CREMATION OPTIONS

FINGERNAIL CARE in the deceased has received the least amount of education and attention in the final preparation of human remains, yet fingernail appearance is a very large part of the visual presentation of the deceased. Beautiful, well-groomed nails are an important part of the overall look. Many women (and men) take pride in the appearance of their hands, especially their fingernails and spend a significant amount of time (and money) properly caring for their nails. Family members will notice when the fingernails of the deceased are not properly cared for; they may even have specific requests for the presentation of the nails. It may be as simple as a nail lacquer color preference or they may ask you to correct a problem such as nail ridges or camouflaging a fungus condition. Are you, as a professional, prepared to handle these requests?

To be prepared, a good embalmer must have a nail care kit. This kit must include such items as a nail scissors, nail clippers, polish remover, various textures of emery boards, a cleaning tool, cuticle remover, orangewood or birch wood sticks, liquid ridge fillers, buffing wands, a few neutral nail lacquer colors, individual nail separators (to prevent smudges in your work) and a professional quality shiny top coat. The first step in basic nail care is cleanliness. Dirt and debris should always be removed no matter what. Families notice, friends notice and the public notices, and it leaves the impression that the deceased was not completely cared for. You may use the finest products and have the most beautiful facility, but if the nails are not cleaned….what message are you sending?Use a good cleaning tool to remove dirt and debris from under the free edge. Check the nail plate; are the nails stained with nicotine? A nail polish remover can usually remove these types of stains from the nail bed/fingers. After the nails are cleaned and free of stains, dirt and old polish, analyze the shape. Smooth any ragged nails using an emery board. If the cuticles are thick and overgrown, use a cuticle remover. Are ridges present on the nails bed? This is a very common affliction in the elderly. A ridge filler or buffer can help hide or remove ridges in both men and women. At this point, for a male you can buff the nails to a shine. For women, be sure to completely remove all traces of old chipped nail polish from the nail beds.

After you clean and shape the nails, apply polish or nail lacquer, but only if the family agrees. This is where communication is the key. Ask families if the loved one wore polish and if so, any favorite colors or shades. People are happy to discuss these types of details, but you must ask. Sometimes I have the family members bring in the color they prefer; otherwise, use your professional judgment by taking into consideration the skin tone, clothing the deceased will wear and even the interior color of the casket. Remember not to shake the nail lacquer bottle violently up and down; instead, roll the bottle between your palms. This prevents air bubbles in the lacquer, which will show up in your work. When the nails are perfectly polished, add a few coats of a professional quality shiny top coat for a finished appearance. With proper training and practice, you will be able to provide that final touch that communicates to the family that the even smallest details have not been overlooked. For additional information on cremation or funeral services please contact Cremation Options toll free at 1-877-989-9090.

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There is a misconception out there about cremation: many people think that if a loved one is cremated, then they will not be able to have a funeral. This is simply not true. Choosing cremation over burial does not mean that you have to forego the opportunity to gather with family and friends to commemorate the life of someone who has passed. In fact, you will likely find that having a service or funeral can be very helpful.

Choosing to hold a cremation funeral or memorial service can:

• Provide a safe and structured environment for people who are grieving to express their feelings.
• Be a tangible display of group support. Some people may only have this one chance to share in the communal experience of grieving a certain person. Others will continue to lean on others who are present at the service. You may not realize all of the people who can help until you see them at the service.
• Help people adjust to their changing roles in the family.
  When it comes to make final arrangements for someone you care about, you are not limited to doing things a certain way. Having a service of some kind can be an important part of the grieving process. You do not want to deny yourself this opportunity to work towards healing your grief.

Cremation Options is here for you when you need help in this regard. We know that the death of a loved one and the need to make arrangements quickly can be stressful. We are connected to a large number of cremation providers so we can work with you to make certain that you have a service that honors your loved one and is respectful of your family and traditions. When you decide to work with us, please know that we are available 24 hours a day so that you can plan a cremation funeral that is carried out in a tasteful fashion.

It is difficult, but even as you grieve, you have to try to be sure to tell the funeral director what kind of service you want. They will do the best they can to relieve you of the burden of being overwhelmed with details. If you can let them know something about your loved one and provide details on how to tailor the service to suit your family, they can take it from that point.

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As was noted earlier this week, you should not feel as if choosing cremation means that you need to do without a funeral or memorial service for your loved one. Cremation funerals serve the same function as funerals that precede a burial. Participating in such a service can do a lot to help grieving family and friends say goodbye to a loved one.

You have options when it comes to planning a service for your loved one.

