No Money for Burial

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Q: What if a family does not have enough money to bury their family member?
- Anonymous Caregiver

A: Thank you so much for writing into our Caregiver Panel for Caregivers. It sounds as though you are in process of having to make some challenging decisions. If you are living in Pinellas County, you and your family may be eligible for burial assistance through Pinellas County Health & Human Services. The office in St. Petersburg is 727-582-7781 and the office in Clearwater is 727-464-8400. Veterans may have burial benefits available. You can call Veterans Funeral Care (they have offices everywhere) and for free, they will guide you through accessing benefits available to you. Call 1-800-467-7850.

There are funeral homes that assist people with limited financial resources. There are also low cost cremations and other arrangements available. Funeral homes encourage you to call and ask what is available for people with limited financial resources. You can also contact your local Funeral Director's Association for more information. There is an application process that the funeral home will help you through.

Suncoast Hospice provides a variety of services for caregivers and those whom they are caring for. If you would like to know more about services and would like someone to meet with you and discuss all that is available please contact us at 727-HOSPICE (467-7423)