CREMATION OPTIONS

Shipping human and cremated remains has always been fairly straightforward.  Funeral directors have relied on the United States Postal Service’s registered mail to move cremated remains and the commercial airlines to handle human remains.  But are these the only options available to the industry?  While these methods are certainly the most cost effective, they are not always the most effective, they are not always the most convenient or compassionate.  Situations have occurred when the traditional shipping methods have not been fast enough or offered enough privacy or compassion.  This article explores other possibilities for shipping both cremated and human remains when the traditional methods will not work.  The methods discussed are not offered as ways to save money but to be another resource available to the funeral director when the situations above occur.

Shipping Cremated Remains

As the number of cremations continues to steadily increase, so does the need to ship cremated remains.  It is important to know the rules of shipping cremated remains as well as your viable options.  Funeral directors, crematories and scattering services often provide incorrect information to family members when it comes to shipping cremated remains, putting themselves and the family at risk.  In addition, most funeral directors are not always aware of other available options and therefore miss an opportunity to serve the family’s need for speed or compassion.  When we need to ship a regular package, especially with speed, we have several air express delivery companies at our disposal.  Brown, red or yellow they all have the ability to move packages fast.  While this holds true for shipping a box of Christmas presents to your relatives in California, this is not the case for cremated remains.  Every major air express company strictly prohibits human remains from being shipped on their network, including cremated remains.  By reviewing the company’s terms and conditions, you will quickly discover a list of prohibited items.  You will also discover a clause that states, “Failure to comply with any of the terms and conditions will result in a denial of loss or damage claim.”  While most express package companies do a fantastic job of delivering boxes and small envelopes, loss and damage does occur.  Their systems are not designed for packages that are irreplaceable, hence their unwillingness to accept cremated remains.  Explaining to a family that their loved one’s remains have been lost or damaged is every funeral director’s nightmare.  If you are currently using one of the major air express carriers to shop cremated remains, cease immediately!  You are putting you and your firm at serious risk of a lawsuit, publicity nightmare and, at worse, a tarnished image in the community.  If you continue to use the option and a loss or damage occurs, you have no action of recourse.  Make a clear; shipping cremated remains through the traditional air express companies is not an option!  A vast majority of cremated remains are shipped via the United States Postal Service (USPS) registered mail.  Cremated remains cannot be sent by overnight express mail, regular mail or certified mail.  USPS publication 52 section 462.2 states, “Human ashes are permitted to be mailed provided they are packaged as required in 463b.  The identity of the contents should be marked on the address side.  Mail pieces must be sent registered mail with return receipt service.”  Section 463 B discusses how the remains should be packed; “Dry materials that could cause damage, discomfort, destruction or soiling upon escape (i.e., leakage) must be packed in sift proof containers or other containers that are sealed in durable sift proof outer containers.  While this method is both reliable and economical, it is not very fast nor compassionate or convenient.  Funeral directors must take time out of their busy schedule to drive to the post office, stand in line to complete the necessary paperwork, and keep their fingers crossed the package doesn’t make a wrong turn in Iowa.  Family members sometimes dislike the lack of compassion associated with the postal service and are often embarrassed when they have to go to the post office to recover a box labeled “Human Remains.”  While it is a very practical method of moving cremated remains, it is somewhat limited by its speed, convenience and compassion.  It’s not always the best option for the shipper or the receiver.  Another option available to cremated remains shippers is the commercial airlines.  This can be either in the passenger cabin or the cargo hold area.  If a passenger with a paid fare wishes to bring the cremated remains onboard the aircraft, it is critical that the remains are packed in a box that can be easily x-rayed by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).  If the container is constructed from a material that prevents the security screener from being able to identify the contents, the package will not be permitted past the security checkpoint.  Even if the family is willing to allow further inspection by opening the package, the security screener will not comply and the package and the passenger will be denied entry.  If the package is denied, the passenger may check the remains onboard as cargo and the package will be placed in the cargo hold area of the aircraft.  It is critical that the contents are appropriately packed to handle the cargo loading and unloading process.  If the remains are packed as if they would be place in the overhead bin but end up being denied access and have to go as cargo. It is advisable to find another way to transport.  If remains need to be shipped with extreme speed and there is no family member available to accompany the remains on the aircraft, funeral directors can still utilize not only commercial airlines, but other time critical airlines as well.  Companies such as AirNet Express of Columbus, Ohio specialize in shipping sensitive materials and offer door-to-door pickup and delivery of cremated remains.  By combining their exclusive fleet of over 140 airplanes with all major commercial airlines they are able to move the remains in less than 14 hours, door-to-door 24/7/365.  The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) regulations mandate the companies such as AirNet conduct a physical site inspection at your place of business before allowing you to ship on commercial aircraft, if you are not already a known shipper.  While this site audit is not required to ship on AirNet’s aircraft it is recommended that one be performed if your firm is not already known shipper with the TSA.  While this service is more expensive than the USPS, it provides super expedited speed, convenience by providing door-to-door pickup and delivery, extreme reliability and privacy for the family.  It is important to note that commercial airlines require that remains be accompanied by a signed certificate of death or a burial/burial removal permit, as required by law.

