The Last Goodbye

When a loved one dies, grieving family members and friends are often confronted with dozens of decisions about the funeral -- all of which must be made quickly and often under great emotional duress.

What kind of funeral should it be? What funeral provider should you use? Should you bury or cremate the body? What are you required to do? How do you let everyone know about the death and funeral? And, as callous as it may sound, how much is it all going to cost?

Pre-planning a funeral is also known as "preneed" planning. Preneed refers to prearranging and pre-funding your own funeral. A preneed insurance policy covers the cost of the funeral at the time of death.

Every year, millions of North Americans arrange their funerals in advance. They explore their options for a ceremony, they discuss costs, and they set up a plan with the professionals in their community to ensure they'll have the funeral they choose.

How do you answer a child's questions about death?  Caring parents can help a child during a time of loss by being open, honest, and loving, and by responding to his or her questions in a way that shows they care.

When answering a child's questions about death, adults should keep in mind the following:

How do you explain cremation to a child?  When a deceased family member or friend is cremated or already has been cremated, your child may want to know what cremation is. In answering your child's questions about cremation, keep in mind the guidelines for talking to a child about death.  Keep your explanation of what cremation involves simple and easy to understand.

Some people do not want to be buried in a traditional cemetery, but would prefer their ashes be scattered in a favorite place.  

Laws concerning ash scattering differ in each state. If state law permits it, ashes or cremains (the ashes of a cremated body) may be scattered in lieu of preserving them in a columbarium, burying them in a grave, or keeping them at home. 

from Anatomical Gift Whole Body Donation Guide by Regina Lee

Anatomical Need

The need is great for anatomical gifts in the majority of medical programs throughout the United States. The lack of anatomical subjects in many schools forces anatomy departments to request shared bodies from other schools or institutions. In many situations, five or more students have to share one donated body, which limits hands-on education.

The General Price List (GPL) is the keystone of the Funeral Rule. It must contain identifying information, itemized prices for the various goods and services the funeral service provider sells, and other important disclosures. The GPL enables consumers to comparison shop and to purchase, on an itemized basis, only the goods and services they want.

Who Gets a GPL?

Why do some people choose cremation? There are many factors, including:

• personal or spiritual philosophy
• environmental philosophy
• simplicity or convenience
• economy
• greater acceptance now among many religions
• people are more likely to live away from their family roots (jobs, retirement, living, etc.)

Cremation is a centuries-old funeral -rite which is again growing in preference. It's the rite of preference in Europe, Great Britain, Japan, Scandinavia, and other regions.

The thought of public speaking throws many people into a panic. Add to that fear the common discomfort of discussing death, and it's easy to understand why the idea of delivering a eulogy can be disconcerting. If you've been asked to write a eulogy, take heart. This article will help you put your fears in perspective so you can deliver a loving eulogy.

"Why me?"

The service ended and the family came forward to roll Grandma’s casket out of the church when Frank Sinatra’s silky voice poured through the speaker system.

“Fly me to the moon 
Let me play among the stars 
Let me see what spring is like 
On a-Jupiter and Mars ….”

With that, she was on her way and smiles popped up throughout the church, but none were bigger or brighter than her 80+ year-old friends … precisely because they knew this was pure “Eleanor.”