If you want to have a Traditional Cremation Funeral Service then the structure of the program will be very much like a standard funeral. You can choose to hold the service in a house of worship, at a funeral home or at any other location that is appropriate. Let the funeral director know if you want to include clergy as part of the program or if you prefer to have attendees conduct the service themselves. Some people may not realize that you can have a service that mirrors a burial when you choose cremation and that this service can include viewing and a funeral procession to the crematory.

Having a Traditional Cremation Service will cost some money, but it will not be as expensive as a traditional burial. You also have the option of renting or buying a cremation casket. Should you choose to rent a casket for the service, it will not be used during the cremation process, but will be replaced with another container.

If you prefer to have a Cremation Funeral, which is a funeral or memorial service that follows the cremation process, you will still be able to gather with family and friends to remember your loved one. You can do this with or without having the cremated remains present. Cremation Emporium will help you with this type of service as well. If you do decide that you want to have the remains present, you can choose to display them in a decorative urn. Some people really need to have something there to symbolize the person they are there to honor, while others prefer not to have that reminder. Once you let the funeral director know your preference they can start to work on the details for you. And should you decide on a decorative urn and then change your mind, it is simple to remove the urn and conduct a memorial service without it.

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Batesville Casket is the pre-eminent provider of quality funeral caskets and known world over for their quality construction and beautiful finished and inside appointments. With all the selections available in both color and style how do you choose the “right” one for your loved one? Here are a few tips on casket style and color selection.

First, Batesville Casket has two categories metal and wood. The category you select may be determined by budget, but as a general note, you may simply have a personal preference. Metal has long been known to be more protective and so for some the choice of metal is best for their comfort.

Others prefer the biodegradability over time of wood. Providing strong protection but as a natural product the beauty and finish of wood may appeal more to some people. Whichever category you choose metal or wood, there are several price selections in each. Choose the level which best meets your budget needs and provides the level of protection and comfort for your loved one.

As you now select color and finish here are a few tips that may help you:

1. If your loved one had a contemporary flair, was youthful in nature, or loved the outdoors, a casket of a lighter wood or a polished silvery chrome metal may be the perfect selection.
2. If your loved one was more traditional in flair, more conservative in approach, a casket of cherry wood, mahogany wood, copper or bronze metal may be best.
3. Consider darker colors for the more traditional and lighter colors for the more contemporary minded.

It is important to know however that there is no right or wrong when it actually comes to choosing a Batesville Casket color and style. We’ve provided some tips to assist you, but you may find that all through their life your loved one loved dark cherry, now is the time to honor their life by providing a burial casket wood selection that you know they would have selected themselves.

If you are unsure of what to choose, this is where your funeral planner will be able to show you selections, provide guidance on what others have used, and price out options for you. Take time to ask and make a choice that you are comfortable with. The choice you make now in your Batesville Casket selection will provide you with emotional comfort in the days and months ahead as you honor and grieve for your loved one.

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Cremation provides families with limitless funeral options when a loved one passes away. Cremation allows families far greater latitude than burial in choosing the time and place of memorial services for their loved one. Cremation permits a wide variety of choices in selecting the final disposition of a loved one’s cremains. Cremation does not limit a family’s ability to hold a traditional funeral service for their departed loved one. Rather, it expands the family’s opportunity to create a very personal and meaningful memorial.   

Cremation can occur before or after a funeral service. When families choose to hold an open- or closed-casket memorial service with their loved one’s body present, cremation is delayed and a cremation casket is used to transport the body. An open-casket memorial prior to cremation can ease the grief of family members by allowing them to see their loved one in an attitude of peace as they say their final goodbyes. Use of a cremation casket also allows the body of the departed to be present during a funeral mass or church service.

Following cremation, families may schedule memorial services at the time and place of their choosing. This can be particularly advantageous when family members are scattered across the country or travelling abroad and need time to gather. Cremains sealed in a cremation urn can be legally transported across the country, allowing families to transport their loved one’s cremains to a hometown cemetery or family mausoleum.

Cremation allows families a wide variety of choices in determining the final disposition of their loved one’s cremains. Cremains can be buried in their own grave at a cemetery or be interred on the gravesite of another individual. Cremation allows the cremains of a husband and wife to be buried together or the cremains of a child to be buried with his mother. Cremation urns containing the cremains of your departed loved one can be ensconced in a columbarium at a cemetery or your local church.

Cremains can be scattered from the air, at sea or at a favorite spot with special meaning to your departed loved one. Cremains can be rocketed into space or turned into an ocean reef. They can be encapsulated in a beautiful necklace as a remembrance or turned into a stunning diamond. Cremation allows families limitless options in choosing the way they will memorialize their dearly departed loved one.

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