Shipping Human Remains

Since the September 11th tragedy, no one industry has felt the sting of changes in commercial aviation more than the funeral industry.  The financial distress caused by this act has caused a significant reduction in the number of cities served, the size of the aircraft an its cargo capacity, the number of direct flights from major cities, and the increased possibility that a major carrier will face closure.  Cities such as Green Bay, Wis., Charleston, W. Va., and Cheyenne, Wyo., were once served by aircraft that had the capability to move human remains.  Now, funeral directors in these cities must recover from larger cities with drives up to eight hours.   This problem will only worsen with time as commercial airlines replace existing aircraft with regional jets or cancel routes all together.  It is also important to note that the newer “low fare” airlines coming into the market have been unwilling to accept human remains further complicating matters.  Another option to consider when time is of the essence and the commercial airlines are not available is to charter an aircraft.  Chartered aircraft, albeit significantly more costly than using a commercial aircraft, can be flown anywhere, anytime.  Usually the airplane can be on location within two hours of the call and unlike commercial airlines, will land to the closet recovery airport (providing there is appropriate runway length).  When families want their loved one’s remains home immediately, especially if death is a result of a tragedy, a charter may be viable option.  As mentioned earlier companies such as AirNet can accommodate an on-demand charter.  No matter where the remains are coming from or going to, AirNet will find the most cost effective aircraft for the mission, make all ground arrangements and complete all necessary paperwork.  This service can be most useful to a family who wants to recover their loved one’s remains as soon as possible (especially from remote locations), do not want their loved one’s remains to ride in the baggage compartment, or in situations where privacy is of the utmost important.  In addition to the human remains, on most private aircraft one passenger is permitted to accompany the remains during flight.  Charter pricing is based on the origin and destination, the size of the shipping container (combo unit-vs-airtray), and availability of aircraft.  Prices range from $2500 to over $20,000.  Examples of past missions have included flying remains from the east coast to the west coast in less than six hours to accommodate an early morning funeral, flying remains to Central America, and recovering remains from a remote location out west and delivering to grieving family in the Midwest.  Chartering an aircraft may not always be to simply recover the remains from the point of death and fly it home.  In one instance where a plane was chartered, a man’s family wished to have multiple viewings in multiple cities.  The man had owned businesses in several locations on the east coast and rather than ask the employees to come to one central location to pay their last respects, they chartered an aircraft and the remains were flown to four different cities in two days.  In another example, a wife wanted to memorialize her husband, who had a deep admiration for aviation, by chartering a private plane to fly his remains over the Pacific Ocean.  As funeral directors move to event planning, a charter might be a unique option for a family to celebrate a loved one’s life.  A private charter is not for everyone, but don’t make the mistake of dismissing it as an option.  As the commercial airlines continue to struggle, it can be a useful option in time of need.  A private charter can be dispatched day or night and has very few restrictions associated with the commercial airlines.  The recovering funeral home can recover directly from the aircraft, which his important when privacy is important.  If you depend on a mortuary shipper to assist in shipping cremated or human remains, you should ask them about charter options if commercial airlines are not meeting your customer’s demands.  Chances are they have used a charter in the past and can assist you in contacting a company that specializes in charters.

Conclusion

While a vast majority of the time, traditional mortuary shipping works, it is important to know there are other options available that may be useful.  A grieving family needs to be presented with all the options when traditional methods break down.  While cost may be prohibitive, the decision needs to be made by the family not the funeral director.  And most importantly it is important that you do not suggest an option that is not viable such as shipping cremated remains through the traditional air express companies.  Know the rules, but more importantly know your options.  It may come in handy the next time the traditional mortuary shipping methods break down.

