The Importance of A Final Viewing
Why is viewing a loved one after death important?
Before deciding whether to view or not to view your loved one before final disposition carefully consider:
- Your loved one only dies once and your family has only this one opportunity to make selections and decisions. Carefully think it through and make choices that will be appropriate and comforting for you, your family and your loved ones close friends.
- The psychological needs of the family members and close friends of the deceased.
- Having the body present is the most personalized way to honor your loved one.
- From infancy all of us are taught that it is proper to say Hello and Goodbye
- Viewing periods allow each family member and friend an opportunity to visit the deceased, show their love, pay their respects and say goodbye in their own special way.
Methods of Final Disposition
- Earth burial
- Entombment
- Cremation
- Burial at Sea
Understanding the Values Associated with:
Embalming, Restoration, Viewing & Visitation Periods for you, your family and friends.
Benefits of Embalming and Restorative Procedures:
- Delays the natural process of body decomposition
- Allows for delayed final disposition
- Allows additional time for family members and friends to travel and gather together
- Allows additional time for viewing and ceremonies with the body present
- Allows additional time for reconstructive procedures, if necessary, to restore the body to a more acceptable and Identifiable condition for viewing by family and friends
- Typically provides an additional comfort for the family and friends enabling them to see and spend additional valuable time with their loved one before final disposition.
Restorative or Reconstructive Surgery Procedures: Following a natural death, the restorative measures may involve basic care procedures associated with embalming. However, when death from severe disfiguring trauma has occurred it may be necessary for the embalmer to perform a variety of additional procedures, similar to plastic surgeons, in order to achieve an acceptable and identifiable body. Disfiguring injuries can occur during different types of fatal incidents. When these deaths are investigated by appropriate officials the family might be told that due to the condition of the body it is not viewable. Typically, physicians, coroner’s and law enforcement personnel are not qualified to make the determination whether a body can be reconstructed for viewing purposes. Often these officials are not aware that an embalmer may be able to restore the body to a viewable state. There are also embalmers that specialize in reconstructive surgery that can be called in to the funeral home. These specialists have advanced training and can reconstruct some of the most severe traumatic injuries. Families should always consult with the funeral home embalmer to make that determination and may wish to seek a second opinion. Unfortunately, we deal with death at unexpected times. We at Undertaking Alternative’s, understand that your loss can and may have occurred at any age (see age groups below). For your convenience, review and contact us with questions you may have.
When a loved one dies, day or night, we are here to help you. If your loved one passes away at a hospital or nursing home, contact the funeral home. If they pass away at home under Hospice care, have the Hospice nurse contact us. If Hospice isn’t involved, call 911 immediately, then call us. A funeral director will assist you. We will do our best to make this process stress less as possible.
Ask us about body or organ donation.
