The Associated Press has a piece about how the aging baby boomer generation will affect the funeral industry. Experts say the average funeral home could see over a 30 percent increase in their call volume over the next two to three decades, until the death rate settles again in about 2040.
Though dipping slightly over the last several years, and expected to be stagnant for several more, the death rate of about 8.1 per 1,000 people is expected to inch significantly upward sometime in the next decade and eventually go as high as 10.9. The exact dates are tough to pinpoint because of the size of the generation and medical advances.
I found the “event planner” comment interesting. I know funeral directors have occasionally crossed over from the hospitality industry; one director I used to work with was a Red Lobster manager. How about it? Are funeral homes finding more employees with event planning or hospitality backgrounds?
