Throughout the pandemic, funeral live streaming was often the only option for mourners to attend the final send-off of a loved one. Stopped from attending services in person by strict restrictions that limited numbers to as few as 10 people during the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic, virtual attendance was welcomed. But now that restrictions have been lifted, will the practice of live-streaming funerals continue?
Virtual funeral attendance
Logging-in to watch a funeral service remotely is not exclusively a pandemic phenomenon.
Back in 2016, The Independent newspaper reported that a growing number of crematoriums were fitting webcams to allow mourners to watch funeral proceedings live online. At that time, around a fifth of Britain’s 281 crematoriums offered a live streaming option and more than 60% of funeral directors had been asked for services to be live-streamed.
But what was being reported as ‘a new trend’ in 2016, was forced into the mainstream by repeated lockdowns throughout 2020 and 2021. Some local authorities, including Newcastle City Council, even began offering streaming services free of charge during the pandemic to support social distancing requirements.
The Digital Legacy Association (DLA), which campaigns for best practice in online end-of-life planning and grieving, went as far as to say video streaming should always be available unless those planning their own funeral don’t want it. Writing at the time of the UK’s October 2020 lockdown, the DLA said: “It is paramount that mourners are given an opportunity to pay their respects and grieve for those who die using video streaming technologies or by watching a recorded video of the service when it is not possible for them to attend and they wish to do so.” The association goes further, arguing that, “it is the duty of a modern funeral director to talk about funeral streaming with those they serve”. However, it also recognises that not every funeral director has the skills to deliver live streaming and recommends partnering with local videographers.
The pros and cons of live-streaming
Beyond technical capabilities, there are some broader concerns that virtual funeral attendance removes something from the grieving process.
Even in normal times, the ability to attend a funeral virtually has benefits for family and friends that are unable to travel to be at a funeral service for reasons of distance or ill health. However, some fear that if it is used as an excuse for not attending in person and can reduce the emotional support the bereaved family receive on the day.
“Many funeral directors will tell you that a few kind words shared over a sandwich after the funeral can never be replaced by watching the event from a distance via a web-camera,” Paul Allcock, past president of the Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors, told the Telegraph, pre-pandemic.
The future for virtual funerals
There is no question that attending a virtual funeral in your own home is not the same as being in a physical space with other mourners. There can be no reassuring hugs or words of comfort if you are sitting alone in front of a screen.
This might explain why in a recent survey by market research firm Mintel, 40% of respondents said that they felt virtual funerals are inappropriate.
Mintel’s ‘Attitudes Toward Funeral Planning, 2021’ report says that although streaming services were viewed as essential during the pandemic, the physical aspect of funeral attendance remains very important to people. “Funerals are a time for people to come together in their grief and comfort one another while also paying respects to the departed.”
Mintel also points out public concerns that as technology becomes more prevalent, the importance of major communal events, such as weddings and funerals, could be diluted if they become virtual.
However, the increasing availability of and familiarity with remote viewing technology, in a world where people don’t always live close to their loved ones, means live-streaming may be here to stay.
