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How to Arrange a Home Funeral

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How to Arrange a Home Funeral What is a home funeral? Funeral director. Nine states* require a family to 3. Go shopping hire a funeral director to file paperwork, transport the Choose burial or cremation With a home funeral, family or friends take charge of body, and/or supervise the disposition of the body. In the Find a cemetery or crematory willing to accept caring for the body after death, either alone or with remaining states, families may choose to do all or part of the body from a family the help of a funeral professional. They might bring or the process. Make or purchase a shroud or casket keep the deceased at home, wash and dress the body, Gather home supplies arrange for a casket or shroud, prepare the necessary Embalming and refrigeration. While no state documents, hold a vigil or ceremony, and/or transport requires embalming as a routine necessity, some states After death— the body to the cemetery or crematory. do require it in certain instances, and some have specific 1. Begin preparation cooling or refrigeration requirements. Contact appropriate authorities Benefits Death certificate. A death certificate must be filed Inform family and friends, then wider Traditional. Throughout most of history, families with the proper authorities within the first few days. After community cared for their loved ones at home and prepared the the medical professional signs the form, the family or Gather helpers body after death. