The Rest: AI in Aftercare, Association Mergers, and Industry Trends

Episode Breakdown* AI Training vs. Human Connection in Aftercare: We take a critical look at the rise of AI-driven tools marketed to funeral directors and express skepticism about using non-agentic AI for human-centered roleplaying.* Proposed NFDA and Selected Independent Merger Debated: The episode highlights a growing rift over the proposed acquisition of Selected Independent Funeral Homes by the National Funeral Directors Association. Citing opposing views published on ConnectingDirectors.com, we outline pushback from legacy family funeral homes, which advocate for management changes over a sale. * Building Board Engagement Through State Academies: A preview of an upcoming story features Miki Tufto, Executive Director of the Minnesota Funeral Directors Association. We discuss how state-level leadership academies help foster long-term involvement, board participation, and a sense of ownership among members.* Local Media Opportunities for Funeral Directors: A recent appearance by Timothy Schramm on the Grounded in Maine podcast acts as a reminder for funeral directors to leverage local podcasts and media.* AI-Curated Content on Social Media: Russo examines a Facebook feature aggregating mortuary-related videos into AI-generated topic pages. He invites feedback from funeral directors on how uncurated, algorithmically grouped content affects public perception and business reach.Links & Resources Mentioned* AI Arrangement Training: Link to the publicly released AI-assisted funeral director training tool.* NFDA / Selected Independent Coverage: Pro and con articles on ConnectingDirectors.com detailing the proposed acquisition.* Leadership Development: Information on the Minnesota Funeral Directors Association Leadership Academy.* Media Segment: Timothy Schramm’s interview on the Grounded in Maine podcast.* Social Trends: Link to the AI-generated “Behind the Scenes in the Mortuary Business” Facebook page. Get full access to On Deathcare at ondeathcare.substack.com/subscribe