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There are plenty of burial options you can choose from depending on how you want to preserve the memory of your dearly departed. In this post, we'll take you through all of them. Ultimately, the burial option you pick boils down to the decision that you and your loved ones take. It also depends on the cemetery regulations.
In-ground burial
In-ground burial is best if you want to pick the most traditional cemetery burial method. These burials allow outdoor visitations and also enable the living to pay their respects to the dead in the form of decorations such as flowers. In-ground burials involve caskets alongside memorial tributes.
Cremation
Cremation options include keeping cremated remains inside an urn, burying the cremated remains in a cemetery, or scattering them. These options are ideal if you're operating on a low budget. There are typically three kinds of cremation services - immediate cremation, funeral service followed by cremation, and memorial service.
Above-ground burial
Above-ground burial options include lawn crypt burials and community mausoleum burials. The former involves four elements - gravesite, casket, memorial, and vault. It's the best option to choose if you want two individuals to be memorialized jointly. The latter option is better if you want the casket secured and protected from coming in contact with the earth. There's also a third above-ground burial option - in a private mausoleum. However, this option is quite expensive.
Some cemeteries require this type of burial especially in areas where the water table is close to the surface.
Natural burial
A natural burial process involves placing the remains of the departed into the earth directly. In this process, no caskets, burial vaults, or embalming fluids are required. If you're on the lookout for the most eco-friendly burial option, this is it. Natural burials also involve digging graves manually as opposed to other burial forms where heavy machinery is used. As a result, it is one of the most affordable burial options. However, cemetery regulations needs to be considered.
Now that you know the different burial options in 2021, we hope you can select one that meets your desires and needs based on your budget and the preferences of your loved ones.
Thanks for reading,
Karen
When it comes to buying cremation urns, you'll find a lot of options, which can make the purchasing process confusing for you. In this post, we'll take you through the different materials that cremation urns are made of and how they differ from one another.
Glass and crystal urns
If you want a cremation urn with aesthetic appeal, it's best to opt for a glass and/or crystal urn. Typically hand-blown, these urns are available in a diverse array of patterns and colors. However, you need to wipe down these urns with a glass cleaner and a soft cloth to make them look good consistently.
Ceramic urns
Ceramic is the most popular urn material, and they are available in a diverse array of color combinations. However, you must remember to care for a ceramic urn if you buy one, as ceramic is a material that's quite delicate. We also recommend storing it in a safe place, i.e., where it won't fall to the ground and break.
Wooden urns
Wooden urns typically feature either hardwood or softwood, procured from trees such as oak, mahogany, bamboo, and maple. They look charming and are created very aesthetically. If money is not much of a hassle for you, we recommend purchasing a hardwood urn. However, if you're on a tight budget, you can opt for a more affordable softwood urn.
Metal urns
If durability is your prime concern when shopping for a cremation urn, you should opt for a metal urn. With these urns, you won't have any worries concerning chipping, cracking, or totally breaking. Many modern-day metal urns feature chrome finishes as well, which give them an attractive appearance.
Biodegradable materials
If you want your urn purchase to be eco-friendly, you should consider an urn made from one or more biodegradable materials. Such urns are especially recommended if you plan to float the remains of a dearly departed in a river or sea.
Another type of urn allows you to put the cremains in a pot that will include a tree.
Thanks for reading,
Karen
If you have ever wondered about the fulfillment of your wishes after your death, you are not alone. End of life planning is an important part of life plans. According to a recently published article, people who have planned the end of their lives well in advance tend to spend less time in the hospital on average. A sound plan will translate into less stress and anxiety for your loved ones. In this article, we shall learn how you can protect yourself against these blunders.
Putting off the end of life conversation for too long
Conversations concerning death make most people uncomfortable, but postponing it is not the answer. It is not an exaggeration to say that you will be doing your loved ones a favor if you communicate it at the earliest. A well thought out end of life plan will prevent a lot of stress, heartache, and uncertainty.
Having a vague idea about the power of attorney
In simple terms, the General Power of Attorney is a legal document, which authorizes a particular person to represent you in business or legal matters for a specific period of time. An Enduring Power of Attorney, on the other hand, grants these rights to a particular person without the restriction of time. The Enduring Power of Attorney is activated when the person authorizing it is considered to be incapable of making sound decisions. You must be well aware of these subtle nuances.
Not planning a clear healthcare road map
Thanks to the advancements in modern healthcare, there is now a multitude of options available. Having a well-defined healthcare plan for the end of life situation will save a lot of time and money. It will most likely determine how one will be spending their last days.
Failing to update end of life choices from time to time
Just like the adage, "Variety is the spice of life," you are sure to undergo many changes in your lifetime. As circumstances change, so will your preferences. It is recommended that you revisit your end of life preferences once every five years.
Failing to inform the status of debts to the family members
Death does not erase debts. All outstanding debts will be debited from the estate of the deceased. Your family members must be informed about all debts and their statuses to protect them against any unwarranted claims in the future.
I hope this helps to overcome problems at the end of life of you and your loved ones.
Thanks for reading,
Karen
You have probably heard people use the terms funeral director, mortician, and undertaker interchangeably. While these professions all have to do with the funeral industry, they are not all the same.
Here is the difference :
Funeral director
As the name suggests, a funeral director is someone that arranges, manages, and oversees a funeral or a memorial. Part of his job is to provide support to the family of the deceased by taking care of every aspect of the funeral from embalming and dressing the body, placing it in the casket or coffin, and taking care of other logistics such as filing for legal paperwork including death certificates, etc.
Today, “funeral director” is the most commonly used term in the funeral industry.
Mortician
A mortician is meant to describe someone who is specifically in charge of handling the body and preparing it for the funeral. This means that a mortician is someone who embalms and beautifies a body before the funeral.
Years ago, a mortician was strictly in charge of taking care of the body. However, today, many funeral homes have a funeral director who takes care of logistics and takes care of preparing the body. This is why the terms “funeral director” and “mortician” are often used interchangeably.
Undertaker
You may think that the term “undertaker” comes from being in the business of laying the bodies of the dead six feet under the ground. But this actually has nothing to do with it. Rather, it simply refers to someone who undertakes the task of managing funerals.
This term was commonly used in around the 17th and 18th century, but is now replaced by "funeral director." Basically, “undertaker” was the term used for funeral directors years ago.
Thanks for reading,
Karen
We hear a lot about the power of the last words spoken by people before their death. You can find a plethora of articles on the internet showing the most popular last words spoken. Numerous books have even been published on the topic.
But do the last words of people spoken on their deathbed hold as much meaning as we want to believe?
Why do we put so much importance on the last words?
One reason last words have been the subject of fascination by many people is that they are words on which people choose to spend their dying breath. Many people, especially those who are especially religious or spiritual, believe that when people are close to death, they have a special insight into the mysteries of the afterlife, or even life itself.
Another reason is that when people are on their deathbed, they are often brutally honest and have no filter, so they tend to say things they really feel or believe in. After all, they have nothing left to lose. Many people view this as the dying person’s way of unburdening themselves of their stresses and guilt, which they may have been holding onto their entire life.
While we tend to put on a lot of meaning to the last words spoken by people, there is also the argument that most times, people who are dying are unable to put together coherent thoughts, and the words they speak are unintelligible and don’t hold as much meaning as we would like to believe. Sometimes, the last words are just ramblings that can be interpreted in multiple ways.
However, for the people who care about the person lying on their deathbed, it can be comforting to interpret their last words in a way that makes the most sense. Often times, these are words that can help people who are grieving find closure and move on from a huge loss.
Thanks for reading,
Karen