Mortuary Practice & COVID-19
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If someone asks you to find an article or blog post written over the past several weeks not referencing the coronavirus, you would be hard-pressed to comply. The topic has been front-of-mind and top-of-tongue for virtually every person living on Planet Earth. This obsession includes the funeral industry. And while we deal with death on […]
Continue ReadingWhat Could Kill You Besides Coronavirus
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With businesses and school shuttering and media outlets covering Coronavirus stories nonstop, it’s easy to get caught up in fear and worry. After all, to date, there have been 244,526 cases of the illness worldwide and more than 10,000 deaths. The United States reports 13,622 cases and 189 deaths. But allow us to allay your […]
Continue ReadingOverdose: Part 2
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In this blog post, part 2, we wrap up the series by discussing the signs of drug addiction so you can spot them before they result in a tragic overdose. Last week, we started a two-part series about Black Balloon Day, which is March 6, 2020. Click here to read the first entry. Part 2 […]
Continue ReadingFFC Black Balloon Day: Overdose & Grief
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Part 1 of a 2-Part Series Black Balloon Day is March 6, 2020. A national and international event, the campaign is designed to bring awareness to death by overdose. This is a worthwhile endeavor. Drug overdose is the leading cause of accidental death in the US, with 72,000 lethal drug overdoses in 2019. Opioid addiction […]
Continue ReadingFuneral Home Price Transparency
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California Consumer Watchdog Groups complain that funeral homes across the Southland continually ignore regulations relative to price transparency. The only state with such code restrictions, California requires funeral directors to provide written prices for goods and services. Called Funeral Home Price Transparency, California legislation [Article 5.5 (7685 – 7685.6)] stipulates the following: Funeral Home Price Transparency […]
Continue ReadingHospice & Palliative Care
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Hospital staff say that family and friends of patients sometimes refuse hospice or palliative care. They do so with the mistaken belief that the treatment will usher in the end of life. However, that is far from the case. Doctors recommend both types of care only after reaching the conclusion that curative treatment options no […]
Continue ReadingGroup Grief: Losing Kobe Bryant
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About a week ago, the world collectively gasped at the unbelievable news that Laker Legend Kobe Bryant and eight other passengers perished in a horrific helicopter crash in Calabasas, California. Sudden and sad, reports confirmed the loss of not only Bryant but his 13-year-old daughter as well as coaches and players who everyone agreed died […]
Continue ReadingSuicide
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As funeral directors, our saddest cases often center around the death of a child. But we are equally affected when death is self-inflicted. Suicide is a serious public health problem in the United States, which affects people of all ages. In fact, nearly 800,000 people die by suicide in the world each year, which is roughly one death every 40 […]
Continue ReadingFear of Death
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A new Amy Adams movie centers around the common yet somewhat irrational fear of entering open or crowded spaces or even simply leaving the house, agoraphobia. But thousands of people suffer from a lesser known but equally alarming phobia, the fear of death, AKA Thanatophobia. While many, if not most, people are afraid to die, people […]
Continue ReadingGrief-Busting Tips
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If you lost someone you love in 2019, you may be relieved to usher in the start of a new year. But, at the same time, celebrating anything without the one who died may tie your stomach in knots. Closing the door on beloved traditions may help with closure but might leave you feeling out […]
Continue ReadingHow to Be Thankful in the Midst of Grief: 10 Ideas
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Whether your loved one died near this holiday or in years past, the period between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day can be a trying time for anyone who has experienced loss. In last week’s blog post, we discussed ways to process grief during the holidays. We offered suggestions for navigating the period between November and […]
Continue ReadingThanksgiving Grief
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The holidays often cause even emotionally healthy people to falter. So, is it any wonder that people who have recently lost a loved one to death struggle between the months of November through January? With so many memories tied to the deceased, people who are actively grieving often tell us they wish they could go […]
Continue ReadingYour Funeral Your Way
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Burger King launched a memorable commercial campaign in 1976. You may remember the jingle? “Hold the pickle. Hold the lettuce. Special orders don’t upset us. All we ask is that you let us have it your way.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJMsFGH4eoQ Your Funeral, Have it Your Way The same could be said for the way we approach funeral […]
Continue ReadingAfterlife: What Happens When You Die
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Existential questions have plagued mankind since the days of Adam and Eve. Working in the funeral industry, we often encounter people who wonder what happens after death. Of course, answers to the question are often tied to religious and philosophical beliefs. While we can unequivocally explain what happens to your body scientifically and practically when […]
Continue Reading6 Things to Know about Funeral Etiquette
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All too often, funerals depress most people. In many cases, the atmosphere is sad and dark. While families and friends of the deceased reel over their loss, other mourners huddle on the sidelines, wondering what they should say and do. In a culture where death is treated like an uninvited dinner guest, many funeral attendees […]
Continue ReadingThe Science of Mortuary Science
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Mortuary science is the study of deceased bodies through work typically done at a mortuary. The term most often applies to a college curriculum in the United States which prepares students for careers as morticians or funeral directors. Many who take the coursework also study the related field of embalming. Some states require funeral directors apply as […]
Continue ReadingThe Importance of Closure
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Nothing is as final as death. Unfortunately, however, grieving family members and friends often struggle to come to grips with the finality of their loved one’s passing. Left to pick up the pieces and find the strength to move on, many fail to face the permanent nature of their loss. Denial is, after all, the […]
Continue ReadingReconstruction
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In the 1972 classic movie, The Godfather, Vito Corleone calls upon an undertaker who owes him a favor following the startlingly traumatic shooting death of his son, Sonny. “Look what they did to my son,” he cries, imploring the mortician to work magic so Sonny’s funeral could include an open casket. As far-fetched as it may […]
Continue ReadingThe 5 Best Buried Alive Movies
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A common fear many people have about death is that they’ll be buried alive. Television shows, books and movies reinforce the false narrative that this occurs often. Story lines convince us that our chances of experiencing the living nightmare are much greater than reality confirms. History of Vivisepulture Known in the industry as “premature burial,” […]
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