Planning a Fitting Farewell: How Cremation Service Packages Can Help
Arranging a fitting farewell to a beloved spouse, partner, sibling, parent, child, or other special person is extremely difficult, but a necessary part of saying goodbye. Even in cases where you know that their wishes were to be cremated, there are still other choices that must be made. If you are or someone you love is currently struggling to make decisions about the type of service, the final disposal of the ashes, or any other question regarding their final needs, the following information may offer you the direction you need.
What is included in the basic cremation?
While the exact details can differ, most crematoriums and funeral homes will arrange to pick up the body locally, handle the actual cremation, process the remains, and return them to the next of kin in a basic container. If the death occurs away from the area, additional charges and arrangements for retrieval may be necessary.
This basic service is often chosen by families who plan to hold a private memorial service or ceremony to scatter the ashes at a later date that is not yet known. It can also be a good option for families who are under financial stress and attempting to take care of their loved one's final arrangements as frugally as possible.
What additional services are available?
Families who want to include a service with the cremation process can do so in a few different ways, including the following formats:
- A service or visitation with a viewing of the body, followed by the cremation process.
- A closed-casket service or visitation, followed by the cremation process.
- A post-cremation memorial service at a funeral home, church, or other location followed by either interring or scattering the ashes
Most funeral homes can customize or combine any of these services to make them better fit the needs and expectations of the bereaved family.
Is it necessary to purchase a casket for a viewing prior to cremation?
In most cases, families should not feel that they need to incur the expense of a casket to be used solely for the viewing prior to cremation. A less expensive option is to rent a casket either for the viewing or the funeral service. The funeral home may be able to provide the use of a specially designed casket that is made to accommodate a removable cremation container to help with this need.
To learn more about the cremation service packages offered and how you can customize them to best fit the needs of both the deceased and the surviving family members, take time to discuss your situation with a caring, competent funeral director.
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