Three Things To Know About Cremation Services

Cremation is growing in popularity. One of the main reasons for this is the lower cost associated with cremation versus a traditional funeral and burial. There are a few things you should know about them.

You can still have a public viewing of your loved one

People often have the wrong idea about cremation, thinking that this means that there can be no public viewing at a funeral. But this is not true. A public viewing of your loved one as an element of the funeral can be done just as it would be if there was going to be a burial. However, the body will need to be embalmed. Although this adds to the cost of the funeral services, it will still be cheaper than a burial. If you do not want a public viewing, there is no need to have your loved one's body embalmed, so you will be saving money by skipping the embalming.

Pacemakers need to be removed

If your loved one had a pacemaker at the time of his or her death, this will need to be removed prior to cremation. The batteries of a pacemaker will explode and can cause extensive damage to the crematory chamber. The same is true with an Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillators. Funeral personnel are well aware of this, and will take certain precautions to prevent this problem during cremation. However, if you are aware of the presence of a pacemaker, you should mention this to the funeral home to give them a heads up. They will remove the device. You don't need to have it done prior to transporting your loved one's remains to the funeral home.

No casket is needed

Unless you are choosing a public viewing, there is no need for a casket of any kind. There are special bags that are used by the funeral home for the purposes of cremation. However, after the remains are cremated, you will need to decide on what to do with the ashes. There are a variety of urns that you can purchase to hold the ashes. You can choose to take them to your home, or even place them in a mausoleum, so people can visit and remember your loved one. Of course, many people choose to have a ceremony after the cremation, and release the ashes to a place of meaning to the deceased.

Cremation, such as with West University Cremation Services, LLC, is often a good choice for your deceased loved one. But there are many things to consider. A funeral director can help with all of the details concerning the remains of your loved one.