Arbor Memorial Establishes Legacy Council to Examine Canadians' Perspectives on Legacy Building
Inaugural Roundtable Event Brings Together Diverse Perspectives to Discuss Legacy and Celebrating Life
TORONTO, July 6, 2023 /CNW/ - This spring, Arbor Memorial announced the formation of its Legacy Council, gathering bereavement experts from various fields to explore Canadians' perceptions surrounding death, dying and the concept of leaving a legacy. The moderated roundtable discussion was held in Toronto and brought diverse experts together to share their perspectives, listen and learn.
"We formed the Legacy Council to create and foster an inclusive dialogue about death, dying and grief, and to educate ourselves and other Canadians about the diverse ways our society thinks, talks and feels about end of life," said Dustin Wright, Vice President, Marketing and Communications at Arbor Memorial. "How Canadians experience death, dying and grief is of critical importance and interest to us. Every day, we are seeing firsthand how those experiences and the conversations around them are evolving and wanted to learn more."
Arbor Memorial's Legacy Council comprises experts from various disciplines, including academic, spiritual, cultural and industry leaders. Members of the Legacy Council include:
- Erin Bury, CEO and Co-Founder of Willful, an online estate planning platform that helps Canadians prepare for and deal with death in a digital age.
- Kayla Carter, a full-spectrum doula and co-founder of BIPOC Death & Grief Talk, a Toronto-based organization that supports BIPOC communities through grief and loss.
- Carmen Galvan, a death doula and co-founder of BIPOC Death & Grief Talk, a Toronto-based organization that supports BIPOC communities through grief and loss.
- Dr. Ivan Emke, retired honorary research professor at Memorial University of Newfoundland, whose research interests include the modern funeral services industry and how it reflects changes in our culture.
- Jeff Hum, Director, Digital and Customer Insights at Arbor Memorial, who leads the organization's digital marketing, customer relationship management and customer insights.
- Scott Lockwood, Senior General Manager, Windsor Region at Arbor Memorial, who has served the Windsor-Essex region as an educator in grief and bereavement over the last decade.
"I am honoured to join Arbor's Legacy Council to bring conversations about legacy to the forefront of Canadians' minds," said Erin Bury, CEO and co-founder of Willful. "When a loved one dies, there are often unanswered questions about how they want to be remembered. I hope that our collective work on this council can encourage Canadians to plan for their own legacies, and by doing so reduce the burden on their family members."
Key themes and learnings from the roundtable included:
- The importance of balancing the need to respect the traditions and customs of older Canadians with the evolving attitudes of younger generations towards end-of-life practices.
- The challenges younger Canadians face in finding solace in established rituals and traditions amid declining levels of religious belief and affiliation with some groups.
- The importance of creating spaces where people can grieve, mourn and celebrate their loved ones' lives on their own terms and timeline.
- The potential harm of toxic positivity and social pressure to "move on" too quickly after a loss.
The Arbor Memorial Legacy Council will be a regular gathering for sharing thoughts and insights to help Canadians better understand death, dying and grief. This roundtable discussion is the first step in a larger conversation that Arbor Memorial will be leading in the coming weeks, months and years.
Arbor Memorial is a trusted family-owned Canadian company with deep roots in diverse communities across the country. Established in 1947, Arbor has over 140 locations, including 27 cemeteries with full-service funeral homes on the premises, offering complete service to its families. With over 2,800 dedicated and highly trained staff, Arbor is a six-time winner of Canada's Best Managed Companies award and has solidified itself as a standard-bearer in the industry. Arbor is privileged to provide expert guidance and customized services that help families honour, respect and celebrate loved ones. For more information, visit arbormemorial.ca.
SOURCE Arbor Memorial Inc.
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