ABILITY BEYOND
LIMITATION: INCLUSION
AS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR
THE FUNERAL INDUSTRY
By Michael Mencl, Manager for
Repatriations of Funeral company
VIA ULTIMA, Czech Republic
Our experience with disability in the funeral
industry is deeply personal. My brother is the
founder and managing director of our family-
run funeral home, Via Ultima, and I serve as the
manager for repatriations – we are both wheelchair
users.
This reality has naturally shaped the design of our
premises. All of our offices, the funeral hall, and
most of our operational facilities are fully accessible
– which is still not standard in the Czech Republic.
Removing a single step is not a major challenge,
but in our main office on the edge of Olomouc’s
historic centre, we had to install an elevator, and
at another renovated branch we built a long ramp.
Naturally, our restrooms are also fully accessible.
The majority of our work is administrative and
managerial, and in this capacity our physical
disability poses almost no limitations. Yet we are
also frequently in direct contact with bereaved
families, and living with a disability naturally
changes your perspective on life. Because of this,
we are able to offer emotional support to those
we meet, which they seem to receive more readily
– they recognize that we understand their difficult
situation and share in its weight.
From my personal experience, for example during
repatriations, when clients often handle everything
as self-payers and face extremely stressful situations
on multiple levels, it gives me great satisfaction
that, according to their feedback, our individualized
approach is able to alleviate some of that stress. These
are small nuances, perhaps previously unnoticed, yet
they play a crucial role when you approach funeral
work as a calling – as a service to others.
these partnerships send a message that the
business is listening, learning, and willing to
embed inclusion into its practices.
• Implement small changes with a high impact.
Adjusting appointment schedules to allow
more time for families who need it, offering
information in plain language, improving
lighting or colour contrast, adding portable
ramps, or providing staff training in inclusive
communication can significantly improve
experiences. In digital spaces, adding captions
to videos, providing keyboard-navigable
buttons, including detailed descriptions
of images, and simplifying navigation can
immediately enhance access for people using
assistive technologies.
The key principle is that progress matters more
than perfection. Accessibility is not a fixed
destination, but an ongoing journey of learning,
adjustment, and improvement. Families,
employees, and communities notice sincerity,
effort, and openness.
The funeral industry is uniquely positioned to
lead in breaking down barriers. Few professions
operate so closely at the intersection of emotion,
ritual, community, and care. By embracing
accessibility and inclusion, funeral homes and
cemeteries can strengthen trust, improve service
quality, attract committed employees, and
position themselves as ethical leaders in their
communities. In doing so, the industry can move
beyond compliance and toward something far
more powerful: a model of care that truly leaves
no one behind
We are happy to share some inspiring examples
of breaking the barriers in the funeral sector
provided by our members!
24
No. 113 – 1/2026 | THANOS MAGAZINE
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