Once a funeral home has picked up the body and brought it to their facility, they will then clean and dress and/or shroud the body. Afterward, the body will be placed in refrigeration to keep it cool until the day of burial, at which point the body will be transported to the burial site.
Washing the body is done to remove any residual bacteria that may remain on the skin after death. Most bodies after death do not need more than a ritual washing with warm water infused with some kind of aromatic oil (lavender or rose are often used). Gently wash and thoroughly dry all parts of the body.
The funeral director will then collect the body
The funeral directors will take the body to the crematorium and place it into a very cool storage space. This helps to keep the body preserved until the cremation.
How is the body prepared for cremation? Usually, the body is bathed, cleaned, and dressed before identification. There is no embalming unless you have a public viewing or you request it. Next, the technician removes jewelry or other items that you would like to keep.
Many funeral homes actually smell like flower shops since there are often flowers all over the place. These aren't just any flowers, either. There are some very specific flowers that people will usually send to a funeral home following a person's death.
When the funeral director begins the embalming process, he places the body on a special porcelain or stainless steel table that looks much like what you'd find in an operating room. He washes the body with soap and water and positions it with the hands crossed over the abdomen, as you'd see them appear in a casket.
Do you have clothes on when you're cremated? Most crematories allow the bereaved the option of dressing their loved one prior to cremation (or having a funeral professional dress the body), although clothing choices must be completely combustible.
In most cases, cremated remains are odourless. They may have a slightly metallic odour or some people say they smell somewhat like incense in some cases. However, it is common for ashes to have no distinct smell. Nonetheless, they can take on the smell of the container or cremation urn they are in.
One of the most common questions people have about embalming is whether or not organs are removed. The answer is no; all of the organs remain in the body during the embalming process. Instead, the Embalmer makes small incisions in the abdomen and inserts tubes into the body cavity.
When properly stored and cooled, a body can be kept for up to six weeks at the funeral home, so you'll have plenty of flexibility when planning your memorial service. Cremation has become an increasingly popular option for people around the country. In fact, more bodies are now cremated than buried.
Over time, coffins underground will decompose and eventually collapse. Covering the face before closing the casket adds an extra layer of protection and dignity for the deceased's face and can act as a symbolic final goodbye.
With mortuary embalming, the embalmed body is preserved for about a week, so viewings should occur within that time. The embalmed body is suitable for visitation for a little longer than a week. Ideally, burial or cremation should happen within a week of death in most cases where possible.
The whole process of washing and wrapping the body takes about an hour. After the sheets are wrapped around the body, they are fastened with makeshift ropes made of the same cloth: one above the head, two around the body and another below the feet. The body is now ready for the funeral prayer and burial.
Cleaning after dead bodies is the work of crime scene cleaners known as bioremediation experts, forensic cleaners or crime scene cleaners. These people are trained to reduce this trauma by thoroughly disinfecting the corpse and area.
3-5 days after death — the body starts to bloat and blood-containing foam leaks from the mouth and nose. 8-10 days after death — the body turns from green to red as the blood decomposes and the organs in the abdomen accumulate gas. Several weeks after death — nails and teeth fall out.
The body does not feel pain during cremation because the person is no longer alive. When a person dies, their brain stops sending signals to the body. This means that the person cannot feel pain or any other sensation.
Since all of the organic matter is burned away during cremation, this is why ashes can last (almost) forever - or at least for our entire lifetime. Bones are still DNA and scientists believe that DNA has survived for about one million years.
Cremations last between one and three hours with cooling taking a further one or two hours. This depends on cremation temperatures, the size of the deceased, and coffin material.
Why do families need to wait? These different state laws are based on the typical amount of time it takes to complete authorizations, like issuing a death certificate. Because the crematorium needs the death certificate before they can cremate the body, this delays the process and is built into the waiting period.
Are coffins sold back to the funeral director for re-use? No. The coffin and the body inside are cremated together. There are occasions where the deceased or the family of the deceased has opted for using a cardboard coffin in which their loved one will be cremated.
Only one body can be cremated at once, and all cremated remains must be cleared from the cremation chamber before another cremation can begin. These standards do mean that you may have little input into any 'customization' of a cremation process.
"Talking or being on your phone during the service is one of the most disrespectful things you could do at a funeral," says Myka Meier, Beaumont Etiquette founder and etiquette expert. It's important to be as present as possible. "Silence your phone, shut off your phone, or even just leave it behind.
Usually people say a short prayer by the casket and then proceed to share their condolences with the family. Attending a visitation can be the hardest part for people to attend, because it involves talking to the deceased's family.
Don't tell friends or family members who are grieving that their loved one has gone to a better place. Never call the death a blessing or speculate that it was that person's time. Avoid saying anything that suggests that the loss of the loved one is a positive thing.