If you or a family member have any further questions or concerns with respect to cremation, cremation services, cremation costs or a direct cremation please feel free to contact Cremation Options toll free 24 hours daily at 1-877-989-9090.

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This package was complied utilizing materials provided by the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA), the Cremation Association of North America (CANA), and the International Cemetery & Funeral Association (ICFA).  As part of this cooperative effort among NFDA, CANA and ICFA, this crematory due-diligence package is available to members of each association.  Funeral homes that use outside crematories are hiring third parties to provide an integral part of the services they have sold to a family.  As such, the funeral home has a responsibility to the family to ensure that the crematory will carry out the cremation in a legal, professional and ethical manner.  The best method to obtain these assurances, and to protect the funeral homes from liability in case of a problem at the crematory, is to carry out the four-step due-diligence process outlined below.  By carefully following each of these four steps, a funeral home will undertake important steps to protect the cremation families it serves and to reduce its own potential liability.  In addition, crematories that offer services to funeral homes should be prepared to respond to the information and document requests set forth in this package or risk losing the business of funeral homes.  Funeral homes and crematories that have questions regarding this due-diligence package should feel free to contact their respective association for guidance.

Disclaimer

The steps outlined in this due-diligence packet attempt to cover all possible situations.  As a result, many funeral homes might find that not all of the precautionary steps set forth in the packet need to be included in their review of third-party crematories.  Each funeral home must decide for itself which steps in the due-diligence packet are appropriate for the protection of the funeral home and the consumers it serves.

Internal Due Diligence For Funeral Homes

Due diligence begins with a review of the funeral homes own internal procedures.  Examine each of the following areas to ensure that the funeral home properly handles cremation cases internally.

Cremation Authorization Forms

Does your state have a cremation authorization law that dictates the disclosure that must be addressed on a cremation authorization form?  If so make sure that the funeral home is utilizing a form that is in compliance with the requirements of the state. If your state does not have such a law, make sure you are using a cremation authorization form that requires, at a minimum, the authorizing agent to attest to each of the following items:  the identity of the decedent after positive identification has been made by the authorizing agent or his/her representative–the identity of the authorizing agent and his/her legal authority for authorizing the cremation-authorization to remove and dispose of any medical devices implanted in the remains. Or a representation that no medical devices are present-permission to cremate the body and mechanically pulverize the cremated remains after a detailed explanation of the process has been provided to the authorizing agent-acknowledgement that the alternative container or casket will be cremated with the remains-specific instructions as to what disposition is to take place with any personal property (clothing, eyeglasses, jewelry) on the remains-specific instructions as to whom the cremated remains are to be delivered or, in the alternative, what other disposition of the cremated remains is to be made-certification as to the accuracy and truthfulness of all statements made in the authorization form and indemnification of the funeral home and crematory by the authorizing agent.

Identification Process

The funeral home must have in place an identification process that ensures that any body received by the funeral home has been positively identified by the authorizing agent or his/her representative.  An identification tag or medallion should be affixed to the remains throughout the entire time the body is in the possession of the funeral home.  The funeral home should have the crematory execute a receipt for the remains of the decedent at the time the remains are turned over to the crematory.  When the funeral home receives the cremated remains back from the crematory, it must also maintain a strict identification process for the cremated remains.  Identification should be attached to the urn or container holding the cremated remains and an identification tag should also be placed inside the urn or container.  If there is more than one container holding the cremated remains, both containers should be similarly identified and each identification tag should reference the fact that the cremated remains are in two containers.  Cremated remains should always be stored in a secure, enclosed area with a logbook showing when and from whom the funeral home received them and when and to whom the funeral home delivered them.  If cremated remains are placed in a pendant or other piece of jewelry, or incorporated in some other fashion into an object, that object should be identified as holding or containing the cremated remains of the decedent until such time as the funeral home delivers it to the family.

Transportation

The funeral home should deliver the remains to the crematory using its own personnel.  Funeral home personnel should confirm that the crematory operator has accepted the remains, that the crematory operator has been presented with the cremation authorization form and any necessary permits and authorization, and that the crematory operator has executed the receipt.

