When selecting a final resting place for a loved one, the term "perpetual care" often comes up. While it may sound all-encompassing, it’s important to understand what perpetual care actually covers and, more crucially, what it does not.
What is Perpetual Care?
Perpetual care, also known as endowment care, is a fund established by cemeteries to ensure the long-term maintenance and upkeep of the cemetery grounds. This includes general landscaping tasks such as:
Mowing the grass
Trimming trees and bushes
Repairing and maintaining pathways
Ensuring the overall aesthetic of the cemetery is maintained
Perpetual care funds are meant to provide for the general appearance and upkeep of the cemetery as a whole. These funds are typically accumulated through a portion of the purchase price of each burial plot.
What Perpetual Care Does Not Cover
While perpetual care maintains the general cemetery grounds, it does not extend to the individual care of specific burial plots. Here’s what is typically not covered:
Cleaning Individual Headstones or Monuments: Regular cleaning to remove dirt, moss, or other build-up on headstones and monuments is not included.
Planting or Maintaining Flowers: Perpetual care does not cover the planting or maintenance of flowers or plants on individual graves.
Placing Mementos or Decorations: Any decorations, seasonal mementos, or personal items placed on or around a specific plot are not maintained.
Repairs to Individual Plots: If a headstone or monument becomes damaged or needs repair, this is typically the responsibility of the family.
Why Individual Plot Care Matters
Personalized care of individual burial plots is a deeply meaningful way to honor and remember loved ones. Over time, families might find it difficult to maintain these plots due to various reasons such as:
Distance: Many families live far away from the cemetery and cannot visit regularly.
Physical Limitations: Older relatives may be physically unable to care for the plots as they once did.
Time Constraints: Busy schedules and the demands of daily life can make it challenging to find time for regular visits.
How Memorial Minders Grave Maintenance Services Can Help
Understanding these challenges, Memorial Minders offers personalized grave maintenance services to ensure the individual care of your loved one’s resting place. Our services include:
Regular Cleaning: Keeping headstones and monuments clean and free from debris by following standards from Arlington Cemetery and the National Park Service.
Floral Arrangements: Providing and placing high quality UV resistant silk flowers or planting and maintaining flowers, ensuring your loved one’s grave always looks beautiful.
Personal Visits: Spending time at the grave, offering companionship in a heartfelt and respectful manner.
Holiday and Seasonal Decorations: Placing mementos, decorations, and other personalized items to celebrate holidays and special occasions.
Our goal is to help families honor their loved ones in the way they deem most appropriate, even when they cannot be physically present. We take pride in offering compassionate, reliable services that keep your loved one’s memory alive and their resting place well-tended.
Conclusion
While perpetual care ensures the general upkeep of cemetery grounds, it does not extend grave maintenance services to the individual care of specific plots. Understanding this distinction can help families make informed decisions and seek additional services to honor their loved ones in the way they see fit. Memorial Minders is here to bridge that gap, providing personalized care and peace of mind for families everywhere.
Let us help you keep your loved one’s memory alive. Contact us today to learn more about our services and how we can assist you.
Comments