Funeral Directing and Funeral Service Management
Concluding the Call
1. Review all information received for accuracy and Completeness 2. Inform the caller of items he should bring to the arrangement conference if he will not be talking with you again before that time. Items that are typically needed are clothing, photo,military discharge paper and social security number , cemetery deed life insurance policy if it is being used to pay for the funeral You can also get the information from the family at removal
The most emotionally charge part of the funeral process?
1st viewing
How many hours do the funeral staff need to be there before the funerals starts
2 hours
Prayer Cards
A card with the name of the decedent and sometimes a picture of the decendent-service information and a prayer or verse on one side and a photo on the other side.Before putting the prayer cards on display, check to ensure that the information printed on the cards is correct and then place the cards on the register stand or nearby table.
Death Notice
A classified notice publicizing the death of a person, listing survivors and giving those details of the funeral service that the survivors wish to have publish this cost money and obituary for free
What is a clergy card?
A clergy card, which contains information about the deceased, should have been completed by the funeral home and given to the clergy person when she arrives. This would also be a proper time to give the clergy person her honoraium if it hasnt already been given to her.
For a adult removal what type of equipment is use?
A cot and flexible stretcher
What other vital information you can ask for during an removal?
A recent photo,clothing the deceased will wear and the permission to embalm
Visitation
A scheduled time when the deceased is presented for viewing in a casket so the family and friends may come close together in an environment of mutual support to pay their last respects bit the deceased.
Humanistic Service
A service devoid of religion
Memorial service
A service without a body present usually held weeks or days after the disposition
Style of Arrangement offices
A small conference room or a dining room in a home
Additional information on arrangements
A table with chairs can provide a comfortable non-intimidating seating arrangement.It allows the funeral director a space on without a formal businesslike atmosphere that seats the funeral director behind a dezk.
Where should the staff member be for the 1st viewing?
A visible position when the family arrives it can lessen fear and anxiety
The decision on which vechile to use is determine by such factors as
Age of Deceased and Location of deceased
Obituary
An announcement of Death that has a biographical sketch of the person's life listing occupation organizations and notable information sometimes with a photograph normally free
Register Book
At more visitations, people are ask to sign their names in a register book. This book is placed on the register stand. There are pages to list pallbearers people attending and those who sent out flowers.
Where to meet families?
At the door or even in the parking lot
Where would the sibling flowers or spray be
At the foot end
Where is the children flowers or spray will be place at
At the head end
What should you not do during the 1st 15 minutes of a arrangement conference
Avoid reaching for the pen
98 percent of initial contacts are made by what? While the rest are made in person.
By telephone.
Location of Arrangements
Can be made in funeral home if another location a laptop computer or catalogs will be necessary to display the merchandise options
Funeral Director's/Embalmers Information
Data pertaining to place of Death, the date and Location of the dispostion
Infant Removal
During an infant removal, the director may prefer to use a bassinet to carry the infant, and the infant should be covered with a baby blanket.
Procedures during a institutional removals?
Each facility has it's own procedure to follow which usually includes signing a form that indicating you are taking possession of the deceased, signing a receipt for any belongingings received, and if necessary, the director must present a signed body released and her funeral directors license were required.
How to make great first impressions?
Empathy,patience and kindness
What does the funeral begin with?
First Call
Catholic families also have what inside the casket?
Flower Rosary
The first person to here the death story and observe the acute grief in the family
Funeral Director
Why are people sending tabletop flower arrangements?
Hoping the family will take them home with them.
Donation envelope
If a charity has been listed in place of sending flowers, donation envelopes must be available and displayed.
Institutional Removals
If the removal is being made from a hospital, nursing home, or hospice, there is usually a designated location to park.
Where would the flower heart be placed?
Inside.
Burial,Cremation or Transit Permit/Disposition Permit
Is issued upon filing of the complete death certificate with proper agency is the legal permit that allows the funeral director to transport and or dispose of a dead human is the legal record that final disposition has occurred and in some instances a release from the coroner or medical examiner may be requires
phone image
It is just as important to project a professional, sensitive and empathetic over the ________as it is in person.
Keep arranging funeral directors fresh and prepared for the conference by not scheduling too many conference arrangements per day.
Just a fact need to know
The family should have a veiwing hour before the funeral bbecause of them getting emotionally overwhelmed.
Just need to know
Death Certificate
Legal document containing vital statistics, disposition information, and final medical information pertaining to cause ofdeath
sign board
Many funeral homes use a shipboard of some type with the name of the deceased and possibly the time and date of the service. The sign should be made up before visitation begins and place location where guest and visitors can see it.
This is a new trend
More personalized funeral
The new method from order-taking model?
More personalized questions asking about the deceased to make the funeral director seem more relatable and understanding to the family
Release
Most hospitals will not allow the funeral home to transfer the deceased with a release of deceased form. If the family did not sign one at the health care facility, the funeral director may have to take one to the family to sign before the removal is made.
Directors Attire during Removal?
No matter which style is used, clothing should be neat, clean and conform to local customs.
Should you ask the age of the deceased?
No to avoid any misunderstanding.
Registrars Information
Official signature and data of the legal government agency
Where is the spouse flower pieces and spray located
On top of the closed door and or centered behind open cover on a full. Couch casket
The vital statistics information is supplied by an informamt
One who supplies the information concerning the deceased
Non-traditional
Religious orientated but follows a more modern interpretation including favorite music,poems and readings
Purposes of the death certificate
Show cause of death for medical or actuarial research Is the legal permanent record of Death is a permanent statistical record of the deceased assists with settling estate legal affairs
Information needed at arrangement conference
Social Security Number,veteran's discharge papers, cemetery deed and insurance forms.
80 percent of funeral homes are still using this method from the 1950s?
