Jay Jacobson

What Ted Lasso Can Teach Funeral Service About Unrealistic Hospitality Ted Lasso arrived in England to coach a sport he did not fully understand. He knew American football. He did not know English football. He was unfamiliar with the culture, doubted by the players, mocked by the public, and placed in a position where nearly everyone expected him to fail. Still, Ted walked through the door. He did not pretend to possess knowledge he did not have. He led with curiosity, humility, optimism, and...

By Jay Jacobson, LUTCF, CPC, CFSP There is a disturbing story unfolding in Chicago that many people may not have heard about yet. They should. Authorities say 56 deceased people were discovered improperly stored at South Chicago Chapel, some reportedly in advanced stages of decomposition. Illinois regulators described deplorable conditions, including unrefrigerated remains, rodent infestation, decomposition and maggot infestation. A funeral director's license associated with the establishment...

Could Repeated Exposure to Death Become a Source of Strength? A recent article in Connecting Directors, “The Long-term Effects of Repeated Exposure to Death,” stopped me in my tracks. Not because the subject was new. Anyone who has spent a lifetime in funeral service understands the weight of repeated exposure to death. We do not meet death once in a while. We meet it in hospital rooms, nursing homes, private residences, accident scenes, prep rooms, chapels, churches, cemeteries, and...