Like burial, cremation
is only one element of the funeral process and should be approached that way.
When made part of a meaningful funeral service, cremation can play a vital role
in the healing journey. Some may feel that by cremating a body, they are
somehow eliminating the pain associated with their loss. Cremation is not a way
of eliminating your grief, but a process of preparing your loved one for his or
her final resting place. Cremation is just one step in the commemorative
process – an important step in preparing the remains for memorialization.
Selecting a Permanent Resting Place
Persons selecting
cremation for themselves or a loved one have the same options for services and
merchandise as those who select casket burial. What many people do not realize
is that cremation is a process and
is not the final disposition of the human remains. A determination will need to
be made as to the person’s final resting place.
This important place will be used to memorialize the life lived and will serve
as a place for family and friends to visit and honor the memory of their loved
one.
Some of the most
commonly chosen options for the final resting place for cremated remains
include:
- Earth Burial – Some cemeteries have a designated area with burial
spaces specifically designed for the placement of cremated remains. In
addition, arrangements can sometimes be made to place an urn in the family lot
where other persons in caskets may have their final resting place.
- Indoor/Outdoor Columbarium – A columbarium is similar to a
mausoleum for caskets. The smaller spaces or niches are used to place the urn
and may have a glass or a granite front. Some niches may have additional room
for personal items to be placed with the urn. Like a mausoleum, a columbarium
may be outdoors or within a climate-controlled building.
- Scattering – Some people choose to scatter all or a portion of their
loved one’s cremated remains in a special location. It is important to check
with your NFDA funeral director to ensure that this act is permitted in the
location of your choosing. Caution should also be exercised when scattering as
it is a final, irrevocable act. Be certain that this is what you want to do
before proceeding. Note that some religious groups do not permit scattering.
- Other Options – Determining the final resting place of
your loved one is a personal decision. Some people choose to keep the urn at
their home for a period of time. This is ultimately your decision but it is
recommended that you give consideration as to your long-term plans for the urn
or multiple urns you have in your home. A trusted advisor or family member
should have clear instructions as to what should happen to the urn or urns
after your death.
Selecting
a Cremation Casket or Container
The crematory that is
utilized will usually have a requirement that the deceased be placed in a rigid
container for the cremation process. Either a cremation casket or container
will fulfill this requirement.
Cremation caskets and
containers are both typically made of wood, fiberboard or a composite of materials.
A cremation casket has a finished interior and closely resembles a casket used
for earth burial. A cremation container is designed to fulfill the crematories’
minimum requirements and typically does not have an interior lining or has a
minimally finished interior.
A person who chooses
to have viewing, visitation and/or funeral services in their church or funeral
home prior to cremation will typically select a cremation casket. Some funeral
directors also have a ceremonial or rental cremation caskets available as an
option.
Your NFDA funeral
director can assist you in making a selection of a cremation casket or
container that is appropriate for the arrangements you have chosen.
Selecting an Urn
There are many urn
options available in a broad price spectrum. Metal, glass, wood, granite,
marble and other materials are commonly utilized in urn construction. There are
also specialty urns available that reflect a personal statement on a person’s
life, hobbies, etc.
Your NFDA funeral
director will explain all of your urn options and any special considerations at
the final resting place you have selected that should be part of your decision
making process.
Selecting
an Outer Burial Container
Should you select
earth burial for a final resting place for your loved one, the cemetery may
require an outer burial container to surround the urn or container in the
ground. This would be a smaller version of those utilized for caskets.
Your NFDA funeral
director will inform you if this cemetery requirement exists and describe your
options.
Memorialization
Families that choose cremation have
many options and much flexibility when determining how to best memorialize the
life of their loved one. Some families choose to have a viewing or funeral
service before the cremation. Others choose a memorial service at the time of
cremation or afterward with the urn present, or even a committal service at the
final disposition of cremated remains. Often, funeral or memorial services can
be held in a place of worship, a funeral home, a crematory chapel or even at a
place of special significance to your loved one.
Take some time to consider how you would like to memorialize your loved one. Will
you have a service or gathering of family and friends prior to cremation? Will
there be a public or private viewing? What kind of urn will you select? Will
the cremated remains be interred? Like so many other events in your life, being
an educated consumer is important.
Religious Views
Most religions accept cremation,
with the exception of the Islamic, Orthodox Jewish, Eastern Orthodox and some
fundamentalist Christian faiths. Though the Roman Catholic Church expresses a
preference for burial, it now allows cremation for reasons compatible with
church teachings. It does not sanction the scattering of remains, however, and
prefers the presence of the body during the liturgy, prior to cremation.
Cremation Costs
The cost of cremation varies
depending on the services and products selected by the family. Funeral homes
should provide an itemized list that includes the costs of the services and
products offered.
Final Disposition
People selecting
cremation for themselves or a loved one have the same options for services and
merchandise as those who select casket burial. What many people do not realize
is that cremation is a process and is not the final disposition of the human
remains. A determination will need to be made as to the person’s final resting
place. This important place will be used to memorialize the life lived and will
serve as a place for family and friends to visit and honor the memory of their
loved one.
Alternatives to
Cremation
Alkaline Hydrolysis
Alkaline hydrolysis is a recently developed
water-based dissolution process for human remains that uses alkaline chemicals,
heat, and sometimes agitation and/or pressure to accelerate natural
decomposition. The remaining bone residue is similar to the volume customarily
obtained after cremation; it is pulverized, then made available to the family
to retain in an urn or for disposition by interment, scattering or other
means.
Comparable to cremation and casket burial, persons choosing the alkaline
hydrolysis process have identical options for funeral services, viewing and
merchandise. Similarly, one must also determine the final resting place for
their loved ones remains after the process is complete