Changing Funeral Industry

Dead?" AlterNet. In this article, Frankie Colmane looks into how dead bodies are treated in the United State even after Mitford's expose of the funeral industry was published. The article takes both a philosophical and scientific issue with the procedure of embalming sighting proven negative effects to human beings and the environment. Colmane shows that even though people are aware of the malfeasance and misappropriations of the funeral industry following pieces like Mitford's, very little has changed. Therefore problems that have been discussed in earlier works should not be forgotten. Rather they should be continually brought up until the issue is solved. During the 1800s, embalming became common practice because the dead family member would lie in state within the home for a period of days or weeks until it would be buried (Colmane 2010). The article shows the duplicity such as when "funeral directors were arguing forcefully against charges that their mediation between the living and the dead translated into social obstruction that barred the stricken from facing death with maturity, realism, and honest" (page 2). This article will be used to illustrate that things have not changed with funereal practices despite the publication of Mitford's essay.

The article, “10 Burdens Funeral Directors Carry”, written by Caleb Wilde expresses the unique struggles of those working the funeral business. They face numerous challenges through trying to aid and support those mourning a loved one. This often over looked and underappreciated field offers a salient as well as specific service desperately needed by each community. By encountering: depression, psychosis, isolation, stress, workaholism and death itself funeral directors make numerous personal sacrifices to continue to provide honor and respect to the dead.

After some research on five current trends in the funeral service operations, I decided to choose the following submerging topics: personalization, technology, “green” funerals, women in the industry and pet funerals. In regards to personalization, Shivon loved the idea that more services were becoming specific to a deceased individual’s life. Families are trying to seek ways to make meaningful funeral services, while helping with the grieving process. “The idea of personalization has resulted in an explosion of unique services that reflect the hobbies, passions and interests of someone who has died” (National Funeral Directors Association, 2017). With technology on the rise, it is only appropriate for funeral homes to jump on the

Being a funeral director takes having a strong stomach and skill dealing with grief. There are many different ways people mourn. Religions have different rites as well as celebration of someone’s life. Every culture and civilization has three common threads dealing with death and their final internment. There are three main steps when someone dies. First is the preparation of the body, then some type of ceremony, and finally internment.

When you’re selecting a final resting spot for yourself or for a loved one, tranquility, privacy, and a beautifully maintained environment may rank high on your list. The Abriola Parkview Funeral Home offers the Fairfield County community with an elegant and peaceful place for tasteful funeral services, pre-arranged funeral plans, and memorializing late loved ones.

Mankind’s history of burial practices and funeral customs are as old as civilization itself. There is no specific way to planning a funeral. Every civilization and culture has provided for their dead in different ways. Religion and personal beliefs play an important role in the burial practices and funeral customs of a given culture or civilization. Furthermore, each civilization and cultured ever studied have three things in common: some type of funeral rites, rituals, and ceremonies; A sacred place for the dead; and memorialization of the dead. As far back as the time of Christ, burials have been noted to take place. In time burial and funeral customs have become very distinct, interesting and

Most people contact funeral homes whenever a relative of theirs has passed. In most cases, the family gets good services and everything goes right, but there are also scenarios where things go totally wrong. The sad truth is, in many cases, many families do not find out the truth that happens inside the funeral homes. Bodies have been misplaced, cremations have been done wrong or not done in some cases, and body parts have been stolen (FUNERAL HOME & CEMETERY ABUSE). That is just some of the few things that have happened. Funeral homes are known for charging a lot for funerals and in many cases use their knowledge to convince people to buy more expensive things. Funeral homes have their ways where they outsmart people and they also in some

Formaldehyde and embalming based funerary practices have been shown to be damaging to the surrounding environment and moreover, the people who work with it on a regular basis. Not to mention the high costs that the supplies of a traditional burial can end up costing, both for the consumer and the environment. The amount of embalming fluid in ten acres in a typical cemetery can reach up to around 80,000 gal. That's 80,000 gallons of toxic chemicals potentially leaking into the surrounding environment and posing a health risk for humans and animals alike. There are many better, more environmentally sound ways of disposing of a corpse, like alkaline hydrolysis [resomation], which is an effective alternative to cremation, and natural burials, which can serve as a foil for the traditional American burial. Although the traditional burial as we know it dates back to the Civil War, and we’ve got embalming fluid down pretty well, the materials used are still toxic enough to damage the people who work with embalming fluid, and the environment it ends up buried

To become a funeral director, there are several courses that need to be taken for this career. In high school, basic science courses, like biology and chemistry, should be taken to better prepare college. Another course that will be helpful in dealing with the families and friends of the deceased is psychology. For this career, people have to attend a mortuary science school. Mortuary science schools offer courses in public health laws, psychology, accounting, funeral customs, anatomy, and embalming practices (“Funeral Directors” 21). Other courses include: ethics, restorative techniques, business law, and grief counseling. The minimum education for a funeral director is an associate’s degree. Training to become a funeral director includes

Many may refute that religion and honoring the dead is more valuable than the dollar, which is respectable. But if that is the case, then why have many notable religions deemed cremation acceptable? If ancient and wise religions have came to the fact that cremation is not taboo and just as acceptable as a burial, then we as people should not look at cremation as heinous but as a viable option to fix all the problems that a burial based funeral

     Buyers are becoming a lot more educated in the costs of funeral homes and itemized expenses. Because of this funeral homes cannot mark-up their costs the way they used to.

(Lamers 535). You would be required to fill in any open wounds left on the body

A mortician is when a person’s business is preparing dead bodies for burial or cremation and making arrangements for funerals. I would like to take place in this business because my father and my grandfather are in this particular profession. Even though this is just an idea I would like to carry down the profession and help families during their hard times. I like to help people and their families, so I believe that this would be a good job for me. My dad has taught me a couple of things in the profession, like how to embalm, one thing you use is formaldehyde which helps preserve the bodies. My personality fits this job because I am loyal, hardworking, and determined worker who will give the best in the business and try to make the best of

INDUSTRY GROWTH (MEDIUM): The industry growth of the Funeral Directors, Crematoria and Cemeteries industry is strongly influenced by the number of deaths in Australia each year. A general increase in living standards, improved attitudes towards health and medical advances over the last decade has seen the average life expectancy increase in Australia (Figure 1.1). However, the increasing trend towards cremations as opposed to traditional burials means that revenue growth has halted temporarily in the Funeral Service industry, as cremations are less profitable per service.

When a loved one passes, you have a lot to consider. You are not only dealing with the grief of their death, but also everything you must now take care of because of it. Their funeral is one of the bigger things ahead of you, and you have to manage it properly. Doing so gives this person the chance to rest in peace and you have fewer issues with the experience. This is why you must turn to funeral homes during this time. This will give you someone professional, caring, and capable by your side who can help you manage everything with greater ease and effectiveness. You can give your loved one the rest that they deserve and you can take more time to deal with the sudden loss.