Funeral Directors - cremation/burial or something else??

A recent survey carried out by U.K. Company YouGov (a self-proclaimed community of 4 million contributors around the world) of 1,546 adults showed that 58% of those asked would currently opt for cremation, in comparison to 17% who preferred the idea of burial. Of those in favour of cremation, 79% wanted their ashes to be scattered. In response to the results, YouGov said there was a “strong shift in preference towards cremation as people get older”. While 42% of 18-24 year olds wish to be cremated, this figure rises to 71% among the over-65s. Have you found this in your Funeral Home?

That’s nearly 6 out of 10 people with cremation as their preferred final journey when their day is done. Perhaps more interestingly, 25% (which is still more than burial) opted for something else or were unsure, which means we still have a role in educating the market to help people with their choices and decisions OR that there needs to be more options available.
Currently, the most common ways to dispose of a body in Ireland are burial and cremation (earth versus fire), however there are constant developments in technology and new methods will be introduced in the coming years. These include Resomation (where bodies are dissolved into an alkaline hydrolysis liquid), Promession (a process which freeze-dries bodies in nitrogen) and Irish company ecoLation (who use freezing pressure and heat which results in an inert powder where all toxins and chemicals are neutralized).

Burying someone and erecting a headstone or having a grave marker can provide a family with peace as they have somewhere physical to visit to feel close to the deceased. This is one of the reasons a lot of people opt for burial instead of cremation. However there is also the environmental factor to be considered, as has been seen in Ireland with the increase in demand for green burials, a trend which has not been missed by the new technology companies mentioned above.

A new video has been doing the rounds online showcasing Promession, which got me excited that this new technology might be ready to market. However, with further research you can see that the video is in fact 6 years old and nothing seems to have moved forward for them in terms of bringing the product to market. Resomation is available in parts of the USA but that is it, or at least that was all the information I could find on it. ecoLation seem to have come on leaps and bounds since I last covered them in my book ('Say Farewell Your Way') and they have units rolling out in at least 4 different countries in 2017 which is great news for Funeral Directors, their clientele, and Ireland as a country to have such innovation coming from its shores. So the question is the 25% - will they choose either of these 3 options as they become available?

Things to remember about scattering ashes

• There will be bones and larger pieces that most people don't expect. It doesn't look like fireplace ash which is what most people assume it looks like.
• Decide whether you want to scatter all the ashes in one place or do you want your loved one to travel all over the world? Decide how many people or locations you want and divide accordingly. I usually suggest more than one location because you might move house or out of the country. You never know where life will bring you!
• Ziplock bags will be your best friend - especially if you want to scatter ashes in a few locations or give to friends and family.
• Figure out the wind direction!! NO one wants to inhale their loved one or have them stuck in their lipgloss or blinding them!
• Check out the site before you do 'your thing' because it might not be as you remember or visualize it.
• Using flower heads when throwing ashes into the wind or over water helps you to continue to see the ashes even when they go far away because ash can become difficult to see - it IS after all ash! It also makes it that bit more natural and beautiful.
• Be careful when traveling with ashes, get permission from the airline if going as carry on and if not carry on then you run the risk of the airline losing your luggage which is not good.
• Take photos of the area, the day, whatever you do. Keep a memory of it.

http://www.celtic-ashes.com/pages/things-to-remember-about-scattering-ashes

Something Beautiful Remains

Something Beautiful Remains

by Martha Vashti Pearson

 The tide recedes, but leaves behind

Bright seashells on the sand.

The sun goes down but gentle warmth

Still lingers on the land.

The music stops and yet it lingers on

In sweet refrain.

For every joy that passes

Something beautiful remains.