Funeral homes play an important role as far as American funeral customs go because they help with burial preparations. American funeral practices generally involve burials and cremations as people prepare their deceased loved ones for the final farewell.
Some people may be in a burial insurance program in which case an American funeral director will work with them to ensure that everything is done accordingly. They will help with the paperwork and other details surrounding the service.
To successfully run a funeral home, one needs to be patient, kind, and open to change as they will deal with many people from different walks of life. They should also be good time managers and be organized. These additional qualities are important if they want to be able to help people plan and execute a successful funeral. When the loved ones feel that they have given a fitting sendoff to their loved one, they may be happier when all is said and done.
It’s therefore good to have a chat with the funeral director of the funeral home whose services you want to use. Doing this can help put you at ease during the process and make things easier for you both immediately and in the long term.
The funeral business is hardly the happiest around. However, for those curious, Youtube channel The Day offers a peek into what happens behind the scenes inside funeral homes before and after the ceremonies.
The body itself is initially delivered in an average vehicle, something other than a hearse, to prevent any witnesses from becoming disturbed by the initial transit.
Once inside the funeral home, the bodies are stored inside refrigeration units to preserve them for either embalming or cremation, depending on the family of the deceased’s preferences. Once cremated at a crematorium, the ashes are transported to the funeral home where they’re poured into a decorative urn. Ashes tend to be dense like beach sand.
For embalming, the body is taken to the embalming room, where all bodily fluids are removed, and replaced with embalming fluids, which are pumped via an embalming machine. Similar to hospital operating rooms, the embalming room is kept very sterile.
Afterwards, the body is touched up with clothing and makeup, and sent up to the viewing room. The area is prepared to have the right lighting and music to give a comforting feeling. Caskets can also be customized depending on personal preferences.
