This year, if you want CE credit for the workshops and events you attend, you must download the NFDA app! Once downloaded, simply scan the QR code on your way out of each workshop or event. App sponsored by Tribute Technology.
Watch for more information on how to get and use the app as we get closer to Convention.
NFDA does not endorse and is not responsible for views expressed by the speakers.Workshop recordings will be available for purchase in the NFDA store.
With the number of funeral professionals declining due to retirements and career changes, managers must consider how to create a supportive environment for newly licensed employees to ensure success. Nearly 50% of new funeral directors leave the profession within five years, highlighting the need for better retention efforts. As owners, managers, and colleagues, we must preserve the future of the profession and reignite the passion that many of us hold dear. By mentoring new professionals, helping them discover their unique passions within the field, and guiding them through the challenges of caring for families during tough times, we can reduce burnout and create a fulfilling career for everyone.
Have you ever been asked, “What is embalming?” or “Why embalm?” How would you respond if a family asked these questions during an arrangement or at a community meeting? In this workshop, you’ll learn to provide a clear, professional explanation of embalming to families and the public. You’ll also gain the confidence to defend the practice, emphasizing its benefits when challenged. Despite recent criticism, embalming remains relevant, purposeful, and valuable. When properly explained, its true worth is clear, helping families and communities appreciate its importance and preserve this sacred practice.
In funeral service, reputation is everything. How you handle a crisis can either strengthen or damage your reputation. Crises can range from a dissatisfied family to managing media attention for a high-profile service. This workshop will teach you how to navigate these challenges with professionalism, empathy, and clarity. Learn to identify various crises, including misunderstandings or grievances, and turn them into opportunities to build trust. Gain strategies for responding on social media, engaging with the media, and issuing meaningful apologies. Mastering crisis communication will help you maintain your funeral home’s integrity and the trust of the families you serve.
In this informative presentation, we will delve into several injection points that are often overlooked as the "first choice" by embalmers. We will review these alternative techniques, focusing on best practices for accessing these points and the strategic benefits they offer for enhanced preservation.
Special emphasis will be placed on unique cases, such as autopsies without accessible carotids and newborns, where these methods can significantly improve outcomes. Join us to expand your skill set and gain valuable insights into innovative embalming practices.
The world’s largest funeral exposition is an adventure in itself! Leading suppliers will offer the latest products and services – along with exclusive offers – in the NFDA Expo Hall.
Professor Jason Arday is a social commentator, presenter, and public speaker, but at three years old, he was diagnosed with global development delay and autism spectrum disorder. He did not speak until he was eleven years old and could not read or write until he was eighteen. Today he is the 2002 Professorial Chair of Education (Sociology of Education) at the University of Cambridge, making him the youngest-ever Black academic to hold a Professorship at Cambridge and one of the youngest academics ever appointed to a Professorial Chair in Oxbridge’s history.
In addition to sharing his story of hope and inspiration worldwide, Jason has been a prolific fundraiser having raised over £5 million pounds for 80 British charities over an 18-year period. He has won numerous national and community fundraising awards for achievements such as: running 30 marathons in 35 days, 300 miles in 3 days and 600 miles in 6 days; relief work in South America and West Africa installing water points for access to clean water; and setting up drives across London to develop facilities for individuals experiencing homelessness. The highlight of these fundraising achievements culminated in the selection to be an Olympic Torch Bearer for the London 2012 Olympics.