Frequently Asked Questions
General Topics
Covered:
What
purpose does a funeral serve?
It is the customary way to recognize death and its finality.
Funerals are recognized rituals for the living to show respect for
the dead and to help survivors begin the grief process. Funerals
in one form or another have been conducted to honor the dead since
around 35,000 BC.
What
do funeral directors do?
Funeral directors are caregivers and administrators. They make the
arrangements for transportation of the body, complete all necessary
paperwork, and implement the choices made by the family regarding
the funeral and final disposition of the body.
Funeral
directors are listeners, advisors and supporters. They have experience
assisting the bereaved in coping with death. Funeral directors are
trained to answer questions about grief, recognize when a person
is having difficulty coping, and recommend sources of professional
help. Funeral directors also link survivors with support groups
at the funeral home or in the community.
Must
you have a funeral director to bury the dead?
Yes. In New York State, a licensed funeral director or
undertaker must be present and personally supervise the interment
or cremation, or the pick-up from or delivery to a common-carrier
of a dead human body. (NYS Sanitary Code Part 77.7(a)(4)) Further,
a licensed funeral director must sign and file the certificate of
death with the registrar in the district in which the death occurred.
Why have
a public viewing?
Viewing is a part of many cultural and ethnic traditions. Many grief
specialists believe that viewing aids the grief process by helping
the bereaved recognize the reality of death. Viewing is encouraged
for children, as long as the process is explained and the activity
is voluntary.
What
is the purpose of embalming?
Embalming sanitizes and preserves the body, retards the decomposition
process and enhances the appearance of a body disfigured by traumatic
death or illness.
Embalming makes it possible to lengthen the time between death and the final disposition, thus allowing family members time to arrange and participate in the type of service most comforting to them.
Does
a dead body have to be embalmed, according to law?
No.
Isn't
burial space becoming scarce?
While it is true some metropolitan areas have limited available
cemetery space, in most areas of the country, there is enough space
set aside for the next 50 years without creating new cemeteries.
In addition, land available for new cemeteries is more than adequate,
especially with the increase in entombment and multi-level grave
burial.
Is
cremation a substitute for a funeral?
No. Cremation is an alternative to earth burial or entombment for the
body's final disposition and often follows a traditional funeral
service. According to FTC figures for 2005, direct cremation occurred
in 19% of deaths.
Is
cremation as a means of disposition increasing?
Yes, but not dramatically. Below are the New York State cremation statistics for 2001, 2005, and 2006:
Year | Cremations | % to deaths | ||
2001 | 31,998 | 20.5 | ||
2005 | 35,571 | 23.5 | ||
2006 | 36,841 | 25 |
Estimated percentage for 2010 and 2025:
Year | % to dealths |
2010 | 33.77 |
2025 | 43.53 |
(Source: Cremation Association of North America) |
What
determines the cost of a funeral?
The family of the deceased does. The cost of a funeral
will depend on how elaborate or how simple a ceremony is desired.
Funeral directors offer a wide variety of services to choose from.
How
much does a funeral cost?
In 2006, the average charge for an adult, full-service funeral in New
York State was $7,150; this includes a professional service charge,
transfer of remains, embalming, other preparation, use of viewing
facilities, use of facilities for ceremony, hearse, limousine and
casket. Vault, cemetery and monument charges are additional. This
amount is an average based on all areas of the State. Consumers can
expect expenses to be somewhat higher downstate and somewhat lower in
upstate areas.
Who
pays for funerals for the indigent?
Other than the family, there are veteran, union, and other organizational
benefits to pay for funerals, including, in certain instances, a
lump sum death payment from Social Security. In most states, some
form of public aid allowances are available from the state and vary
by county.
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