Mortuary Administration Quiz #9

Common Facts to know for those in the procession

1. Always use high beam headlights and four way hazard flashers to set you apart from common traffic. 2. Always maintain a safe distance from the car in front of you 3. Never assume an intersection is clear because you are under police escort. Be especially careful proceeding through an intersection 4. Know what cemetery you are going to and how to get there just in case you get separated from your escort

Funeral Director's first responsibilities with the family at the time of visitation

1. Escort the family to proper area (this is a very traumatic event, seeing the deceased in the casket for the first time). Family should be met at the front door as they arrive, most likely they will not all arrive at the same time. 2. Most of the time, as they arrive they can be ushered to the lounge, etc. to await the rest of the family. 3. After they have all arrived, lead the family, escorting the next of kin into the visitation room 4. After spending a reasonable amount of time with the family, ask them if everything is all right; if anything needs to be adjusted, etc.; then excuse yourself to the office and let the family have some time alone. Assure them you are available for them if they need you. Family normally comes in about 1 hour before public visitation as this gives the family enough time to gain their composure before the public visitation begins and to give the funeral director time to make any changes or adjustments (i.e. more/less cosmetics; put eye glasses on/off, re-adjust clothing, etc.)

Burial Customs

1. Feet to the East, Facing the East: Christian tradition based on the activities to occur on Judgment Day (I.e. if the dead were buried with their feet to the East, when they stand up they will face the East, the direction from where the Resurrected Christ will come) Others simply say it is to face the rising sun. 2. Feet to the North, Facing the North: Although it is customary for the cemetery to be aligned East-West, some are aligned North-South. Some had said the North-South Was a punitive alignment for wrongdoers, notably suicides

Attending to Funeral Details

1. Follow through on expressed wishes 2. Comply with Expectations -Customs of the Community -Religious Preference -?? 3. Park Cars/Arrange Funeral Procession 4. Seating Arrangements 5. Procedures to Start/Conclude Service 6. Instructions to Casket Bearers 7. Dismissal of Funeral Attendees

Activities pertaining to the Committal Service

1. Getting floral tributes to the cemetery before the procession and getting them set up 2. Double checking to make sure the lowering device is set up properly; no cave ins or water in the grave, etc. 3. Checking to see which way to bring the casket in and for any obstacles that maybe in the way 4. Prepare to park vehicles and have someone in position to show casket coach where to stop

Procedures to Start/Conclude Service

1. Immediately before the service, make sure everyone is ready for the funeral to begin. Family is seated either sitting with everyone else or utilizing the family room if the funeral home has one. 2. Clergy, officiants, or celebrant is ready to begin the service 3. All casket bearers are seated, if used 4. Casket is closed and kept closed if the family so desires 5. Procession/Processional (May or may not be used) 6. The funeral director will now wait for the service to conclude. The officiant will usually have a closing portion of their funeral sermon and when that point comes, the funeral director prepares to take over. 7. Recession/Recessional

Ushering

Escorting of persons to their seats

Annual Care

Funds are provided on a yearly basis to maintain the cemetery grave space (Fee is subject to increases each year)

Seating Arrangements

Funeral service attendees should be ushered to their seats in a professional manner. Some people may not want to be ushered to their seats, but may need assistance anyway. While others prefer to be escorted to their seats. On crowded funerals, there may be a need for people to scoot to their left or right to make room for more.

Artificial Grass

Imitation grass made in mat form and used at the cemetery to cover the earth around the grave

Sexton

One who is in charge of the cemetery; the caretaker of the church. Don't forget the burial transit permit goes to the sexton

Dismissal

Procedures or invitation intended to facilitate an organized departure

Dress & Appearance of Attendants

Professional attire is required whenever representing the funeral home, from head to toe

Funeral Director should greet/direct visitors to the proper area

Sometimes they do not take our instructions as they think they know where they are going. Be sure to escort the family to the appropriate area to stand and receive callers. Be ready to provide chairs for those who may not be able to stand for the duration of the visitation period.

Courtesy and Friendliness of Attendants

Staff members should always be courteous and friendly as they go about their daily activities. Politeness goes beyond just saying please and thank you Staff members should always show a willingness to help. Go above and beyond the normal courtesies that are extended to the families served and those who visit the funeral home to pay their respects. Be familiar with the facility, funeral home procedures, and the individual case

Family Room

That portion of the funeral home adjoining the service room designed for the privacy of the family.

Committal Service

That portion of the funeral which is conducted at the place of disposition of dead human bodies

Family Car

The car set aside for the use of the immediate family of a deceased individual

Chapel

A building or designated area of a building in which services are conducted

Automobile List

A list of automobiles used in the cortege showing the names of the occupants and position in the cortege

Lowering Device

A mechanical device used to lower a casket into the ground

Limousine

A motor coach seating three or more passengers separately from the driver's compartment

Canopy/Cemetery Tent

A portable shelter employed to cover the grave area during the committal service

Cemetery

An area of ground set aside and dedicated for the final disposition of dead human bodies

Perpetual Care

An arrangement made by the cemetery whereby funds are set aside, the income from which is used to maintain the cemetery indefinitely.