Handling Cremated Remains

When accepting cremated remains from the crematory, funeral home personnel should immediately inspect the urn or container to ensure that there is appropriate identification attached to the urn or container.  Once the funeral home has taken possession of the cremated remains, it should only deliver the cremated remains to the recipient designated in the cremation authorization form.  If the authorizing agent wishes to change the disposition or delivery instructions in the cremation authorization form, any such modification should be in writing, signed by the authorizing agent and delivered to funeral home personnel.  Funeral homes should always obtain an executed receipt when turning over possession of the cremated remains to the authorizing agent or a designated third party.

Insurance Review

Funeral homes should periodically have their insurance agent review their professional liability (also known as “errors and omissions”) insurance to determine if it is at adequate levels and covers liabilities for independent contractors that the funeral home utilizes, such as a crematory.  Funeral homes might also want to consider the purchase of an umbrella policy, which could cover in the event of a catastrophic court judgment against the funeral home.

Due-Diligence File

For every outside crematory the funeral home uses, the funeral home should have a “due-diligence” file.  In that fact, the funeral home will place the documentation and reports that will be generated from following the other three steps outlined in this due-diligence package.

Crematory Records Request

One important aspect of due diligence is a review of the licenses and operational records of the crematory.  A crematory should be willing to provide copies of its licenses and applicable operational records to each funeral home it serves.  A refusal by the crematory to provide the records when requested should be regarded as a red flag to the funeral home.  On page 39, the funeral home will find a records request that it should send to each crematory it uses.  If the crematory does not send the requested records or makes an incomplete response, the funeral home should follow up with the crematory to obtain the records.  Once the records are received review them to see that the crematory has proper authorization under state law, has trained its operators has adopted comprehensive operational procedures, maintained sufficient liability insurance, and utilizes appropriate authorization forms.  If you see deficiency, raise it with the crematory and have it addressed to your satisfaction.  If it is not, use another crematory.  All records obtained from the crematory should be maintained in the due-diligence file that the funeral home keeps on each crematory.  In the file, the funeral home should maintain a log showing, when the records were requested, received and reviewed and if any deficiencies were detected, when they were brought to the crematory’s attention and when the matter was resolved.  The records request should be updated at least once a year.

Crematory Interview

The third step of crematory due diligence is to interview the management of the crematory to obtain information on its personnel facilities and operations.  A list of sample interview questions has been prepared that probes each of these three areas.  Funeral homes should feel free to supplement the questions with their own inquiries.  Prior to conducting the interview, the funeral home should call for an appointment so that the crematory manager is available and has set aside sufficient time for the interview.  Funeral home personnel conducting the interview should take written notes of the responses to the questions.  IF any response is unsatisfactory or raises concerns, address it with the crematory manager immediately.  For example, if the funeral home personnel believe that the crematory’s system for ensuring proper identification of a body is insufficient, discuss it with the crematory manager and obtain written assurances that your concerns will be addressed.  If after returning to the funeral home and reviewing the responses to the question, the funeral home and reviewing the responses to the question, the funeral home still has concerns regarding the crematory, list those concerns in writing and send them to the crematory manager.  In addition, if the funeral home believes it needs further information, send a written request to the crematory listing the follow-up questions.  If the crematory does not respond in a timely manner, the funeral home can either contact crematory management again or decide not to use the crematory.  Make sure that the cremation interview sheets with your written notes, any follow up inquires, and all responses from the crematory are maintained in the permanent due-diligence file on the crematory.

Crematory Inspection

The final step in the crematory due-diligence process is to conduct an unannounced inspection of the crematory during business hours.  The unannounced inspection should be conducted at least once a year.  If the crematory refuses to permit the inspection, it is strongly recommended that the funeral home switch its business to another crematory.  Funeral home personnel conducting the inspection should use a checklist to document their findings.  If any problems are observed during the inspection, funeral home personnel should note it on the checklist, raise those concerns in writing to the management of the crematory and make sure that the problem is remedied.  A new checklist should be filled out for each inspection.  As with all other documents, maintain a permanent copy of each Crematory Inspection Checklist in the crematory due-diligence file.

If you or a family member have any further questions or concerns with respect to cremation, cremation services, cremation costs or a direct cremation please feel free to contact Cremation Options toll free 24 hours daily at 1-877-989-9090.

