C.F Sweeny's Funeral Home in Bridgewater, NS. Photo: Cody McEachern
When the State of Emergency was originally declared funeral homes were deemed an essential service but many have chosen to hold off on making arrangements until gathering limits are loosened.
Currently, you can have a funeral with fifty people in attendance (including staff) as long as physical distancing can be observed.
President of Sweeny’s Funeral Home in Bridgewater and New Germany Adam Tipert says that poses a challenge to most funeral homes, “Very few (funeral) homes would have a chapel that could accommodate fifty people while physically distancing.”
Graveside services are however possible as people can spread out easily.
While some people are choosing this option the majority are not according to Tipert, “I’d estimate about 15 per cent of families have made arrangements with the current restrictions while the others continue to wait until they can have the size of service they are looking for.”
As a result, there is a backlog of funerals waiting to take place which will take some time to coordinate according to Tipert. Overall he says families have been very understanding during the pandemic and he anticipates people will be patient in waiting for the type of service they desire.
Tipert adds that the South Shore has not seen many COVID-19 related deaths so the amount of funerals postponed is in line with the normal amount they would have seen throughout regular business.
