How much time should we wait after somebody dies before we cremate him or her?
Answer: As opposed to burials, cremation is not reversible. The process implies obtaining an authorization from what is legally identified as next of kin, along with other authorizations from any other necessary agencies like a medical examiner. The process of obtaining such authorizations takes around 48-73 hours and during this period of time, the body is held in secure and refrigerated environment.
What are the costs of cremation?
Answer: When you talk to us about the cremation costs of your beloved one, whether this happens in person or on the phone, our legal obligation is to show you our General Price List or GPL. The list contains the details of the actual costs of our services regarding cremation, which results from a combination of various fees such as: the basic professional services, the crematory’s use of facilities fee along with any extra charges concerning the transportation and safekeeping of your loved one before the cremation. We cannot quote an exact cost for our cremation services here, but we urge you to talk candidly about the costs of cremation with your funeral specialist.
Is it possible for me to participate in the cremation?
Answer: This really depends on the exact crematory that is responsible for taking care of your loved one, however, in most cases, the answer to the questions is “yes”. Depending on the facilities of the crematory, how much you can participate in the process differs form one crematory to another. It is important to address your funeral director or another family member about this issue.
Can I buy the urn from any place I want to or must I purchase it from you?
Answer: According to the FTC’s Funeral Rule, funeral directors must offer both an ethical and fair presentation of their funeral service options. One of your guaranteed rights is buying a cremation urn from any other source that you wish. Your funeral director cannot stop you from nor charge you extra for having bought an urn form a third-party.
What should I do with the ashes of my loved one ?
Answer: You have many options for the ashes, one of which is taking them with you to your home in order to keep them safe. Maybe you do not know what to do with them know, but there might be a time when you will. You must be patient as the right way will surface in time. You have many options like scattering them either on land or on a water surface. You can also use the ashes to create jewelry or pieces of art. These all depend on you and what you want to do. If you want to know more information about what options you have, give us a call and we might be able to help.
If I opt for cremation, does it mean that my loved one has to be embalmed ?
Answer: To answer shortly, “no”. However, there are always exceptions. For example, if you want to have a viewing or a visitation of the deceased. Embalming your loved one is the right option in this case in order for them to look their best for the visitation. However, according to the FTC’s Funeral Rule, we are prohibited from providing you with embalming services without your prior permission and also leading you to think that embalming is required by law. Also, we must offer you a written disclosure regarding the embalming of your deceased.
How long is the process of cremation ?
Answer: The process lasts on average for about 2 to 2 1/2 hours. However, it really depends on the type of cremator and the size of the individual. After that, there is a period of cool down and then the remains are processed in order for them to have an uniform appearance.
What type of fuel do they use for the cremation ?
Answer: The majority of cremators use either natural or L.P gas. They might use diesel oil in some cases. One of the things that troubles people is whether cremation is an eco-friendly alternative to burial. If you are concerned about the impact that it has on the environment, it is advisable to speak with your funeral director about it.
Are people cremated with their clothes on?
Answer: This is one of the most frequent questions. For some people going out of this world undressed is the option as it is the same way that they came into this world. In the majority of the cases, the deceased is dressed in either the clothes that they picked before their death, or selected by they family members after they passed away.
Can we place some special items in the cremation casket?
Answer: It mostly depends on what you qualify as being special, but we will do our best to respect the wishes of the family. In most cases, family members ask to place notes, personal messages of love and even children’s drawings. There are also some less common requests such as the beloved pet’s collar or a treasured keepsake. You should however talk to your funeral director to see if the regulations of the crematory where your loved one will be taken accepts such things.
Does cremation require a commemoration service?
Answer: Of course not. Cremation is basically what you physically provide your loved one after he or she has passed away. Commemoration services are usually for the living, the people who are emotionally marked by the death of their loved one. Cremation comes with more possibilities of commemorating the life of your loved ones and your funeral professional can help you make all the necessary arrangements.
What are the main differences between a columbarium and a mausoleum ?
Answer: The Taj Mahal in India is the perfect example for a mausoleum. In general, it describes a free standing building which is both the resting place of casketed individuals and also a monument. A columbarium has the same purpose, but the design is different. It has enough space large enough for one or two cremation urns.
Can you guess which type of service is suitable for us ?
Answer: Though we can never tell you which service is the most suitable for your loved one, the funeral director will kindly guide and advise you, explain you the different type if services and give examples of meaningful services that they have dealt with in the past. However, the decision is all up to you.
What additional charges will I have to pay for?
Answer: In order for us to provide a suitable answer, we need to know the specifics of the cremation arrangements that you would like. With that said, we can assure you that there will probably be extra fees for anything involving a purchase from a second party (i.e publication of the obituary in a local newspaper). In addition, of you wish to engrave the urn with a nameplate, there might be a small fee.
What do “cash advance items” include?
Answer: When you wish to make the necessary cremation service arrangements for your loved one, we will provide you with our General Price List, which includes a section dedicated to “cash advance items”. According to Cornell University Law School’s Legal Information Institute (www.law.cornell.edu) a “cash advance item” is defined as “any item of service or merchandise…obtained from a third party and paid for by the funeral provider on the purchaser’s behalf.” These items may include: crematory services, public transportation, clergy honorarium, pallbearers, flowers, nurses, death certificates, musicians.
Why is it necessary for me to pay for the “cash advance items” at the time of the arrangement?
Answer: As these services involve a second party, we need to pay these parties when we make the payments on your behalf. For this to be possible, we need to ask you to pay all of the cash advance items when the cremation contract is signed by the family member in charge. If you want to know further information about our payment policies, please contact us to talk to a member of our staff of professionals.
Is it possible for the ashes to be buried on cemetery grounds?
Answer: You can arrange for this to happen. There are two possibilities: either placing the urn in ground or putting it in a columbarium. Talk with your funeral director if you want more information regarding your cremation burial options.
What do I need to bring to the funeral home ?
Answer: The most important things that you must bring with you are the documents or the information that are necessary to complete both the death certificate and the obituary of your loved one. If however, you are also planning to have a service, then it is advisable for you to bring some family pictures for us to make a tribute video or for decorating the location of the service. You might need to bring additional items, depending on what arrangements are made. The funeral director will give you a list containing the things that you should bring.
Can I write my loved one’s obituary ?
Answer: Of course you can. Actually, any member of your family and even a close friend can become in charge of taking care of this task. You can find tips on this website regarding how to write an obituary. In addition, you can always come to us for assistance.
Should people be informed not to send flowers ?
Answer: Flowers have been around services for many years past. However, today is quite common to see the phrase “in lieu of flowers” either in print or on online obituaries, so of course you want to know what you need to do in such cases. The phrase isn’t a command (“do not send flowers”), but rather suggest an alternative (“if you believe that flowers are not appropriate, then you can donate to a charity”). People should follow their hearts when it comes to this and try not to limit their options. If however, you feel that flowers are not appropriate, then you should be direct “please do not send flowers”.
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