34 • The Beacon June 26, 2025
There are gravesite care options when you can’ t get there
Dear Savvy Senior,
Can you recommend any services that offer gravesite cleaning and care? I recently visited my parents’ cemetery gravesite over Memorial Day weekend and found their headstones were overtaken by weeds and moss and need to be cleaned. I live in a different state and can’ t get back very often. Who can I call on to help me with this?
Long-Distance Linda
Dear Linda,
Depending on where your parents are buried, there are a hodgepodge of places you can turn to for
gravesite grooming, decorating and special care when you can’ t get there. Here’ s what you should know.
Gravesite care
It’ s important to know that as a general rule, most cemeteries, like the one your parents are buried in, only provide basic grounds maintenance like mowing the grass and trash pickup. Special gravesite care and
-7’ x 8’ Hexagon Blind-5 Double Pane Sliding Windows-3 Clear Peep Windows-1 43” Shelf-Carpeted Interior-LP Smart Siding-10’ Base-Side Door Entry w / Steps or Trap Door Entry w / Ladder-Delivery and Installation or Boulder Blind Kit Only
Available at the following Locations
Gregory Log & Lumber
5545 CR 68, Millersburg Phone: 330.893.4499 Email: sales @ gregorylog. com
headstone cleaning is almost always up to the family. But for families who live a distance from their loved one’ s burial place and can’ t get back very often, what options are available?
A good place to start is to contact the cemetery staff where your parents are buried to see if they offer any special gravesite cleaning services or know of anyone who does. If not, try reaching out to some local funeral homes in the area to see if they can help or refer you.
If you don’ t have any luck there, another option is to hire a gravesite care provider on your own. These are small or individually run businesses that provide services like plot maintenance including grass trimming and weeding, headstone cleaning and restoration, flower and wreath deliveries and more.
Hexagon design creates more space & better shooting angles.
Country Hill Furnishings
4375 CR 160 Millersburg, OH 44654
Hey Coshocton, it’ s your health educator Olivia Elson with the Coshocton Public Health District. Welcome to this week’ s segment of“ Public Health Matters.” National Safety Month is an annual event held each June that aims to promote safety awareness and reduce unintentional injuries and deaths.
According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, more than 200,000 children pay a visit to the emergency room each year with injuries associated with playground equipment. As the weather warms up and trips to the park become frequent, take a moment to familiarize yourself with the risks on playgrounds and how you can prevent injuries:
— Check for playground hazards: improper ground surfaces, overcrowded play areas, unprotected elevated areas, head entrapment places, sharp points and edges.— Avoid strangulation hazards.— Be cautious of too much sun exposure.— Climbing structures.— Slide / swing safety. You also should keep in mind the general safety rules when riding bicycles: wear a helmet, watch your speed, always pass on your left, obey all traffic laws, walk your bike when crossing the road, use clearly marked crosswalks so drivers are expecting you, and if you ever need to stop in an area with oncoming traffic, pull
And so you know the work was completed or the flowers were delivered, many companies will take pictures of the gravesite and email or text them to you.
There are literally hundreds of small businesses that provide gravesite care services in local communities or regions across the country. To find them, do a simple Google or Bing internet search and type in something like“ grave care services” or“ cemetery headstone cleaning,” plus your city or state. Or use an AI tool like ChatGPT or Gemini to do a search.
You also can seek help by contacting the local memorial society or funeral consumer alliance program near your parents’ gravesite. Visit www. funerals. org / find-an-affiliate for contact information. These are volunteer groups that offer a wide range of information on local funeral and cremation providers, cemeteries and more.
The cost for most gravesite care services can range anywhere from $ 50 to over $ 250 for headstone cleaning and memorial restoration( depending on the job size), $ 50- $ 200 for flower and wreath deliveries, and $ 30- $ 80 for plot grooming. Special discounts for multiple gravesite services and visits also may exist.
Floral services
If you’ re interested in decorating your parents’ gravesite next Memorial Day with fresh-cut flowers or live plants, another option is to call a local florist to see if they can make a delivery directly to their gravesite.
Many florists will accommodate this request if you provide them the cemetery location and plot number, but you may not get a photo verifying the delivery.
Send your questions or comments to questions @ savvysenior. org or to Savvy Senior, P. O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070.
June’ s National Safety Month helps promote playground safety
over and get out of the way.
Did you know every year more than 1-in-4 older adults report injuries from a fall? Many falls can be prevented by making simple changes such as keeping floors clean and clear of clutter, keeping electrical cords out of high-traffic areas, cleaning up spills immediately, using no-skid throw rugs in slippery places, and wearing proper shoes and clothing.
According to the 2021 Community Health Assessment, nearly 31 % of Coshocton County adults had fallen in the past year, increasing to 41 % of those 65 and older. More than 36 % of Coshocton adults who had fallen in the past year reported the fall caused an injury.
When it comes to sun safety, always remember the five S’ s: slip, slop, slap, seek and slide. Slip on lightweight clothing, slop on 30-50 SPF sunscreen, slap on a wide-brimmed hat, seek shade( especially from 11 a. m. to 3 p. m.) and slide on sunglasses to protect your eyes.
Brought to you by Coshocton Public Health District, we thank you for reading. Have an awesome day.