Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Five things you should know about cremation.



Cremation is becoming more and more popular and is an alternative to traditional funerals and in-ground burials .Here are five things you should know about cremation.



1. During cremation, the body is not incinerated by fire.

This is a common myth, that during cremation, the body is consumed by fire. What actually happens in the cremation chamber is that the body is exposed to very high temperatures in a specially designed brick chamber which reduces the body to gases and bone fragments. The body actually never comes in direct contact with the flames. So, your loved one is never actually burned. Water cremation aka natural cremation is also available in 10 states and costs about the same as flame based cremation.

2. Cremation is not a lot less expensive than a traditional burial.

This is a commonly held myth about cremation and it is not true. You may save money by not buying a cemetery plot. You’ll also save money by not embalming and using dry ice or refrigeration if there is no viewing. You won’t have to purchase a traditional metal or wooden casket and you won’t be paying the hourly visitation charges if you choose direct cremation. However, direct cremation will still cost you from $800 to $1,000 minimum. And, many families change their minds. When they realize that no one will get a chance to say goodbye, they decide to embalm and have a visitation service before the cremation so everyone can pay their respects to the deceased. Many families will also choose to bury the ashes in a cemetery plot or a columbarium and have a memorial service after. These are all good choices but remember these extra services all add up and your cremation bill can be as large as if you had a traditional burial.

3. If you choose cremation, you still need a casket.

Unless you choose a visitation you won’t need a traditional casket, which is one of the most expensive funeral items that you could purchase. You will have to purchase an alternative casket which is a plain wooden box or a sturdy cardboard container for the body to be placed in and cremated. This is a law and although this is not an expensive item, it must be purchased. If you choose a visitation before the cremation, your alternative casket can be placed inside of a rental casket and a rental fee for this casket will also be charged.

4. Cremated remains are not actually ashes.

“Ashes” is a word that people use to refer to the cremains of the deceased, but in reality they do not resemble ashes at all. The actual cremains are bone fragments which are ground into a fine greyish sand like substance. The cremains are put into an urn and returned to the family. They can then be buried, scattered or displayed in the home as a few examples.

5. The “ashes” can never get mixed up after the cremation process.

This is next to impossible due to the “chain of custody” that takes place from start to finish. The deceased body is given a unique ID tag that remains with the body from the removal process at the place of death to the final urn that the cremains will be delivered in. Funeral homes and crematories are very strict about this “chain of custody” and it is standard practice to check the ID tags at every step of the cremation process. It is also the law in every state to protect the final remains of the deceased.

Whether you choose cremation, traditional burial or another form of final disposition, honoring the last wishes of your loved one is all that matters.




Nancy Burban 2013


Funeral fund



31 comments:

  1. Very informative, Nancy. An excellent job of presenting the "high points" everyone should know. I especially appreciated the first point: so many misunderstand and think their loved one is "consumed by fire". It's, as you say, a reductive process, not a consumptive one.

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  2. Thank you Nancy! This is such a great piece to circulate. I'll pass it along.

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  3. Excellent information...we also make sure that the family knows that after the cremation there is no DNA or any other medically traceable elements.

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  4. I was talking to my parents about the expenses of burial vs. cremation and I was pro-cremation, because I didn't think it mattered after I was dead-- might as well do what's cheapest, right? But my parents were against cremation for "cultural reasons." They said it just wasn't appropriate. I was just curious, is that a religious-based or westernized response? Thanks!
    Jenn | http://www.peninsulafuneralhome.com/cremation/

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  5. This are really interesting facts about cremation. I have never been to a funeral where the person was cremated instead of being buried. I had no idea that the body didn't actually turn to ashes either. There is a lot more to cremating than I thought. http://www.peninsulafuneralhome.com/

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  6. My mother wanted to be cremated, so I thought I'd do some research on what I should know about cremation. I always thought that cremation involves being incinerated by fire. I didn't know that bodies were just exposed to high temperatures in a chamber and reduced to gases and fragments. I suppose that's why cremation remains aren't actually ashes. This was a really interesting read! Thanks for the post!

    Paul O. Herman | http://www.carememorialcremation.com/services/complete-care/

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  7. Nancy, actually the body is consumed by fire. There is really no way for it not to be. In all circumstances with the body inside a container that will burn so will the body. Not to mention if you have ever watched a cremation beginning to end you will see how that process takes place.

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  8. Thank you for CORRECTING HER!!!! It GRINDS MY GEARS WHEN UNLICENSED PEOPLE SPREAD MIS-INFORMATION ABOUT ANY SUBJECT IN FUNERAL SERVICE!

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  9. Thanks for the post. My grandma has been talking about her getting cremated. This helps me understand the process. I am confused on one thing. Why do you need a casket after cremation?

    Ray | http://www.suessfuneralhome.net/?page=pg__cremationinformation

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  10. I thought most of the myths on cremation were true. Namely, that the body was consumed by fire, it was less expensive, and that you still need a casket even if you are cremated. I've never considered being cremated before because I didn't like the idea of my body being incinerated. Now that I know this isn't true, I may look further into having this done. Thanks for clearing things up and giving new insight!

