Individuals Increasingly Choose Cremation
2010 November 16 by MaxJenn
If you have attended a loved one’s funeral services recently, you may have noticed some profound differences from services you attended in the past. Perhaps there was no calling; perhaps the memorial was in a public place and not in a funeral home. And in increasing numbers, the casket has been replaced by an urn.
The last decade has seen a substantial increase in individuals choosing cremation. In 1998, 24 percent of Americans were choosing cremation; the most recent figures reveal that percentage increasing to 36 percent. And some areas – like Nevada, Hawaii, Oregon, Washington and Arizona – have more than 65 percent of their residents choosing cremation.
So, why has cremation become an increasingly preferred method of disposition? While its practice dates back 2000 years and remains the most popular option (more than 70 percent) in much of Europe and Asia, it has only been in the last few years that cremation has entered the mainstream of American’s funeral arrangements.
For many families, it is a simple matter of economics. Cremations in general are less expensive as they eliminate the need for a casket and provide more flexibility in terms of the location of the funeral/memorial service.
Cremation has often been coined the most eco-friendly method of disposition of the body. It preserves land that would be used for expansive cemeteries and eliminates the need for chemically preserving the body during embalming.
And finally, as our society becomes more transient, families no longer reside in the same town in which they were raised or even where their family may have burial plots; family visits to the cemetery are no longer the norm. An urn or small container, designed to be worn as jewelry to hold only a small portion of ashes, are better suited for families scattered across the miles.
With a recently constructed Hamilton County facility that includes an on-site crematory to ensure the dignified disposition of remains, the funeral professionals at A.R.N. Cremation & Funeral Services can help you determine if cremation is the right choice for you or your loved one. A.R.N. Cremation provides final arrangements allowing families and loved ones the freedom to make choices within their means, with cremation services starting at $465. Founded in 1935, today Max Nelson and daughter Jennifer Williamsoffer their 80 years of combined experience to provide unparalleled attention and sensitivity to detail.
Choosing a Funeral and Cremation Service Provider
2010 November 2 by MaxJenn
After more than 50 years in this business, I know that a majority of families who meet me for the first time are in a very vulnerable state.
They’ve just lost a loved one or death is eminent. The prospect of planning these last arrangements can be daunting, confusing and even intimidating.
When I was a young man, just starting out in this business, I was fortunate to have mentors who taught me how to assist families in this state of mind. The bottom line is this: You have to listen with compassion and advise with ethical expertise.
With too great of frequency, we have read or heard stories that are contrary to this standard we’ve established at A.R.N. Cremation Services. High-pressure sales tactics and improprieties have no place in business in general and even less so within the funeral industry.
There are rules that have been established by the Federal Trade Commission that protect consumers. The so-called “Funeral Rule” provides that:
- You may purchase a casket (or cremation urn) from anywhere you choose (including the big-box discount houses); you are not required to buy from the funeral home.
- The funeral establishment must provide you with a general price list (GPL) and a casket price list (CPL) when you inquire in person.
- Funeral establishments must give an itemized statement that includes only those items you selected when you contracted for services.
- A funeral package statement must describe and include all goods and services. If you’re going to sign a contract, get a total dollar amount in writing first.
In addition, each state has its own licensure and inspection procedures. Those licenses should be predominately displayed and up-to-date.
As we’ve become increasingly aware, just because these rules are in place does not mean that they won’t be bent or broken. The best way to ensure you are treated with compassion and dignity is to get to know the funeral service professional before you need him or her. If that is not possible, there are a few questions that you may consider asking that can help determine your level of comfort.
1) How long have you been in the business? What licenses and memberships do you hold?
2) Why did you enter this business?
3) Is your mortuary locally and/or family owned or a chain?
4) (If you are considering cremation) Do you have an on-site crematory?
5) How do you charge for cremation/funeral services?
These are just a few things to consider. It is much like entering into a relationship with any other professional service provider like an attorney, an accountant or a physician. It is essential to establish a relationship that allows you to trust this person and, in turn, allows them to assist you.
Cremation: Throwing Traditional Burial in the Fire
2009 July 28 by Emily
99.85% of all deceased people in Japan are cremated. This means that when this data was received (in 2008), only 1,785 of the nearly 1.7 million people who passed away were not cremated.
