Animals are a source of great comfort in time of need. Dogs, in particular, have earned the moniker “Man’s Best Friend,” despite intense competition from cats, rabbits, hamsters, lizards and more. Experts agree that canines possess the unique ability to sense when their masters are troubled. Whether they hear sniffles or see tears, they often run to their owners to offer a lick or snuggle up when the going gets tough. Continue reading Good Dog Grief
Did you know funeral homes have a busy season?
More people die in November, December or January than any other month of the year. And the spike in holiday deaths cannot be attributed to suicides. Contrary to popular belief, suicide numbers do not increase during the holidays. In fact, the Center for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) reports that natural causes account for 93% of all yuletide fatalities.
So why the spike? Opinions vary. Here are a few:
A British study found that patients in emergency rooms on public holidays are significantly more likely to die than those admitted other days of the week – including weekends. So, could the cause be related to the number of staff on hand in hospitals? If this were the cause, deaths during every major holiday would mirror those in November through January. But that isn’t the case. No equivalent spikes occurred during any other major holiday, according to
David Phillips, a sociology professor at the University of California, San Diego, who studied the phenomenon.
Since more people die in winter months than fall, summer or spring, could the underlying cause be weather-related? To address this topic, a recent Scientific America points to a study done in 2016. Researchers examined the potential influence of freezing temperatures on mortality, by examining 738,000 deaths in New Zealand, where Christmas comes during the warm summer months. Outside of the hospital, 4.2 percent more deaths occurred during the last week of December and the first week of January – the period encompassing Christmas and New Year’s Eve – than would be expected if the holidays were unrelated to death rates. In other words, holiday death rates spike even in warm Christmas climates.
People often point to rich food relative to Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanza as likely contributors to death during the holidays. But this is not accurate, since patients in treatment, with carefully monitored diets, die during these months at the same rate as their holiday party-going peers.
People who aren’t feeling well might put off doctor’s appointments or trips to the hospital so they can celebrate the holidays with family and friends. Could this be the underlying cause? According to Business Insider, doctors in New York City estimate that visits spike 5-12% during the holidays, often due to illnesses such as influenza and the common cold. Doctors across the country report similar increases in winter patient load. So, more (not fewer) people seek health care during the holidays than the rest of the year.
With family, financial and social obligations at an all-time high, few would argue the holidays are stressful. But is the added strain enough to increase the incidence of death? According to The Holmes And Rahe Stress Scale, the answer would be, “No.” The holidays do not even rank on the Top 10 Stress Scale, which includes 1.) death of a spouse, 2.) divorce 3.) marital separation 4.) imprisonment 5.) death of a close family member 6.) personal injury or illness 7.) marriage 8.) dismissal from work 9.) marital reconciliation and 10.) retirement.
In the final analysis, the mystery remains. We aren’t sure why more people die during the holiday season than any other time of the year. But when you lose someone you love, at any time of the year, we would love to help you in your time of need.
Drop by our Glendora showroom any time. In Covina, our relationship with Sacred Heart Chapel is the perfect place for mourners to host funerals and memorial services in a grandiose yet intimate setting. We proudly serve the San Gabriel Valley, San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles Basin, Orange County and the Inland Empire. Working in the mortuary industry since 1996, we have worked hard to build a reputation of quality, sincerity and trust. Please allow us to help you at your time of need or in the future. Call today (626) 335-0615 or drop by our showroom.
Many people consider pets to be part of the family. To wit, NBC News reports that Americans spend an average $60 billion on their pets each year. Caregivers are so invested, they often celebrate their pets’ birthdays, confide in their animals, post images and videos on social media, and carry pictures of their furry friends in wallets and on their phones. With so much invested, when a beloved pet dies, overwhelming feelings of intensity and sorrow are par for the course.
Fellow pet lovers ourselves, the staff at Foothill Funeral & Cremation understands the grief and works hard to put family members at ease after they lose a beloved animal. One such staff members is our bereavement pug, Lola, who has recently been certified to work with our clients and friends. As we discussed in a previous blog post, we are the only funeral home in Southern California to offer both pet and people-related services, which we consciously do in order to include every member of our clients’ families…whether or not they are of the four-legged variety. 