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Sooner or later, grief comes to all of us.  A child dies, a spouse succumbs to illness, a friend is killed in an accident, and a family member ends her life.  Because grief is a reality of life, it is vital that we learn how to live with loss and reframe the future.  Here are 10 ways to cope with grief.

Expect Emotional Upheaval

Although my husband had been ill with cancer for six years and we knew he could not win the struggle with his illness, his death nevertheless, generated tremendous emotional upheaval,” recalls Ruth, widowed after a 30 year marriage.  “Even though I expected this death and thought I was prepared, the emotional chaos which followed caught me off guard.  I seemed to move from indecisiveness to ultra sensitivity to fear to a sense of abandonment to feeling completely alone on the planet.”  Her experience is not unusual among those who lost a loved one.  While there are no distinct “steps” of grieving many people seem to experience the following phases of grief shock: disbelief, anger (as the deceased, themselves, the medical community, God): regrets over things unsaid, undone or uncompleted: depression, acceptance and growth.  During the early months, expect to experience a variety of confusing and conflicting emotions.  This is natural, but with the passage of time, your emotional state will begin to level and balance.

Adopt A Survivor’s Attitude

People from all walks of life survive painful experiences.  They learn how to manage those challenges, grow through them and emerge better, not bitter. Beginning today, tell yourself “I am a survivor!”  Ann Kaiser Sterns Ph.D., interviewed dozens of people for her book, Coming Back: Rebuilding Lives After Crisis and Loss.  The people she interviewed all experienced major disappointments, tragedies and losses, yet they were able to turn them into victories.  She identifies the following as common attitudes typical of survivors.  Carefully review them and work to make them your survivor attitudes: I will not be defeated, I will vividly examine the future, I will take advantage of available opportunities, I can do it if I set my mind, I will not assume the victim posture, I will accept life’s challenge, I have to be willing to expand, there must be some meaning to be found in this, I am consciously deciding to be in the company of good people.

Surround Yourself With Helpful People

Those best equipped to support and comfort you will be those who listen compassionately and do not pass judgment on what you say or feel.  These individuals will respond to you with empathy,  often using statements such as: I’m sorry, I’m here if you need me, how are you doing, I want to help, I don’t know what to say, how can I help?, what can I do?, please call me anytime.  Stay close to people who respond to you in such gentle, compassionate ways.  Give yourself permission to express and explore your feelings in their presence.  Their listening will prove healing for you.

Avoid Hurtful And Insensitive People

Almost every griever has had the unhappy experience of someone saying or doing something that adds to the wound.  It is wise to distance yourself from people who just do not know how to handle bereavement issues or how to properly respond to someone experiencing grief.  Being around these individuals will leave you feeling frustrated and fretful.  People to keep at a distance are ones who make these types of comments: this must be god’s will, at least he/she is in a better place now, it was probably for the best, you should count your blessings, at least you had 10/20/30 etc years together, at least you have other loved ones, it was a good way to go, get hold of yourself, don’t cry, you’ll get over it, you must be strong.

Read

After my 23 year old son died in an automobile accident, I devoured every book and magazine article I could find.  I made weekly trips to the library just to find books and articles on grief, bereavement and recovery from loss, recalls that your man’s father.  The information was empowering and liberating.  I knew nothing about grieving until my son was killed.  What I learned from the reading was useful in daily coping.  Reading about it made me realize I wasn’t going out of my mind; that my response to this horrific loss in my life was quite normal.  It gave me hope that I would indeed regain some balance in my life.

Save Keepsakes That Comfort (But Avoid Turning Your Home Into A Shrine)

Special mementos of a loved one might bring back fond memories, so save that special photo, sweater, jacket, robe, etc.  Do not turn your home or apartment into a shrine with all of your loved one’s belongings kept in place permanently, however.  Begin the process of disposing of your loved one’s possessions and clothing, but do so carefully and in keeping with your instincts.  Consider this insight from writer Amy Florian.  After her husband John died, she observed: “Many widowed people I’ve known didn’t clean our closets until a year or more after the death of their spouse.  Others did it in stages, parting with things as the felt ready.  No particular timetable is right.  Feel free to keep whatever is comforting for you.  I slept with John’s shirt for months after he died.  I still have some of his things and doubt that I’ll ever part with them except perhaps to give them to our son.

