SWEET PEACE
When death occurs it brings with it a plethora of decisions that must be made and many, many tasks. Grief is most always accompanied by great angst and emotions that are often overpowering. I’m a big proponent of Pre-Planning. I witness first-hand, on a regular basis how planning for this particular family crisis can help to alleviate a great deal of the force that is often associated with grief. Here in beautiful Prince Georges County we are comprised of mostly ordinary, working class families. Rarely do I serve families who just have $10,000.00 lying around ready to fund the expense of a funeral. The average cost of funeral services in this region is $7,500. This cost DOES NOT include the cost of earth burial aka cemetery cost. Cemetery cost should be factored in as an addition to funeral cost. Aside from those two major expenses, you may want to consider the cost of death certificates,
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Their initial request to me over the phone was that their mother be cremated after a tradition funeral service and wake/visitation. Once in arrangement conference, I discovered that the spouse of the deceased was a military veteran currently interred in a military cemetery. Because of the veteran’s privilege to a military interment, the spouse is afforded the right of interment alongside her husband, FREE of charge. The family was not aware of this privilege. Once I shared this information with the family the atmosphere in the room and tone of the funeral arrangements quickly took on new life. The family was visibly greatly RELIEVED. They were relieved because they no longer had to compromise on what their hearts really wanted for their mom. A day after the arrangement conference the family supplied me with the veteran’s form DD-214. I am happy to report that mom is currently resting well with her spouse at Quantico National Cemetery and the family is enjoying sweet
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.
A funeral director can be a male or female who handles the care of the deceased from the time of death until burial. The person must attend college and receive a degree in mortuary science. A two year apprenticeship will be a learning business and directing a funeral. Funeral directing is beneficial and rewarding. A two year program is offered locally with duties including handling of remains, embalming, and funeral services (Lee).
Criticisms of American funeral practices have been made publicly aware since the 1920’s, and actually go back to ancient times in the scope of human’s ceremonies for the dead. Since the first published argument against modern funerals various authors joined the movement publishing their disparagements of customs for the deceased; that in essence contend the grandiosity and lavish displays are merely a social and psychological representation of the monetary opportunity of funerals (DeSpelder & Strickland, 2015, p. 306-307). Even further, regarding the encompassing funeral industry as exploiting grieving loved ones for their financial gains, while disregarding the actual needs of modern society (DeSpelder & Strickland, 2015, p. 307).
There was more than enough room to travel around the rooms. Every room had extra space if the person was in a wheelchair, scooter, or had a walker. This extra room allowed accessibility to all individuals who visited the funeral home.
The American funeral industry came to be how it is today in the Civil War, when so many soldiers died far away from their families and homes and needed to be preserved for long distance travel so they could be buried on their own land. Nowadays, embalming involves pumping a cocktail of chemicals, namely formaldehyde, phenol, glutaraldehyde, methanol, and glycerin, through one of the corpses’ main arteries to delay the decomposition process. “Toxic chemicals from the embalming, burial, and cremation process leach into the air and soil, and expose funeral workers to potential hazards. And maintaining the crisp, green memorial plots is extremely land-and-water-use heavy.” (Julia Calderone, Nov. 4, 2015) The cost of this, as well as the cost and
I think the American way is the best way to Honor the Dead because the rituals are much more respectful of them. At an American funeral, if the person who has died wrote a will, it will not be neglected. If they want to be buried in a certain place, or have any specific directions, it will be executed, and I think that is very respectful of them. I think this one is significantly better than all other kinds of funerals because it honors them more than any other kind does. Therefore, American funerals are the best way to honor the
Death has a devastating impact, whether it is expected or sudden. The term end of life (EOL) is used interchangeably with no concise meaning defined. The lack of clarity of the term has resulted in confusion for patients, families and healthcare providers. A variety of interventions has been embraced to meet the physical needs of the patient, and as well as, the emotional/ psychological needs of their loved one. The literatures have shown that promotion of pain management can lead to a reduction in stress, thus providing for effective coping mechanisms, and spiritual comfort for the patients when a forthcoming death is near. It is important for healthcare providers to be knowledgeable and assist families in recognizing when the end of life
