At-home burial can be a healing experience where your family is able to grieve in an organic and intimate manner, but it can also be hard on them because they'll be emotionally compromised and won't be able to easily make decisions. Here are three ways you can make the process easier for them.  

1. Do the research and planning in advance

When you first decide that at-home burial is right for you, you've hopefully done at least some research already to help you become familiar with the process so you can make the most informed decision. But after you make the decision, it's time to start doing specific research about how the logistics will work, where to get a casket and headstone (and which sort of casket and headstone you'd like), best practices for grave digging, and so on.   

2. Find a reputable death midwife

A death midwife or end-of-life guide can answer any questions you may have about the process of dying, the logistics and legalities of at-home burial, and more. He or she can also help your family mobilize to actually get the process started, since after you've passed away your family members may feel reluctant to start preparing the remains for burial; they may feel that means they're about to lose you for good. A death midwife can be an invaluable guide during this time, helping your family come to terms with their grief and still find the energy to do what needs to be done.  

3. Have your family members undergo any appropriate training

Your death midwife can also help designated family members learn about proper handling of human remains so that they'll be fully prepared for the event and can appropriately care for your remains when the time comes. This training is even more crucial if you're not going to have your death midwife on site at the time of burial.  

These three tips can help you smooth the way for your family to complete your at-home burial in the manner specified by your last wishes. If some of your family members aren't quite on board with your plans and would prefer you to have a more traditional burial, reconsider how important it is to you to be buried at home and, if you still think that's the best decision, try to talk them around and make sure the rest of your family understands what you want accurately so they'll advocate for fulfilling your last wishes. You can also make your wishes more official by putting them in your will or drawing up a separate legal document about it with the help of your lawyer, and you can usually reduce the opposition of family members to your wishes by paying for things in advance (such as ordering the casket and headstone while you're still alive). For more information, see a website such as http://www.pemibakermemorials.com/.