Acknowledge Special Days

Holidays, birthdays and anniversaries are tough when there has been a loss to death.  Rather than trying to ignore those days, do something to acknowledge your loved one.  In this way, you embrace the legacy of your loved one.  In his book, Grievers ask: Answers to Questions About Death and Loss, Harold Ivan Smith offers these suggestions: buy a candle that represents colors your loved one liked, place a memoriam in your local newspaper on your loved one’s anniversary date, do something that reminds you of your loved one.  Play a favorite son.  Request a favorite song on a radio station.  Go to a favorite restaurant or spot.

Anticipate Ups And Downs

The journey through grief is never a straight line, and often involves two steps forward and one step back.  Remind yourself that you do not suddenly “get over it.”  You might feel quite good one day and then feel much worse the next, or you might feel quite calm one moment only to experience turmoil the next.  Express these ups and downs.  Do not be alarmed by them.

Be Gentle And True To Yourself

People will have a lot of expectations of you, note authors Susan Zonnebelt Smeenge and Robert C. De Vries in their book, Getting to The Other Side of Grief.  They may pressure you to do things you do not want to do.  Being gentle means giving yourself permission to be right where you are.  Others don’t know better that you what is best for you.  For example, if you are invited out to dinner with another couple but that makes you uncomfortable for whatever reason, it is usually best to decline the invitation.  Doing things that are upsetting or uncomfortable can compromise your integrity, they write.  Don’t act a part: trust your feelings, go with them-at least in the early stages of your grieving.  Give yourself permission to say no.  You can always initiate later by letting your friends know you are not ready to participate in the group occasionally.

Expect To Heal

While the wound of grief is deep, it is a wound that heals.  Take comfort in that fact and believe that you, like others wounded by grief will heal.  Healing was the experience of former President George Bush and his wife, Barbara.  They experienced healing and grief recovery after their four year old daughter died.  In his book, All the Best: My Life in Letters and Other Writings, he writes: Only a few months after Robin died, the grief and the awful aching hurt began to disappear, to give way to happy memories of our blessed child.  Oh we’d shed a tear when we’d think of something she’d said or done; but the hurt that literally racked our bodies went away-gone, vanished, replaced by happy thoughts.

If you or a family member have any further questions or concerns with respect to cremation, cremation services, cremation costs or a direct cremation please feel free to contact Cremation Options toll free 24 hours daily at 1-877-989-9090.

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Since society often operates on an eat drink and be merry attitude, serving up food applies to so many situations.  In life almost every major event involves food.  Weddings, birthdays, holiday parties-you name it, food is present.  Funeral service increasingly finds itself in the hospitality business and hosting receptions at funeral homes prior to a burial or cremation is a new industry practice. No matter the size, receptions are an experience for all.  Rooms typically seat 100 guests, but many times, groups are as small as 20.  From catering to on site cooking, menus are as diverse as ever.  Reception space doesn’t apply solely to new construction either.  Some facilities have overhauled a current building and added on like Cypress Lawn Cemetery, while others such as Horan & McConaty factored a reception room into its initial design.  Holding receptions on site can yield handsome profits over time.  More than the return on investment, receptions recall and honor the deceased at a convenient venue for guests.  “When people think about holding a reception after a memorial service at their home, they often think it is not big or clean enough, “says John Horan, CFSP, Horan & McConaty.  The convenience of a funeral home is a big draw-one location for the ceremony and reception fills everyone’s needs.  “People can go buy food to feed 50 people and find a location to host, but we take care of everything at once,” says Bill McQueen, Anderson-McQueen Funeral Home.  In the Denver Metro area, Horan & McConaty operates six facilities.  Five are built to hold reception centers integrated into the design.  An old, 1958 building was retrofitted to feature a reception room.  The redesign entailed converting three visitation rooms that we not being used.  Hardwood floors and bistro type seating of bar height tables and chairs outfitted the room to hold 100 guests.  Three years ago, Ken Varner added 2300 feet to his existing facility at Cypress Lawn Cemetery.  Spatial updates included a chapel, prep facility, office space and a reception room fit for 100.  Regardless if a reception room is in a building’s original blueprint or not, each relies on food.  It’s your pick for what you want guests to feast on.

