 |
 |
Funeral Service
Q: What
is the purpose of a funeral?
A: It
is the customary way to recognize death and its finality. Funerals are
a vital part of the grieving process, as well as a chance to celebrate the
life that was lived. They offer the surviving family and friends a caring,
supportive environment in which to share their thoughts and feelings about
the passing. Often funerals are the first step in the healing process.
Q:
What role does the funeral director fill?
A: A
funeral director’s
primary responsibility is to help you through a very
difficult point in your life. They are there to listen, to console, to plan
and to handle. Through discussions they have with you, based on the
information that you share with them about your loved one, they are able
to offer you guidance and to help you to coordinate a personal tribute that
honors the life of your loved one.
Bismarck Funeral Home’s funeral directors can guide
you through planning the
service, complete the necessary paperwork and coordinate doctors, ministers,
florists, newspapers and other vendors to make your funeral service as
seamless as possible. But they will also take the time to listen to your
stories about your loved one, to answer your questions on the grief you are
feeling, link you to support groups and recommend sources for professional
help. By acting as an experienced source for support and guidance, a
professional, ethical funeral director can provide you with the relief you
need while dealing with one of the greatest times of need you will ever
experience.
Q:
Is it necessary to have a funeral director?
A: In most states, family members
may choose to bury their own dead,
although regulations do vary. However, most people find it very trying to
assume the entire responsibility of arranging the details and legal matters
surrounding a death.
Q: Is
it possible to plan a funeral in advance?
A: It is recommended that everyone
preplan for his or her own funeral. Doing
so can offer emotional and financial support for you and your family. By
preplanning a funeral, you will get the kind of service you want and your
family will be freed of the burden of making decisions at a very stressful
time. Preplanning doesn’t necessarily mean prepaying. If you are considering
preplanning your funeral, feel free to contact us and we can help you.
Q: Why
have a public viewing?
A: Viewing
is a part of many cultural and ethnic traditions. Many grief
specialists believe that a viewing aids in the grief process by helping the
bereaved in recognizing the reality of death. Viewing is encouraged for
children, as long as the process is fully explained and the activity is
voluntary.
Cremation
Q: Can
I still have a funeral service if I choose cremation?
A: Yes. Cremation opens up
the door to a number of different funeral
options. From the traditional services to contemporary celebrations,
cremation provides you the flexibility to personalize the services for
yourself or a loved one. Bismarck Funeral Home can assist you with the
necessary information for a funeral with a cremation following or a memorial
service.
Q:
Is cremation a substitute for a funeral?
A: No,
cremation is an alternative to earth burial or entombment for the
body’s final disposition and often follows a traditional funeral service.
In
fact, according to 1987 Federal Trade Commission figures, direct cremation
occurred in only 3% of deaths.
Embalming
Q:
What is the purpose of embalming?
A: Embalming
sanitizes and preserves the body, retards the decomposition
process and enhances the appearance of the body disfigured by traumatic
death or prolonged illness. Embalming makes it possible to lengthen the time
between death and the final decomposition, thus allowing family members the
time to arrange and participate in the type of service most comforting to
them.
Q: Does a body have to be embalmed, according to
law?
A: No. In most states, however,
embalming is required when death is caused
by a reportable contagious disease or when remains are to be transported
from one state to another by common carrier or if final disposition is not
to be made within a prescribed number of hours. In North Dakota, embalmment
must take place within 48 hours of death.
Funeral Cost
Q:
What determines the cost of a funeral?
A: You and your family do.
A funeral can be either as extravagant as you
wish or as simple as you desire. Preplanning your funeral can help control
the costs. By making these decisions ahead of time, you can avoid making
choices at a time when emotions are heightened. It also provides an
opportunity to set funds aside so they may be used to pay for part or all
of the service. A Bismarck Funeral Home funeral director can work with you
to design a personalized tribute that meets your financial needs.
Q: Why are funerals
so expensive?
A: When compared to major life
cycle events, such as births and weddings,
funerals are not as expensive. A wedding costs at least three times as much,
but because it is a happy event, wedding costs are rarely criticized. A
funeral home is a 24-hour, labor-intensive business, with extensive
facilities (viewing rooms, chapels, limousines, hearses, etc.), so these
expenses must be factored into the cost. Moreover, the cost of a funeral
includes not only merchandise, like caskets, but also the services of a
funeral director in the preparations, dealing with doctors, florists,
newspapers and others, and seeing to all of the necessary details. Contrary
to popular belief, funeral homes are largely family-owned with a modest
profit margin.
Q:
Who pays for funerals for the indigent?
A: Other than the family, there
are veteran, union and other organizational
benefits to pay for funerals, including, in certain instances, a lump sum
death payment from Social Security. In most states, some form of public aid
allowances is available from the state, country or city, or a combination.
Most funeral directors are aware of the various benefits and know how to
obtain them for the indigent. However, funeral directors often absorb the
costs of anything above or beyond what is provided by agencies to insure
a deceased a respectable burial.
If a Death Occurs
Q:
What should I do if the death occurs in the middle of the night or on a
weekend?
A: Our funeral directors are
available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Q: Will someone
come right away?
A: If you request immediate assistance, yes. If
the family wishes to spend a
short amount of time with the deceased to say their goodbyes, then that is
more than acceptable. They will come when the time is right.
|
|
 |
 |