    Brooke Bowen | http://skylinememorialpark.com/Cremation/

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  11. My wife and I were talking about this a while back. We didn't actually come to a conclusion about what type of burial we would like. I think everyone has their own opinions on the subject and all should be respected. My grandpa was cremated and my grandma has his remains in an urn in her bedroom.
    http://www.peninsulafuneralhome.com/cremation/

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  12. I've been wondering about my burial options. Cremation seems like it would be a good option because it seems like an easy and affordable way to handle my remains. It's good to know that my ashes wouldn't get mixed up after my body has been cremated. I didn't realize that my body wouldn't be incinerated by fire. Thanks for the information!
    http://www.affordablecremationsmorris.com/cremations-.html

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  13. I have been researching cremation after an uncle of mine mentioned that he wants to be cremated. When he said that I realized I didn't know very much about cremation. I didn't realize that 'ashes' aren't really ashes at all. Thanks for explaining the process and informing me more about cremation.

    Amber | http://www.leewardfuneralhome.com/what-we-do/funeral-services

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  14. When we put my dog down a few years ago, we had him cremated. At first I thought it was weird, but there is something comforting knowing that in a way he is still with me. A lot of people have different opinions about it, but for me personally it's a good idea.



    http://www.cincinnaticremationsociety.com/urns/

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  15. This article was very informative. I have never considered cremation before. I didn't know that the body wasn't exposed to flames. It seems like a reasonable option.
    Emily Smith | http://www.cremationchicago.com/services.html

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  16. Our family has been talking about cremation and if we want anything to do with it. I think that I would wait until I'm planning my funeral to decide something like that. It's very interesting to know about all of the myths of cremation.
    http://marineparkfh.com/104/Cremation_Services.html

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  17. Very informative and good comparison done about the facts many people are ignorant about cremation vs. burial.

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  18. My grandpa died two days ago and we are trying to figure out his funeral. We are having the viewing this week and after we want to do a cremation instead of a burial. That way we will be able to have him with us still just in another state. I think its a great idea and it also saves a lot of costs. http://www.angelscremationandburial.com

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  19. There has been a discussion about how people in my family would like to be handled after they die. Most of my family is in favor of burial, but I like the idea of cremation. According to this article it is cheaper and I think easier. Finding a space for an urn is easier then finding one for an entire casket. Plus our family plot is really small and there will not be enough space for everyone to get buried in the traditional way.
    http://www.taylorfamilyfuneralhome.com/cremation.php

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  20. Interesting post. While cremation is not my cup of tea, a number of my family members chose cremation. One bug plus of cremation is that the family has something tangible to remember them by. I bought a beautiful urn necklace and put a small amount of my brother's ashes in them, and it feels good knowing that I am carrying him with me. Different than visiting in a far-off cemetery, you know? If anyone is interested, I got my urn online at memorialurnjewelry.com. A bit on the expensive side, but real quality and the owner was nice to deal with.

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  21. I didn't know any of this about cremation. I have always thought of cremation as ashes like a piece of wood would leave. I never would've thought that it would be bone fragments. http://www.keenanfuneralhomes.com/services/

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  22. I think that is interesting how you still have to buy a casket even if you are cremating. I think this stuff is good to know because it helps people understand what they need to do for this type of funeral. I think it is important to get advice like this so you don't have to worry about any stumbling blocks along the way.

    Zach | http://www.cremationchicago.com/services.html

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  23. I have seriously been considering cremation as my final plan. I just like the idea of having my ashes scattered somewhere, rather than being in a box for all eternity. I didn't know a lot of this, but now that I do, I am even more sold on the idea of it.

    http://www.heritagememorialchapel.com

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  24. My mom is dying of cancer. She has placed me in charge of all the final arrangements. All she cares about is that the burial be an easy process. We can't decide between cremation and burial. What would others suggest?
    http://affordableburialandcremation.ca/

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  25. This is all great to know! I always felt uncomfortable with cremation because I hated the idea of my loved one being eaten by flames. I just pictured scenes from movies that I had seen and I really didn't like the idea too much. Knowing that it's not done that way anymore is actually very comforting. Thanks for sharing these facts with us. http://www.leofkearns.com/Cremation_Services_936692.html

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  26. In one short blog post you were able to clear all the myths that I believed about cremation. I never knew that the body actually never touched fire. If more people could understand cremation I think they would react to it differently. Thanks for helping me to have a new perspective. http://www.ahlgrimfuneral.com/

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  27. I feel like I learned a lot from this. It's interesting to see the way you broke down prices. I had no idea that the price could be so similar. It definitely makes you think about what you want to do when you pass away. If price isn't in the equation what makes more sense for you, based on where you'd like your body to be when you pass away?
    http://www.pineviewfuneralservice.com

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  28. I own a website selling Cremation Jewelry - If you have anyone looking for Cremation Jewelry we are at http://www.cremationjewelrydeals.com/

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  29. I own a website selling Cremation Jewelry - If you have anyone looking for Cremation Jewelry we are at http://www.cremationjewelrydeals.com/

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  30. This comment has been removed by the author.

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