All the symptoms that are associated with end of life care are of great concern. They all in one way or another affect the quality of life of the patient undergoing that journey. I would have to say that to me dyspnea would be of the most bothersome. I think of the instances where perhaps you may be choking on food, having an asthma attack, or any other situation which can lead you to be short of breath for a short period of time and reflect back on how uncomfortable and anxious you feel at that moment and apply it to attempt to form a picture of how the patient may feel undergoing this problem for an extended amount of time. Not only does being short of breath increase anxiety, but it also affects so many other aspects, such as not being able
In addition to the routine expenses mentioned above, there are other funeral-related costs. They include funeral flowers costing around $300, clergy honorarium ($250), newspaper obituary fee ($300) and copies of death certificate costing $6 to $35 per copy which varies from one state to another (Thursby, 2015). Most cemeteries require the grave liner or vault, mausoleum fee or the plot and grave opening and closing which cost up to $3,000 (Thursby, 2015). The gravestone costs around $1,500. From summation of the above estimates, today an average funeral costs
If the decedent was part of a fraternal organization and the family wished to have a non-sectarian funeral service, which are similar to military funerals, the funeral director must be advised during arrangements. The family must provide the DD-214 form, so the funeral home is aware of the branch the decedent belonged to and could provide a U.S. flag to be draped over the casket during services. “It becomes the funeral professional’s responsibility to coordinate the participation of the various fraternal organizations in a funeral service” (NACMS, p. 149). It is important for the funeral director to work with all the people involved during a veteran’s organization funeral rite, including the clergy, post commander, and family, to make sure everything goes according to plan. During a fraternal funeral ceremony, the organization is able to provide full military honors, which might include either a 21-person funeral detail, or 21-one gun
I have always understood that life is uncertain, and what lies beyond our peripheral field of vision cannot be predicted fully. Regardless, it is still necessary for us to try our best to prepare ourselves for the future, leading me to incessantly plan for the worst-case scenario. It is never too early to be prepared, regardless whether it is useful or not, and I believed that I was prepared. Or so I thought. However, no amount of imagination and planning could possibly prepare a person for the process of loss and grief.
Worrying about money is the last thing a family wants to do in the event of a death but it is one of the realities that everyone must inevitably face. It is because of this need that more and more people avail of funeral insurance policies to secure their families from financial woes in the event of their death. With funeral expenses costing thousands of dollars, choosing an insurance company becomes a one of the most important decisions one has to make after deciding on purchasing a policy. Here are some things to keep in mind before choosing which company to sign up with.
During a Long Island Medium (TLC show) episode, Theresa (the medium) sensed someone was not dealing well with the final disposition of their loved, and a lady emerged from a crowd, claiming she suffered from unresolved grief, due to issues that occurred at her loved one's graveside service. The griever was afraid her deceased loved one was unhappy, due to the problems that arouse during the service, consequently, she was left with a negative perception of funeral professionals. After this segment, I instantly felt guilty, since I've made mistakes in my time in the funeral profession, and it's never been my intention to cause surviving family members chronic grief over any mistakes or problems that may arise at a funeral service due
There is also a self-searching research that has to be done. Much of what goes into a funeral is the design. The colors that are used, the music that is played, and many other aspects of the funeral have to either fit the personality of the deceased or the style of family. When people leave funeral style up to the directors they get to be unsatisfied with services simply because it is not their taste. Therefore, make a list of the types of things you want included in the funeral according to style and take it with you when you meet up with the funeral home
Our general meetings are held on various Sunday nights at 8 pm, where the officers of our affiliated umbrella organizations will attend to discuss the conflicts and opportunities experienced by our community currently. These general meetings are a great way for our Asian community to bond and meet new leaders that all work to promote the richness of the Asian cultures.