Grave

An excavation in the earth as a place for interment, interment space

Motorcade (Cortege) Escort

An individual(s) designed to assist in the organized movement of vehicles

Other Responsibilities of the Funeral Director

1. Invite visitors to sign register book 2. Oversee/maintain facilities 3. Ceremony/Service during Visitation (i.e. Catholic Rosary Service, Fraternal Service, etc.). -You may have to set up additional chairs, move casket out, make room for large membership to have room to participate. -Will most likely need a room for the participating individuals to get ready for the ceremony or services, to meditate, get last minute instructions from their group leader, put on ceremonial garb, etc. -There may be a special flower delivery, etc. to be used during the ceremony or service -Be prepared to intercept individuals who have come to the funeral home to pay their respects during the actual ceremony or service. Options: wait in lounge, leave a message for the family, or come back later.

Order of Funeral Procession

1. Lead Vehicle (Law Enforcement or Funeral Director's car) 2. Minister's Vehicle 3. Casket Bearer's Vehicle(s) (Honorary then Active) 4. Casket Coach with Casketed Remains 5. Immediate Family Vehicles (And on down) 6. Honorary Organizations 7. Friends and/or business associates of the deceased There may be fewer elements as no law enforcement vehicles or minister's vehicles may be used, or casket bearers may ride with their families. Under those circumstances, the casket coach may end up being the lead vehicle

Miscellaneous Items concerning the Committal Service

1. Members of the immediate family, close friends and/or business associates usually attend 2. There is usually a brief service to commit the remains of the grave ("We commend to Almighty God our brother/sister (name), and we commit his/her body to the ground, earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust.") 3. At the conclusion of the service, the funeral director should step forward and dismiss the family and those in attendance. 4. A reasonable amount of time should pass by before there is any attempt to close the outer burial container; time should be given for the family and friends to leave the gravesite. If this does not occur, it's business as usual; lower the casket into the body of the outer enclosure and then lower the top of the outer burial enclosure onto the body. A funeral director's responsibility at the grave site ends when the outer enclosure is properly closed or sealed

Rules of Funeral Procession

1. Nothing should separate the funeral coach and family 2. Anything that must be at the church or place of disposition before the funeral coach and family should precede the funeral coach 3. Funeral home liability will be discussed in funeral service law 4. The type of escort utilized will be determined by the family or funeral home preference and/or state and local law

Important Funeral Procession Items

1. The funeral procession always follows the rules and regulations of the cemetery once they go through the cemetery gates 2. When the funeral procession comes to a halt, the active casket bearers should go to the back of the casket coach. 3. The officiant will lead the procession from the casket coach to the grave site. There are two options: the casketed remains are taken to the grave site and then the family/friends are brought down. OR everyone goes together. Local custom and tradition will prevail. 4. The casket bearers and officiant need to be properly positioned. Casket bearers are usually lined up or they will go to be with their family members. The minister should be at the head of the casket. 5. Immediate family will need to be seated in the 6-12 chairs that are provided under the tent. Any unoccupied chairs may be used by others in attendance, especially those who have a hard time standing for the entire service. The funeral director may have to supply the officiant with holy water, sand, or other items that they may use during the committal service.

Significance of Staff Attendance

1. Visibility of Staff 2. Exhibit availability to family and public 3. Verification of Family Satisfaction

Dismissal of Funeral Attendees

The funeral director will usually go to the pulpit or lectern and give the announcement that this concludes the funeral service, informing attendees about the committal service and telling everyone they may retire to their cars immediately. There may be some confusion or misunderstanding on the part of those present and staff members should be ready to help those who need it. In times of cold or bad weather, things will be slowed down by having to go to the closet to get their wraps, etc. Hopefully no one will misplace any of them. Be ready to escort or assist those who need help. Especially those who need to use handicap accessible areas Whoever is left at the funeral home should make a brief check to see if anyone has left anything behind.

Procession/Processional

The movement, in an orderly fashion, at the beginning of the service

Recession/Recessional

The movement, in an orderly fashion, at the end of the service.

Funeral Procession/Cortege

The procession of vehicles from the place of the funeral to the place of disposition

Instructions to Casket Bearers

They are usually asked to be at the place of the funeral a short time before the funeral service begins The funeral director will give brief instructions on what will transpire and what they are responsible for doing.

Funeral Procession

This is a time honored funeral custom. In today's high paced world, the carriage and bearers have been replaced by motorized equipment and the torch has been replaced by headlights and police escorts. Society still recognizes the ritual of a funeral procession. Processions are apart of saying good-bye. Laws also protect funeral processions.

Escort

To accompany, as a leader of the procession or guardian of the group; military personnel assigned to accompany a body following an active duty death

Grave Straps

Webbing or similar material used for lowering the casket into the grave