Funeral Homes Balance Needs Of Grieving Loved Ones And COVID-19 Protection Measures

CHICAGO (CBS) --   Funeral directors are helping families decide how they should grieve, in this age of COVID-19.

CBS 2's Jim Williams said they are also trying to deal with their own shortage of supplies.

At the Woodruff Funeral Home in south suburban Hazel Crest, social distancing has to be imposed.

Even on grief-stricken families.

"If there are 10 people in my facility, then we wait until they clear out. Then we let the next 10 come in," said funeral director Stacey Woodruff.

He helps loved ones consider painful questions: a small funeral now or should the service be postponed until the worst of COVID-19 is over.

"You can see the looks on people's faces to know they're not satisfied, but it's basically a national disaster that we all have to deal with," Woodruff said.

The death of a loved one is difficult. It's so much worse in the era of the coronavirus.

"Grief is so specific to each person. The social distancing almost makes it more complicated, takes the human touch away, takes the personal connection away that's so vital for us to help these families," Ellen McBrayer of the National Funeral Directors Association.

Funeral directors comforting grieving families, keeping services small and now facing shortages of the supplies they need to stay safe as they prepare the bodies of the deceased.

"We need Tyvek suits, masks, gloves, aprons, disposable gowns, hand sanitizer," Woodruff said.

"It's a very big concern right now. Probably the top concern is running out of the personal protective equipment," McBrayer said.

So what does Stacey Woodruff do now?

"We have to look in other places like Home Depot, looking for the Tyvek suits."

Woodruff said he's logged onto Amazon, but it'll take weeks before delivery.