3 Things We Learned at the 2024 CANA Convention

3 Things We Learned at the 2024 CANA Convention

During this year's Annual Cremation Innovation Convention hosted by the Cremation Association of North America, Homesteaders representatives had the opportunity to connect with passionate funeral professionals and learn more about innovations and trends in deathcare. While the sessions provided valuable insights, some of our biggest takeaways came from conversations with our peers, further reinforcing our shared mission to support families during their most challenging times.

We spoke with a few conference attendees from Homesteaders Life Company about what stuck with them after they returned from the Chicago gathering. Read on to see what resonated most with attendees and how those takeaways impact our work.

Grief Resources Are a Game-Changer for Grieving Families

As funeral professionals, we've heard it time and again: Everyone grieves differently. You want to support each person as they navigate their grief journey. But with the various demands on your time in day-to-day operations, how can you provide meaningful support for your client families?

In conversations attendees had with practitioners at the CANA convention, we heard having any kind of grief resources - whether local support groups, online communities or even brochures - can be a game-changer for families as they begin to process their loss. That's why Homesteaders is proud to partner with For Grief, a platform created to provide resources, support and information to help the grieving navigate the days ahead. With on-demand digital resources guided by experts in the field and a growing Facebook group, it's a great first stop for your client families in need of support.

Grief resources, like those For Grief offers, paired with a robust and intentional aftercare program demonstrate your genuine care and empathy for client families and your commitment to fostering meaningful relationships with them in the weeks and months following a funeral. Aftercare solutions like Elevia's meet families where they are, providing a comforting presence in their time of need and reminding them that you and your funeral home are there with them, every step of the way.

Knowing How to identify suicide risk in funeral professionals can save lives

Of the sessions Homesteaders representatives attended during the convention, one proved particularly impactful: Recognizing and Responding to Suicide Risk Within the Deathcare Professions, presented by Dr. Sara Murphy.

In recent years, awareness of the importance of work-life balance and self-care has increased within the public at large and amongst the funeral profession, but rarely are we discussing the specific risk funeral service professionals face for burnout and suicide.

"Particularly within the deathcare professions, suicidality, and even suicide death, are often hidden in plain sight within both private and business spaces," Dr. Murphy shared. "Given the unique nature of the high-stress work undertaken by deathcare professionals as well as the historic silence around suicide within the profession, it is crucial that professionals are able to both give and receive the support they and their colleagues need in order to recognize suicide risk and employ prevention and intervention practices."

Dr. Murphy shared that while compassion fatigue is common in the funeral profession, recognizing the difference between this and burnout can be lifesaving - both for ourselves and for our colleagues. Compassion fatigue is defined by the American Psychological Association as "stress-related symptoms experienced by caregivers and other helping professionals in reaction to working with traumatized people over an extended period of time." Someone experiencing compassion fatigue may feel an overwhelming sense of helplessness originating from the nature of their work. For funeral professionals, this is the emotional labor of supporting those in grief. Burnout, however, results from performing at a high level until stress and tension, especially from extreme and prolonged physical or mental exertion or an overburdening workload, take their toll. Unlike compassion fatigue, burnout doesn't result from the type of work being done but rather from occupational stress and being overworked.

While compassion fatigue can be expected within deathcare professions and can be managed, burnout should never be an expectation. Instead, we should work to prevent it, creating an environment attuned to our wellness and that of or colleagues. Check out these blog posts from Homesteaders for practical tips to prevent burnout and manage stress in a funeral home workplace.

We are Stronger Together

While conventions are always a fantastic opportunity to connect with customers and fellow allied professionals alike, attendees noted how the setup of this year's convention - with the convention floor and general sessions in the same space - allowed for better networking and a greater overall sense of community. Not only that, it allowed vendors, like Homesteaders, to participate in the same continuing education as CANA members. When we're able to learn about innovations in deathcare and cremation alongside the clients we serve, we can better serve them and their families.

"CANA's 106th Cremation Innovation Convention was such a wonderful opportunity to connect with fellow professionals and stay current on trends in cremation and deathcare," noted Kelly Manion, Director of Consumer Marketing. "It's clear that when we come together as a community, we can better serve families navigating their loss."

The nature of the convention also made it easy for attendees to have meaningful conversations with practitioners. Hearing from them about their day-to-day operations, the challenges they face and the needs they have provided valuable insights for vendors supporting them.

When we foster an environment that encourages the open sharing of information and knowledge across the deathcare community, we make each other stronger. The stronger we are, the better we can support families through some of the most difficult times of their lives.

And in the end, isn't that why we do what we do?

Share your takeaways from this year's CANA Convention in the comments below. We hope to see you at next year's convention in Phoenix, Ariz.!