When you have lost a loved one, you are going to have to deal with a lot of things. One of them is going to be the final disposition of their remains. Generally, that means that you will need to have a funeral home that you can work with to help make those decisions and implement those decisions. You are going to need to think about and talk to the funeral home about when you are making all the decisions. So, what are some of the things that you need to talk to the funeral home about?
Embalming
The embalming process involves draining the body of fluids and putting in other preservative fluids, among other things. In many states, embalming isn't necessary. If you have a quick funeral, have religious reasons, or have your loved one cremated, you may not need to have the embalming process happen. If your loved one is transported to another place for their funeral, getting them embalmed will probably be a good idea because the preservative actions are important.
Cremation Container
When your loved one passes, you may want to have them cremated. In most places, you don't have to have a coffin or a casket to have them cremated in, just an appropriate container to hold their body. That can be something as simple as a cardboard box designed to go into the cremation kiln. Talk to the funeral home director about what your options are and what the best choice in your case is going to be. If you are going to have a viewing or funeral, you may be able to use some kind of rental that the cremation container can sit in so that you can have the look of a traditional coffin or casket. Part of that will depend on your state and what their laws are, but the funeral home director will be familiar with those laws and will be able to give you the right information about what you can do and not do.
When your loved one dies, it can be overwhelming. Not only are you having to deal with the grief of losing someone you love very much, but you also have to figure out what happens next. Asking the funeral home some questions at the very beginning will make all your decisions about the funeral easier in the long run. For more information, contact a local funeral facility.
Funerals and death make many people uncomfortable, and asking questions about funerals can seem like a faux pas. You may find yourself wondering why bodies are embalmed, or what the advantages of cremation are — but where do you find answers?
You can find them here. We are not afraid to talk about death and dying, and we seek to offer the information everyone needs to know when planning or attending a funeral. You're going to feel a deep sense of loss whenever you lose someone close to you, but being able to prepare for and attend their funeral with confidence will at least make things a little easier in your period of grief.