The process of grieving a loved one is often difficult to comprehend for those who have never experienced the same loss. As such, there are many misconceptions surrounding the grieving process.

Grief is natural part of the mourning process, and while it is often intensely painful, it is not necessarily a negative emotion. Rather than an obstacle, grief is merely something that needs to be experienced—it’s not necessary to “deal with” or “get over” grief so much as it is to work through it and grow from it.

Although grief is often broken down into stages (i.e. denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance), not everyone expresses grief or deals with it in the same way; some may rely on the support of those around them, while others may take up a new hobby and stay solitary. Recovery varies depending on the individual, so it is important not to impose your time constraints on the victims or to criticize their grieving process.

Here at Chapel of the Chimes Oakland , we understand the importance of providing dignified and personalized end-of-life services, which is why we’ve been doing it for more than 100 years. Learn more about our services in Oakland online and call (510) 654-0123 for more information.

The loss of a loved one has a profound impact on others, and it’s often difficult for close friends and family members to know how to respond. Everyone’s emotional needs vary, but as this video explains, it is important to provide a network of support in the aftermath of the loss.

Mourning the loss of a loved one is a gradual process, so it’s important to keep in mind that the objective in comforting a friend or family member is not to resolve the problem, but to work through it. Although it often seems inadequate, simply maintaining a presence can provide an unspoken source of comfort.

Here at Chapel of the Chimes Oakland, we pride ourselves on providing personalized end-of-life services in Oakland . We’ve maintained our tranquil landscape and historic buildings for over 100 years. Call (510) 654-0123 today with any questions or comments.

More families across the country are choosing cremation instead of conventional burial when memorializing the remains of their loved ones. During cremation, a person’s remains are burned at very high temperatures. At the end of the process, all that remains is calcified bone, which is then turned into ash. The ash from a cremation can then be incorporated into a wide variety of memorials to help you and your family remember and celebrate your loved one’s life. Here is a brief overview of your cemetery cremation options:

Glass Front Niche

Glass front niches are elegant displays placed in air-conditioned environments, and can provide survivors with a tasteful place to honor their loved ones. Since the glass front niches at Chapel of the Chimes allow for up to 12 internments, you can place the remains of the deceased alongside the ashes of any other family members who have passed.

Granite or Marble Face Niche

Granite and marble face niches provide an elegant memorial for your loved one’s cremated remains. With locations both inside the chapel and outside it, Chapel of the Chimes’ granite and marble face niches can hold one or two urns in one place.

Cremorial

If you opt for cremation, your loved one’s ashes can be buried and incorporated into a garden. A garden can be constructed with or without fountains, depending on your or your loved one’s preference.

Cremation Bench Estate

A cremation bench estate can provide a beautiful resting place for your loved one’s remains while also giving you and your loved ones a place to sit and reflect. It’s an elegant and practical way to honor a deceased loved one.

The options listed above are just a sample of the options available for families interested in cemetery cremation. If you want to learn more about your cemetery cremation options, call Chapel of the Chimes Oakland at (510) 654-0123. When it comes to memorializing your loved one, we will do everything in our ability to make your vision a reality.

As the subject of pre-planning funerals has become more mainstream, consumers have discovered that making their own funeral preparations offers a lot of benefits. Some of the advantages associated with advanced funeral planning are likely to give you peace of mind as the time of your own passing draws near. Here are a few of the most compelling reasons to make pre-need funeral arrangements with an experienced funeral and cremation services provider :

Spare Your Loved Ones Hardship

Perhaps the most persuasive reason to plan your funeral in advance is to spare your loved one’s the stress and uncertainty that comes with planning a funeral and making other major decisions. If you plan ahead, your loved ones will have time to grieve in their own fashion rather than worry about whether their funeral planning decisions are the ones you would have wanted.

Take Ample Time to Plan

Another advantage of making funeral arrangements in advance is that you have the time to conduct thorough research. You can look into all of your funeral, cremation, and memorialization options and make smart choices without feeling pressed for time. You can even involve your family in the pre-planning process by asking for their input and expressing your thoughts and feelings about the whole process.

Reduce or Eliminate the Financial Burden

Pre-planned funerals almost always cost less than funerals that are planned after an individual’s passing. This is because pre-planners have the opportunity to lock in lower rates, the flexibility to more thoroughly research their options; and the presence of mind to avoid emotional over-spending. Also, pre-paying for part or all of a funeral service can reduce the financial burden on survivors. 

