Planning for a burial

If a loved one is in a hospital, health care facility, or nursing home, you can expect that the care facility will call the preferred mortuary (but only if it has been informed beforehand about the deceased preferred mortuary!). A vehicle will be dispatched within an hour or so for transport of the body to the mortuary unless arrangements are made otherwise.

Mortuary Appointment

What is a mortuary? A morgue or mortuary is a building or room (as in a hospital) used for the storage of human remains awaiting identification, or removal for autopsy, burial, cremation or some other post-death ritual. Bodies are usually refrigerated to avoid decomposition.

Generally mortuaries will call the next of kin to make an appointment. Sometimes this call is made the next day if the death has occurred in the middle of the night.

If a loved one dies at home

The next of kind has up to two days to contact the preferred mortuary. He or she can also call right away and ask the mortuary to come at the most convenient time. Families often like to take some time to transition or to prepare the body in the privacy of their own home. It is worth noting that extra charges apply for mortuary service on weekends or after normal business hours.

During the appointment the next of kin will need to fill out papers and make decisions. These could include, but are not limited to: The mortuary needs to get a doctor's signature on the death certificate, the authority to release the body from the hospital (this can also be verbal), additional information for the death certificate. The family decision as to the number of death certificates needed. They cost approx. 20.00 from the Health Department. Note that a certified copy is needed for each bank account, insurance policy, pension fund etc. and a mortuary contract which states the mortuary fees.

Simple Direct Burial
If the family has chosen a simple direct burial this probably means a simple, cloth-covered wooden casket. Arrangements must be made with a cemetery and a separate contract negotiated with them. A representative from the mortuary will witness the interment at the cemetery. The family can choose to be present or not.

Direct Cremation
If direct cremation has been chosen, all the above paperwork must be prepared except the cemetery contract plus the following: A. a declaration of disposition of cremated remains. This document, required by law, states what the final disposition will be: mortuary scatter, family scatter or interment. B. Cremation Document. This three part form, also required by law, gives the authority to cremate the body, acknowledges that cremation is irreversible and describes the merchandise that will be used. Most packages include a simple container for cremation. The mortuary will deliver the cremated remains to the family in a simple rigid plastic container unless the family has chosen an urn at extra cost.

This form also confers the authority to move the body from the mortuary to the crematory; acknowledges the need to remove implants, pacemakers, hearing aids, and metal parts from the body (which can be done by the mortuary or by another party if prearranged) and explains the cremation process.

This form clearly names the next of kin or other responsible party. If there is no spouse or Authorized Representative and more than one child of the deceased are survivors, the majority of the children must sign the paperwork. It is clearly much easier to have a Durable power of attorney or an advanced health care directive. After the paperwork is completed, the cremation normally takes from four to five days (expect delays during holidays) and the cremated remains are returned to the family, scattered at sea by the mortuary, or the internment is witnessed by the mortuary.
 

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