We understand that many people feel uncomfortable thinking about end-of-life plans for themselves or their loved ones. Part of the discomfort may come from being unfamiliar with the cremation process. 

While you may know that cremation is both environmentally-friendly and economical, you may still feel a little leary of it. Today we would like to put you at ease. Cremations aren’t as scary as you think. 

Different Approaches to Cremation

Some people are uncomfortable with cremation because they aren’t sure how it affects funeral planning. You will be happy to know that there are many different approaches to cremation funerals.

Direct Cremation: With direct cremation, family members can view the body and say their final goodbyes before professionals transport the body to the cremation facility. The family can choose what happens next with the cremains. The cremated remains can be present at the funeral service, or the family can choose to bury, scatter, or entomb the cremains privately at a later date. 

Cremation After a Visitation: If you would like to allow other mourners to view your loved one, you may choose to have the body embalmed and prepared for a visitation. After the visitation takes place, the body can still be cremated. Again, these cremains can be buried, scattered, or entombed. You may be able to rent a casket to use for the visitation to lower the service’s cost. 

Cemetery Burial of Cremated Remains: Some people don’t like the idea of cremation because they think that this precludes them from having a headstone in a cemetery. This is not the case. There can still be a headstone for family members to visit on special occasions, whether the family chooses cremation or casket burial. 

You can choose to have the cremated remains buried at the cemetery plot, or the family can scatter or inter the cremains elsewhere. Check the local cemetery policy because some require families to purchase vaults when burying specific types of urns.

You can choose cremation and have any end-of-life services that you want. Cremated remains aren’t always scattered at sea or stored in an urn on someone’s mantle. 

How the Body is Identified and Prepared

Some people have second thoughts about cremation because they are worried that they won’t receive the exact ashes of their loved ones. This should not be a concern because federal and state laws highly regulate the cremation process. Crematoriums can only cremate one body at a time. Each funeral home also has a protocol to ensure that the body’s identity is never in doubt. The staff also cleans the crematorium after each use. 

Care is taken in the preparation of the body for cremation as well. The staff removes all metal implants and devices (pacemakers, fillings, pins, etc.) before placing the body in a sturdy box. 

To put your mind at ease, consider researching the cremation laws in your local area. Search for “cremation process in California” (or your state) to learn about regulations. You may also feel better if you witness the cremation process. Some facilities have viewing areas that allow you to be present at the time of your loved one’s cremation. 

How Long the Cremation Process Takes

The cremation process takes about five hours. This time includes the preparation of the body and the actual cremation. 

At the end of the process, the family receives an average of five to seven pounds of cremated remains, which look like gray, coarse sand. You can choose to have the cremains placed in a pre-purchased urn. Otherwise, most facilities will place the remains in a sturdy plastic bag inside a cardboard receptacle. 

Why Use Smart Cremation?

One of the most uncomfortable aspects of end-of-life planning is that you may know so little about it that you don’t know how to make the right decisions. Even if you feel emotionally stable enough to ask questions, you may not know enough about the process to ask the right ones. And no one wants to talk about cost soon after a loved one dies.

Smart Cremation offers straightforward, plain-language plans that won’t surprise you with any hidden cost. Those who choose to prepay for cremation will feel reassured that their plan will stay intact, even if you die when traveling abroad or relocating to another state. 

Visit Smart Cremation’s website and chat with one of their knowledgeable agents to receive the answers to your questions about the cremation process.