On Site Cooking Kitchen Must Haves

• Equip your kitchen with high speed convection ovens and induction cook tops that allow you to produce a broad menu without the need for exhaust hoods and venting.
• Refrigerated prep table.
• Refrigerator and freezer.
• Dry storage shelving.
• Hot food holding and delivery area.
• Three compartment sink, dishwasher, hand sink and grease interceptor.
• Small wares-try disposable cups, plates, utensils and napkins or china for an additional rental fee.
• Paint the ceiling and walls with a washable paint and install commercial grade tile on the floor.
• Ensure enough electrical power is available for equipment operation.

Off Site Cooking Dishes Different Design

Cypress Lawn Cemetery’s banquet kitchen runs a smooth operation.  The kitchen isn’t constructed to allow cooking, but is set up to keep food warm.  Refrigerators, sinks, and a serving counter for non catered foods are sufficient for guest who want to bring in their own food and have a buffet.  Not all locations allow guests to opt for a non catered menu.  Varner’s is one, but McQueen relies on a caterer.  The stuffed mushroom, to prepare, serve and clean up all food.  “If you want to use our reception center, you have to use our caterer.” McQueen says.  “We don’t allow people to bring in food themselves and we don’t cook it on site, just minimal preparations.”  An employee’s lunchroom and kitchenette does the job.  The stuffed mushroom sends a server in tux and tie attire 30 minutes before a ceremony begins.  One of Horan’s caterers of choice is Fuzion Foods-which comes as a complete package of kitchen design, equipment procurement, menu development, operational systems set up and staff training.

A Spread Sample

Catered food can run the gamut in dish selection.  Include all three meals of a day or go for a simpler approach with finger foods.  A model menu with pricing from the stuffed mushroom includes a traditional breakfast pricing at about $650.00 for 50 guests or $13.00 per person.  Traditional includes frittata, sausage, assorted pastries, fresh fruit and beverages.  A continental breakfast totals $450.00 for 50 attendees or $9.00 per person and includes assorted pastries, bagels and fresh fruit and beverages.  Lunch can be served hot or cold.  The hot menu is priced at $800.00 or $16.00 per person and features vegetable lasagna or Chicken Marsala, plus sides like garlic mashed potatoes or roasted vegetables, salad selections, rolls and beverages.  A cold deli buffet is $600.00 for 50 guests or $12.00 per person and serves sliced meat and cheese trays, chips a variety of salads and beverages.  Appetizers such as quiche, baked brie and cocktail shrimp are about $100.00 to $150.00 for 50 people.  Topping off the meal is a desert line up of pastries, cakes and cookie trays.  Hummingbird, carrot and other cakes run $75.00 a tray.  Chocolate chip, oatmeal and other cookies price at $50.00 per tray.

All In Appearance

Whipping your new reception room into serving shape takes an eye for presentation.  To go formal, use hot and cold buffet serving stations. The less formal route is furnished with skirted tables with heating chafing dishes.  In any case, seating is key with bistro style being the preferred method.  The style enables a portion of people to sit and talk to those standing at eye level.  Sound and sight require the room to have audio-visual equipment to play a tribute to the deceased during the reception.  A final accommodation is lighting to set the right atmosphere.  Put different sets of lights on different circuits, including dimmers and pinpoint areas where windows can be added to bring in natural light.  A bonus is to sound proof the room since there may be other activities running concurrently.  McQueen has two separate funeral homes to which he added a reception center.  At his main location in St. Petersburg, FL he converted a small funeral chapel room that previously fit 60 individuals and a side family room.  The two rooms merged into one, roughly 1,000 square foot reception room.  “The overhaul included taking a dark, windowless room with double doors and replacing it with glass doors,” says McQueen.  “We blew out the back wall and put in a set of glass sliders, 50 inch flat screen TV and added a walled in courtyard terrace with barbeque grill and patio furniture.”  To serve guests, his physical transformation features two marble topped granite buffets to serve food and drinks, a stone based glass topped table with a centerpiece in the heart of the room for desserts.  Ten to 12 round cocktail tables that seat roughly 50 individuals.  The seating works well with older individuals preferring to sit, leaving the other half on their feet to mingle.  “At one point 225 people flowed through the room to the terrace courtyard,” McQueen says.  “The number was our largest to date but it worked.  Think about the hotel industry: Half the time people serve beverages in a hallway.”