Some funeral directors get down to business with a statement such as I'll need to ask you a series of questions that will give me the information necessary for our records and the death certificate or order taking model
Financial institution loan
Some funeral homes have an arrangement with a bank or lending company to issue loans to the families for the payment of the funeral. It is necessary for the institution to do a credit check on the borrower. The check can usually be competed in a day.
Why always send 2 people on a home removal?
The excess weight of the deceased.
Notification Form
The first call or __________will assist you in asking the necessary questions and allows you to have a written record of the call. The following information is needed: 1. Name of deceased 2. Location 3. Name of caller (relationship to deceased) 4. Phone number of caller 5. Name of next of kin (of deceased if not caller) 6. Phone number of next of kin 7. Name of attending physician 7A. Has the physician or medical examiner been notified ? __Yes__No 8. Age of deceased 9. Permission to embalm obtained?___Yes___No
What should you do upon arrival at the house before a removal?
The funeral director should first go to the door without the cot. The director should introduce him/herself and ask to be taken to where the deceased located. Observing stairways, size of hallways,number of turns,throw rugs, objects or furniture that will need to be moved, doorways and the position,condition and size of the deceased
Tone of voice
The funeral director's "______" should be sympathetic yet professional, not overly sad, forlorn, or cheerful. It should have some inflection to avoid sounding monotonous or bored.
Burial, Cremation, or Transit Permit/Disposition Permit
The legal document by the proper goverment agency authorizing transportatation and/o4 disposition of the human remains Is issued upon the filing of the completed death certificate with th eproper agency Is the legal permit that allows the funeral director to transport and/or dispose of a dead human body Is the legal record that final disposition has occured And in some instances, a release from the coroner or medical examiner may be required.
Burial,Cremation, or Transit/Disposition Permit
The legal document issued by the proper government agency authorizing transportation and or disposition of human remains.
Arrangement Conference
The meeting between the funeral director and the silent family during which the funeral arrangements
Evolution of open casket visitation
The once almost national custom of everyone having an open casket visitation with no casketed remains present instead and run or sometimes just a memory table with a photo of the deceased may be present
First Call
The request, usually made by a surviving family member, for a funeral home to transfer a deceased from the place of death to the funeral home and for the funeral home to carry out the wishes of the next of kin regarding funeral services and disposition.
Transfer/Removal of remains
The transfer of the deceased from the place of death to the funeral home
What should a arranging director should check with the family during the arrangement conference?
They mind if an earlier visitor sees the deceased before the family does or if they want to be the first
Estate is settle
This used to be the most common method of payment Hoever no longer the case. The settling of estates has become sometimes a long and legally complicated affair. It is not unusual for a funeral home to wait 6 months or longer for a estate to settle this is not a preferable payment method
Most legal advisors suggest getting this in writing in signature what should be place in the casket and what should be move
This written form will help if after the burial or cremation someone says that you were supposed to remove an item
When is the hearse use?
To transport the casket unless special case or situation
Evolution of visitation
Where families once received friends and families from 2-5pm and 7-10pm for 3 days, now the average visitation is 2-4 and 7-9pm for one day in some instance it's 2 hours directly before the funeral
What will every flower arrangement have?
Will have a address card and name of the deceased.
What should you do after the initial shock has subsided?
You may want to bring a prayer card over to the family or point out a signature in the register book of someone who may have arrived to pay respect
lead the family into the room
____________________ and proceed right up to the casket in a natural a manner as possible, and then step back and indicate that they might now come forward.
Another method is to escort the family
_____________________ into the room about half way to the casket, and then stay in the background as they approach the casket listen for comments you need to act on or ask about.
salutation
a gesture or utterance made as a greeting or acknowledgment of another's arrival or departure.
What to do to the casket before it is taken to the hearse?
dust off and clean
3 most common vechiles to do a removal with
hears,mini van, utility van
Reread page 42 on daily basis
highly iomportant
It is important for Catholic families to have a short prayer before leaving.
important
Reread 48 and 49
important
Reread page 64
important
reread 66
important
something you need to know
in the latter case you would explain the familys wishes to any early visitors and at least let the visitors sign the registry book
honoraium
money
If a member of the clergy is going to be officiating at the service in the funeral home, there should be a private room avaiable where he can gather his thoughts, talk with famil, and change into vestments.A special space in the procession should be reserved. If possible, when the clergy member arrives, a staff member from the parking lot should park her car. If enough staff is avaiable, one should escort her into the funeral home.
need to now
Do most families stay for the closing of the casket?
no
As the family enters the funeral home, the staff member should walk up to them and introduce himself and express sympathy if he has already met them.
something you need to know
If he has met the family earlier or knows them personally, he should greet them with a warm and sincere greeting and inquire as to how they are doing.
something you need to know
If the caller is not nok, it is important to clarify that the next of kin gave the caller permission to contact the funeral home. The name and phone number of the nok should be obtained
something you need to know
If you need to make major adjustment during the visitation ask the family to leave if a minor adjustment ask the family if they would like to leave or stay
something you need to know
Some states have enacted a domestic partner rule that gives the partner in a same sex relationship, equal status as a spouse in the heirarchy of who has the right of disposition of the remains. In these cases this issue must be addressed by the funeral director.
something you need to know
WIlliams (2007) suggests that video media has become a way of life from laptop DVD players to streaming video on the internet. As a result some firms are using a video presentation for video for this explanationand often hold the listeners attention more than a verbal explanation and puts the arranger in the role of facilitator, not seller.
something you need to know about the GPL
As our father and hail mary are common prayers
use by catholics
On the night before the funeral
verify with the family any instructions they have regarding what is to be left in the casket and what is to be removed when the casket is closed at the funeral
