Learn about the main components of a funeral. Cremation or burial? How to donate a body in Australia. Body donation is a great way to research once you have died and is a cost-free alternative to funerals. Funeral Planner. Proudly brought to you by InvoCare and its network of funeral providers. The role of a funeral director. They should help you realise any know wishes If the deceased has previously spoken about their wishes then your funeral director should do all they can to support you in making these wishes a reality.
They may decorate and prepare the sites of services, arrange for flowers, and provide transportation for the deceased and mourners. They also may notify the appropriate federal insurance agencies of the death. In many settings, funeral directors embalm the deceased.
Embalming is a sanitary and cosmetic process through which the body is prepared for burial, usually in a casket. Funeral services may take place in a home, house of worship, funeral home, or at the gravesite or crematory.
Funeral directors have distinct personalities. A funeral service followed by cremation need not be any different from a funeral service followed by a burial. Usually, cremated remains are placed in some type of permanent receptacle, or urn, before being committed to a final resting place. The urn may be buried, placed in an indoor or outdoor mausoleum or columbarium, or interred in a special urn garden that many cemeteries provide for cremated remains. Funeral directors handle the paperwork involved with the person's death, including submitting papers to State authorities so that a formal death certificate may be issued and copies distributed to the heirs.
They may help family members apply for veterans' burial benefits or notify the Social Security Administration of the death. Also, funeral directors may apply for the transfer of any pensions, insurance policies, or annuities on behalf of survivors. Funeral directors also work with those who want to plan their own funerals in advance. This ensures that the client's wishes will be taken care of to their satisfaction. Most funeral homes are small, family-run businesses, and many funeral directors are owner-operators or employees with managerial responsibilities.
Funeral directors, therefore, are responsible for the success and the profitability of their businesses. Directors must keep records of expenses, purchases, and services rendered; prepare and send invoices for services; and file all required State and Federal employment reports and tax forms.
Funeral directors increasingly use computers for billing, bookkeeping, and marketing. Some are beginning to use the Internet to communicate with clients who are planning their funerals in advance or to assist them by developing electronic obituaries and guest books. Directors strive to foster a cooperative spirit and friendly attitude among employees and a compassionate demeanor toward the families.
Increasingly, funeral directors also help individuals adapt to changes in their lives following a death through aftercare services and support groups. Work Environment Most funeral directors work in funeral homes that have one or more viewing rooms, a casket-selection room, a preparation room, and sometimes a chapel.
Some may also have a crematory on the premises. In general, the occupation is safe, but funeral directors occasionally come into contact with bodies that had contagious diseases, but when the appropriate safety and health regulations are followed the possibility of infection is remote.
Funeral directors often work long, irregular hours, and the occupation can be highly stressful. Many are on call at all hours because they may be needed to remove remains in the middle of the night.
Shift work sometimes is necessary because funeral home hours include evenings and weekends. In smaller funeral homes, working hours vary, but in larger establishments, employees usually work 8 hours a day, 5 or 6 days a week.
The majority are two-year associate degree programs offered at community colleges. In addition, many specialized, stand alone funeral service institutions offer two-year programs, although some are 4 years in length. Mortuary science programs include courses in anatomy, physiology, pathology, embalming techniques, restorative art, business management, accounting and use of computers in funeral home management, and client services.
They also include courses in the social sciences and in legal, ethical, and regulatory subjects such as psychology, grief counseling, oral and written communication, funeral service law, business law, and ethics. Many State and national associations offer continuing education programs designed for licensed funeral directors.
These programs address issues in communications, counseling, and management. More than 30 States have requirements that funeral directors receive continuing education credits to maintain their licenses.
Apprenticeships must be completed under the direction of an experienced and licensed funeral director. Article reviewed 6 March What is a humanist funeral? Skip navigation. Guides Arranging a funeral. Matt Morgan Head of Funerals. What does a funeral director do? How to choose a funeral director How much does a funeral director cost?
0コメント