Building Your Pocketbook

True a financial investment goes into a reception room’s start up, but it is one that is proving beneficial.  A range of initial fees includes:  Kitchen equipment–$17,500 to $40,000, Furniture–$2,500 to $15,000, Building improvements–$2,000 to $130,000.  The business you pull in dictates your return on investment.  On average Horan holds 30 receptions per month.  His reception for 25 individuals costs $500 on average; a reception for 50 is about $750.  McQueen holds about eight receptions per month.  “We would like to get that to 50 percent,” he says.  “I hope in 12 to 18 months we will do enough receptions that our reception revenue will meet or exceed the revenue from burial caskets.”  He charges $295 to reserve and use the reception room for up to four hours (one hour for set up and one hour for clean up), which also includes audio visual equipment, hospitality staff, beverages as shown on the menu, disposable cups, plates and utensils.  The income clearly adds up and when a family walks in his facility’s doors, he or she is walked through the reception area as a selling proposition.  As the rate of cremation rises, so do ceremonies needing receptions.  With 65 percent of McQueen’s receptions involving cremation, capitalizing on food, a value added service and memorializing the dead can all come together.

If you or a family member have any further questions or concerns with respect to cremation, cremation services, cremation costs or a direct cremation please feel free to contact Cremation Options toll free 24 hours daily at 1-877-989-9090.

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If you walked into your funeral home with the mindset of a consumer (as NFDA CEO Christine Pepper suggested in June’s issue of The Director, would you feel confident that you provide a necessary service, that you are ethical, and that your firm has a great reputation?  If you walked through the public areas of your building and viewed it not as a funeral director but as a member of your community-a potential client-would you choose your firm?  Are you the funeral home of choice in your area?  What separates you from your competitors?  How can you improve your services and merchandising to help you become, or continue to serve as, the leading funeral home in your area?  You must know the demographics of your service area.  In other words, who is your target audience?  What group of people do you want to reach?  While you might not be able to serve every group in your community (and you probably do not want to try), you do need to know these days.  You also need to determine an advertising budget and how to use it most effectively.  NFDA frequently surveys consumers in order to track consumer trends, one of which was summarized in last month’s issue of The Director, (see Tracking the Trends.)  As a great member benefit, your national association also provides professional programs to help you market your firm locally, including information on how to advertise effectively, as well as its For a Life Worth Celebrating program, a comprehensive marketing and public relations initiative that offers a wide range of free materials to NFDA members to help them distinguish their firms as they promote the value of funerals and their profession within their communities.  Many other advertising/marketing firms can also provide stock or market-tailored advertising programs to funeral homes, and the leading firms have place advertisements in this issue.  Much of NFDA’s market research indicates that many people these days wish to preplan and prepay their funerals.  If the preneed laws and regulations in your city or state do not require you to guarantee a “frozen price” for a prepaid funeral, then promoting this fact within your service area can prove a great marketing tool to help distinguish your firm.  In the July 2004 issue of The Director, I stated that we must throw away the “cooking cutter.”  In today’s society, consumers must perceive value, which does not involve “money” (consider how Starbucks continues to expand, or how many people drink bottled water).  If people do not find funerals meaningful, then they begin to view them as merely disposition.  Therefore, become known for the personalized funerals you help families plan and you will become the funeral home of choice in your area, especially among the younger generation.  Finally, become involved in NFDA’s Pursuit of Excellence program.  Participating will help you review what you are doing, evaluate your programs and services and add the components that will make yours a premier funeral home-the funeral home of choice.  Moreover, involve your staff as part of a team effort as you develop programs that benefit the community, provide good will for your funeral home and give people an opportunity to meet you and your staff.  I work for an SCI firm in Flushing, New York, which is in Queens County and one of the five boroughs that make up New York City.  Two of the programs the company provides are  “Escape School” to help children become street smart, and “Smart and Safe Seniors,” which offers helpful hints to void being victimized and be safe at home.  There are many opportunities open to you-just be creative.  You can hold seminars for the clergy, eldercare attorneys, financial planners, nurses and social workers that are just educational or held during lunch.  Remember that personal touch by sending personal notes to people in your community for honors received, such as graduations, weddings, births, etc.  Whatever you do, try to bridge the generation gap when arranging a service.  The spouse will have ideas, as well as the children and grandchildren.  Keep in mind that one day, you will have the grandchildren as decision makers and the future will depend on how they experienced death as youngsters.

If you or a family member have any further questions or concerns with respect to cremation, cremation services, cremation costs or a direct cremation please feel free to contact Cremation Options toll free 24 hours daily at 1-877-989-9090.

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