While no one would question calling off work after losing a family member, such is not always the case when the one who died was a pet. After all; hard as it is to believe, some people live their lives entirely pet-less. So, what is the appropriate response when someone you lose is of the canine or feline variety? Is it wrong to grieve about a pet?
Grief is a very personal thing. While some people burst into tears, others become pensive. In an episode of the British television show, Fawlty Towers, one of the employees thinks his pet rat died. Unsure about the appropriate response in stoic England, the Spanish native wears a black armband and sighs loudly for days. In Mediterranean and Near Eastern cultures, bereaved people hire professional mourners, to attend funerals, to make sure plenty of crying and wailing are expressed during memorial services.
In the United States, people handle grief in myriad ways. Since we don’t talk much about the subject of death, we generally allow people around us to grieve, when the time comes, in any matter they so choose. But, when it comes to pets, that is not always the case. So, how can you sufficiently deal with the death of a pet without looking like a psycho?
The pet was an important part of your family, no matter what others around you may think. Give yourself permission to feel the pain. Know that time will make memories sweeter. You may find it difficult to accept that your pet is gone. It’s hard to imagine that he won’t greet you when you get home, or remind you about her evening meal.
Some people prefer to move on without much ado. If this is your process, that’s okay. At Foothill Funeral & Cremation, we offer several different packages for pets, because we understand that some will want a private cremation, memorial service and a decorative urn while others want to close the chapter without ceremony.
This may occur if you feel responsible for your pet’s death. It is pointless and often erroneous to burden yourself with guilt for the accident or illness or euthanasia that claimed your pet’s life. Dwelling on these feelings will delay your ability to move on.
You may be angry about the illness that claimed your pet, the driver of a speeding car, the vet who “failed” to save your loved one’s life. While these emotions may be justified, when carried to extremes, they can distract you from the important task of resolving your grief.
Although depression is common after losing someone you love, when taken to extremes, it can leave you powerless to cope with feelings. Extreme depression can rob you of motivation and energy, forcing you to dwell on your sorrow.
Get supportYou may even want to join a pet bereavement support group. Resources are available on the Association for Pet Loss & Bereavement Support website as well a through Rainbow Bridge.
We would love to help you at your time of need or in the future, whether the one you have lost is a person or a pet. Drop by our Glendora showroom any time. In Covina, our relationship with Sacred Heart Chapel is the perfect place for mourners to host funerals and memorial services in a grandiose yet intimate setting.
We proudly serve the San Gabriel Valley, San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles Basin, Orange County and the Inland Empire. Working in the mortuary industry since 1996, we have worked hard to build a reputation of quality, sincerity and trust. We would be honored to help you at your time of need or in the future. Call today (626) 335-0615 or drop by our showroom.
In California, seven out of ten people choose cremation over the more traditional alternative of embalmment and burial. Cremation is a natural fit for Californians, who tend to favor eco-friendly options in life as well as death. But, while standard cremation is a harsh flame-based process, Bio Cremation is revolutionary because it is quick, efficient and exceedingly environmentally-friendly.
Whether a person chooses earth burial, flame cremation or Bio Cremation, the results are identical. The body is eventually reduced to basic elements of bone ash. The major difference between burial, flame cremation and Bio Cremation is the amount of time each process takes as well as the “catalyst” that supports the transition.
In use by UCLA in their Willed Body Program, Bio Cremation should soon be approved by the California State Senate, which will make it available to the public. Foothill Funeral & Cremation Service plans to be one of the first funeral homes in California to offer the revolutionary service.
Bio Cremation technology uses water, blended with an alkali solution of potassium hydroxide. The body is placed into a pressurized stainless steel cremation chamber where water and alkali are added and the temperature is raised to 350°F. Water, alkali, heat and pressure gently circulate over the body, causing a chemical reaction which begins and eventually completes the cremation process. As with traditional cremation, ashes are returned to the family.
