONSUMER NET YIELD

1.21%

WHAT IS A COMMUNITY SPOUSE?

A community spouse is someone who’s husband/wife is currently institutionalized or living in a nursing home. The community spouse is not currently living in a nursing home and usually resides at the couple’s home.

COMMUNITY SPOUSE RESOURCE ALLOWANCE

• Minimum of $74,820 or one-half of the married couple’s resources up to

• Maximum Community Spouse Resource Allowance of $119,220

WHAT IS SSI?SUPPLEMENTAL SECURITY INCOME is a federally administered program assisting individuals who have reached an age of 65+ or have been legally classified as blind or disabled and meet specific income and resource tests, citizenship/qualified alien status and U.S. residence requirements.

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SSI RESOURCE LIMITS

• 1 person household $2,000• 2 person household $3,000

Excludes irrevocable burial account, house, car, life Insurance with face value of $1,500 or less.

HOW DO THESE TWO PROGRAMS AFFECT FUNERAL PREARRANGEMENTS?

New York State Social Services Law SECTION 209 and SECTION 366 mandate that all contracts for prefunded funerals established for applicants or recipients of Medicaid/SSI be irrevocable. An individual may have one irrevocable account for an unlimited dollar amount to be used for funeral and burial expenses. The funds in an irrevocable funeral account are not considered an asset during the spend-down process. Once the purchaser has signed and agreed to the irrevocable nature of the trust agreement, the funds cannot legally be refunded to that individual by the funeral director or financial institution holding the funds in trust.

In the event there is an overage in the trust account after the funeral has been provided, the excess funds must be sent to the county in which the person for whom the services were provided was residing and receiving assistance at the time of death. It is important to remember that although the funds in an irrevocable account may not be refunded, they may at any time be transferred to a different funeral home.

We’re pleased to welcome MAYNARD D. BAKER FUNERAL HOME in Queensbury to the PrePlan family!

Watch the video

CLICK HERE to renew your 2015 NYSFDA membership!

We value your continued

membership!

MEMBER BENEFITS• Industry Information, Legislative Updates, and

Compliance Materials• FREE Annual Convention Registration• Members-Only Website• Members-Only Monthly Newsletter• Members-Only eNews Updates & Text Alerts• PrePlan!• Directors Choice Credit Union!• Continuing Education - Including OSHA & NYS Law• Consumer Publications• Weekly E-mailed Funeral News Summaries,

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Final Thoughts

What Do You Think?Take a moment to fill out our interactive survey.

Once you submit your opinion, you can view what your peers think too!

Has your funeral firm utilized any of the FUNERAL AND MEMORIAL INFORMATION COUNCIL’s HAVE THE TALK OF A LIFETIMESM materials?

2015 IRS Standard Mileage Rate The INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE has issued its 2015 optional standard mileage rates. Effective January 1, 2015, the IRS standard rate is 57.5 cents per mile driven for business purposes (an increase of one-and-a-half cents from the 2014 rate of 56 cents per mile). Remember, if you have employees driving on behalf of your

business, OSHA requires that you have a DISTRACTED DRIVING POLICY. A sample policy is available by contacting frank@nysfda.org.