Pre-planning your funeral is almost certain to provide the aforementioned benefits—especially if you work with an attentive funeral services provider who has your best interests in mind. Spare your loved ones from having to make difficult decisions in the wake of your passing and save money by working with an experienced funeral home representative from Chapel of the Chimes Oakland . To learn more about our funeral pre-planning services, call (510) 654-0123.

If your loved one’s remains are cremated rather than buried, you can choose between several memorialization options. At Chapel of the Chimes Oakland, we can bury the cremated remains on a marked cemetery plot as we would a coffin. You can also have the ashes stored in a picture frame or piece of jewelry. You might consider scattering the ashes over a body of water or countryside that held special importance to your loved one. The remains can even be separated and stored in multiple urns or memorial keepsakes so several family members can keep the deceased close at all times.

At Chapel of the Chimes Oakland, we understand that different families have different wishes for the memorialization of their loved ones. In an effort to accommodate all of these wishes, we offer a full range of cremation and funeral services . To speak with a member of our compassionate and dedicated staff about the diverse services we offer, call (510) 654-0123.

Like adults, children cope with tragedy and loss in different ways. Unlike most adults, however, children often struggle with the basic concept of death. For advice helping children of any age cope with the death of someone they knew, watch this helpful news clip.

Most experts on death and dying recommend being honest with your children about death if you can help it; however, there is nothing wrong with shielding them from excessive exposure to tragedy. Letting your children know that you are available to provide comfort and answers can help them work through the tragedy.

If your child’s loss was your loss as well, and if you are in need of grief support yourself, Chapel of the Chimes Oakland can help. We offer a range of grief support services both online and in person. To learn more about our grief support or funeral planning and cremation services, call (510) 654-0123.

More families across the country are choosing cremation instead of conventional burial when memorializing the remains of their loved ones. During cremation, a person’s remains are burned at very high temperatures. At the end of the process, all that remains is calcified bone, which is then turned into ash. The ash from a cremation can then be incorporated into a wide variety of memorials to help you and your family remember and celebrate your loved one’s life. Here is a brief overview of your cemetery cremation options:

Glass Front Niche

Glass front niches are elegant displays placed in air-conditioned environments, and can provide survivors with a tasteful place to honor their loved ones. Since the glass front niches at Chapel of the Chimes allow for up to 12 internments, you can place the remains of the deceased alongside the ashes of any other family members who have passed.

Granite or Marble Face Niche

Granite and marble face niches provide an elegant memorial for your loved one’s cremated remains. With locations both inside the chapel and outside it, Chapel of the Chimes’ granite and marble face niches can hold one or two urns in one place.

Cremorial

If you opt for cremation, your loved one’s ashes can be buried and incorporated into a garden. A garden can be constructed with or without fountains, depending on your or your loved one’s preference.

Cremation Bench Estate

A cremation bench estate can provide a beautiful resting place for your loved one’s remains while also giving you and your loved ones a place to sit and reflect. It’s an elegant and practical way to honor a deceased loved one.

The options listed above are just a sample of the options available for families interested in cemetery cremation. If you want to learn more about your cemetery cremation options, call Chapel of the Chimes Oakland at (510) 654-0123. When it comes to memorializing your loved one, we will do everything in our ability to make your vision a reality.

Saturday, June 15 4 p.m.

Chapel of the Chimes, Oakland

4499 Piedmont Ave. at Pleasant Valley Rd.

Free community concert!

The Decibelles is an eclectic, upbeat women’s vocal ensemble, directed by Cava Menzies. We are an auditioned group of singers whose repertoire includes pop, oldies, standards, jazz, and folk.

Come enjoy great music by Billy Strayhorn, Paul Simon, Curtis Mayfield, Lennon and McCartney, Billy Joel and more!

In recent years, cremation has become increasingly popular among families across the country. There are many reasons for the shift away from conventional burial. For one, cremation tends to be less expensive. Cremation also provides families a higher degree of flexibility; once placed in an urn, a loved one’s ashes can be memorialized in a number of ways. Determining whether cremation is right for your family is a different issue, however. Before making a decision, you must first determine if cremation is what the deceased would have wanted. You should also determine whether cremation will allow for the kind of ceremony you and your family would like to have.

Understanding the options afforded to your family by cremation is the first step to determining whether it is the right choice for your loved one’s remains. If you want to learn more about what cremation involves , call Chapel of the Chimes Oakland at (510) 654-0123.