And while the cremation rate in the United States is not as astronomical, it has been steadily rising in the past few years. In just ten years, the cremation rate increased almost 12%, from 25.04% in 1999 to 36.86% in 2009. This number is expected only to grow over the years, with a projected rate of 58.85% in 2025. As evidenced by this data, more and more people are choosing cremation over the traditional burial.
Why this growing trend in cremation?
- Cremation is significantly cheaper. The average funeral will cost around $5,000 to $6,000, which includes preparation of the body, transporting costs, casket and flower arrangements, and digging and refilling the grave, among other things. The average cremation, on the other hand, will have a base price of around $1,000. This price will cover the crematory fee, visiting and service hours, death certificate and newspaper costs, and sometimes the casket (although some crematoriums will have it for rent). The significant difference in price, $4,000 to $5,000, may be the cause for the increasing number of people choosing cremation over burials.
- There are many options for cremated ashes. With a burial, the casket will ultimately end up underground, a headstone or marker placed above it to signify the final resting place of your loved one. However, with cremation, there are a myriad of other options regarding what you can do with the cremated ashes. You can scatter them somewhere meaningful, create a diamond from the ashes, save them in a piece of cremation jewelry or even send them to space. There are an abundance of choices when choosing what to do with your loved ones ashes.
- Time is much more flexible with cremation. By choosing the option of cremation, the family members and loved ones can conduct their personal services at their own time and convenience. They do not need to worry about embalming and disposing the body in a certain amount of time, all the while scheduling a memorial service within this time period. With a cremation, which has an average length of 3 hours, the funeral service can be conducted at the same time, allowing the family to easily choose a time suitable for every member.
These three reasons, however, are not the only explanations as to why cremation has been becoming more popular in the United States. Our more transient society and increasing ecological awareness are all taken into consideration when understanding the growing prevalence of cremation. And while the traditional burial still reigns supreme when choosing what to do with a deceased loved one, cremation is slowly, but surely, being recognized as a viable option.
Advancements made to Crematorium Equipment
2009 July 28 by Emily
In the holy city of Varanasi, India, cremation occurs upon the banks of the Ganges River, the body placed upon a wood-fueled pyre. The country of India as a whole, in fact, favors open-air cremation. However, in the United States and Europe, the cremation process takes place in a cremation furnace (or retort).
The first retort was created in 1873 and while the concept is still the same, numerous tweaks have been made to improve the cremation process. The addition of a remains removal door, and the creation of two separate chambers are two developments that have contributed to refining the burning procedure. Recent advancements made to cremation equipment have simplified the cremation process, from before the body is even put into the retort to cleaning the furnace out after the body has been burned.
- PC’s and PLC’s
Many retorts are now equipped with a PC linked to a PLC (Programmable Link Controller). Before this technology was invented, retort operators had to manually calculate the amount of time and the temperature needed to burn the body depending on the weight of the human. Now, with the creation of PC and PLC integration, operators simply have to enter the weight and the computer will automatically compute the other factors. The use of PC and PLC’s also allows the person controlling the retort to view the temperature inside the furnace, the levels of gas being produced, the running time of the furnace, the burning ignition order, and the operation of the air valves controlling the cremation.
- Hot Hearth
A “Hot Hearth” cremation chamber floor means that the first cremation chamber’s floor is constructed to be the roof of the second, larger cremation chamber. By heating and re-heating the products of combustion in the second chamber, the floor of the primary chamber is kept at a stable temperature for an extended period of time. This recycling of gases not only allows for higher temperatures, but it also eliminates fluid problems and extends hearth life. More importantly, the “Hot Hearth” system has a smaller impact on the environment. In newer designs, the second chamber retains the used gases for around 2-3 seconds, cleaning off more pollutants and particles than before. Consequently, these gas emissions are less detrimental when released into the atmosphere.
- Temperature and Oxygen Controls
The second chamber of the retort, which retains the gas emissions before releasing them into the atmosphere, can be made more efficient with the addition of temperature and oxygen controls. By controlling the temperature inside the second chamber, the retort operator also controls the amount of gas emissions released. Too low and too many emissions will be released; too high and the same situation occurs. Keeping a constant watch on the temperature and manually controlling it will stabilize the amount of emissions released, thus making the second chamber more proficient.
Maintaining a correct and steady level of oxygen consumption is also imperative, as it will result in fewer emissions of toxic gases. By keeping the oxygen at an optimal level, less fuel will be consumed, and the cremation time will decrease. While most oxygen control systems lean a bit on the expensive side, they are still a good investment if you are trying to make your crematorium more efficient and “green.”
