Throughout time funerals have been a significant ritual to mark the end of someone’s life, but the way we farewell our loved ones continues to evolve, and, of course, funerals and the industry itself have been impacted by the COVID-19 Pandemic.
In this blog, we discuss a number of funeral trends that were outlined in the Funeral Industry Trends Report 2021 by McCrindle Research. The research was commissioned by the Australian Funeral Directors Association (AFDA) and involved a monthly online survey of AFDA member funeral directors.
Funeral Trends Australia 2021
While some customary and longstanding beliefs may play a part in how a person is laid to rest, there’s no denying that the COVID-19 pandemic has caused unpredictability and upheaval for Australian families and those who work within the funeral industry.
“This report comes at a time of great uncertainty for both families and funeral directors due to the impact of COVID-19 and the restrictions forced on the industry and those who wish to gather together for a ceremony with family and friends,” Dale Gilson, CEO, Australian Funeral Directors Association (AFDA).
At Anton Brown Funerals, we noticed that direct or non-attended cremations became more common in 2021 as a result of lockdowns, restrictions and state and international border closures.
And many families who were able to hold a funeral opted to have the service livestreamed for those mourners who couldn’t be there in person on the day.
The Report at A Glance
The following findings about how Australians farewell their loved ones were outlined in the report:
- Seven in ten funerals (72%) being a cremation and three in ten (28%) being a burial.
- One in five funerals (20%) are unattended, while 80% are attended.
- One in six funerals (15%) include a viewing
- 36% of funerals are livestreamed
- 50% of Australians are likely to be in hospital at the time of their death, 32% are likely to be in an aged care or respite facility and 15% are likely to be at home
- Most funerals are conducted at-need (85%), while 15% are pre-planned.
- Most deaths occur from natural causes (74%), however, about a quarter (26%) are considered coronial.
If you have any questions about the report, or would like further information, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Anton Brown Funerals today on (07) 3217 3088.
Anton Brown Funerals is a family-owned, Queensland funeral company which was established in 1995.
Our Brisbane-based team of funeral directors are honest, professional, compassionate and understanding, and always put our clients and their needs first.
We go above and beyond to ensure your loved one’s funeral arrangements are tailored to their final wishes and can assist you with burials, cremations, coffins, floral arrangements, pre-planning and more.
If you need help organising a dignified funeral service, we are available to discuss arrangements 24/7, so please don’t hesitate to reach out to us today on (07) 3217 3088 or send us a message online here.
