New Look For Funeral Directors' Website

Albany, NY -- June 4 -- Consumers can now easily get up-to-date information about all
aspects of funeral service and end-of-life issues by visiting "www.nysfda.org", the newly
updated website created by the New York State Funeral Directors Association
(NYSFDA).

More than 10,000 consumers access the site every month to search for a funeral home in
their neighborhood; to get answers to their questions about funeral service, Medicaid
issues and consumers' rights pertaining to funerals and preplanning; to order books to help
deal with grief; to learn about careers in funeral service and to locate links to other helpful
resources.

One of the most important features of the new site is a complete section on preplanning
one's funeral.  According to NYSFDA Executive Director Bonnie Tippy, "We've found a
greater interest recently in preplanning funerals so we've devoted a complete section to
preplanning.  It includes an all-important Consumer Checklist for Prefunding a Funeral as
well as other vital data.  Many consumers are preplanning now just as a smart part of estate
planning but also because they have become aware of New York State's premier
regulations that guard consumers' preplanning funds."

"Consumer Information" is another helpful section featuring previously published
Transitions articles with more than 40 subjects such as "Helping Children to Deal with
Grief", "What to Do When a Veteran Dies", "Writing a Memorable Eulogy", "When
Death Occurs Away from Home" and "Grief After Suicide of a Loved
One."

Founded in 1889, NYSFDA's mission is to promote the highest standards of funeral
service to the public and to enhance the environment in which its members operate.  More
than 750 licensed funeral firms who operate across the state belong to the New York State
Funeral Directors Association.  NYSFDA publishes Transitions, a consumer information
newspaper column, and a member newsletter; conducts ongoing educational sessions for
members and consumers, and manages PrePlan, a preneed trust fund for persons who wish
to prefund their own funerals.