Myth #1: Acid is used during the Bio Cremation process.
False. Acid is not used during this gentle, water-based process. With Bio Cremation, the only chemical mixed with water is an alkaline called potassium hydroxide, which is a colorless, solid, inorganic compound. In fact, potassium hydroxide is so gentle it is used to blanch olives, and make soft soaps, cleaning supplies and other common household items. Bio Cremation works because of the chemical reaction between potassium hydroxide and water. The resulting heat contributes to the breakdown of human tissue inside of a sealed cremation chamber.
Myth #2: The Bio Cremation process “boils” the body.
False. Bio Cremation creates a highly controlled and sophisticated environment that uniquely combines water, alkali, heat and pressure. This process biochemically hydrolyzes the human body, leaving bone fragments. During a typical Bio Cremation cycle, rinsed bone fragments from the body produce the by-product of a sterile fluid.
Bio Cremation is an extremely environmentally-friendly choice—greener than flame based cremation because there are almost no air emissions admitted into the atmosphere during the process. It offers substantial environmental advantages over traditional flame-based cremation:
Named San Gabriel Valley “Reader’s Choice” for 2017, Foothill Funeral & Cremation has a beautiful showroom and offices located at 402 West Baseline in Glendora. We have also recently developed a strategic partnership with Sacred Heart Chapel in the city of Covina, which allows mourners the opportunity to host funerals and memorial services in a grandiose yet intimate setting. We proudly serve the San Gabriel Valley, San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles Basin, Orange County and the Inland Empire.
Working in the mortuary industry since 1996, we have worked hard to build a reputation of quality, sincerity and trust. Call today (626) 335-0615 or drop by our showroom. which allows mourners the opportunity to host funerals and memorial services in a grandiose yet intimate setting. We proudly serve the San Gabriel Valley, San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles Basin, Orange County and the Inland Empire. Working in the mortuary industry since 1996, we have worked hard to build a reputation of quality, sincerity and trust. Please allow us to help you at your time of need or in the future. Call today (626) 335-0615 or drop by our showroom.
Foothill Funeral & Cremation helps families in Glendora, Azusa, Covina & the San Gabriel Valley
GLENDORA, Calif. – Aug. 21, 2017 – PRLog — Southern California’s only full-service funeral home which serves people as well as pets, Foothill Funeral & Cremation is happy to celebrate one year of business. Owners Manny Godoy and Rocky Bautista and their team serve Southern California, with everything from traditional burials and cremations to creative alternatives such as green burials, 
celebrations of life, full-body burials at sea and cremation for pets. A family-owned company, FFC is proud to provide service to people from all faiths and walks of life.
“We owe our success to our partners, colleagues, parents, daughters and friends. So, we share the celebration of our first year in business with each of them,” says Godoy.
Bautista adds, “We have built great relationships so far. And we look forward to strengthening them further and building connections with more families across Southern California. Thanks for helping to make Foothill Funeral & Cremation Service a success!”
In the mortuary business since 1996, Covina residents Godoy and Bautista love their job. Working in the funeral industry allows them to meet the needs of grieving families with dignity, respect and compassion. They also take pride in their availability, which is 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Remaining constantly accessible, Manny & Rocky and their staff place a premium on being able to help people at their point of need. They also realize that every family has unique requirements and that printed information doesn’t sufficiently address each concern. They count it a privilege to serve.
About Foothill Funeral & Cremation
Named San Gabriel Valley “Reader’s Choice” for 2017, Foothill Funeral & Cremation has a beautiful showroom and offices located at 402 West Baseline in Glendora. We have also recently developed a strategic partnership with Sacred Heart Chapel in the city of Covina, which allows mourners the opportunity to host funerals and memorial services in a 
grandiose yet intimate setting.
We proudly serve the San Gabriel Valley, San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles Basin, Orange County and the Inland Empire. Working in the mortuary industry since 1996, we have worked hard to build a reputation of quality, sincerity and trust. We would be honored to help you at your time of need or in the future. Call today (626) 335-0615 or drop by our showroom.
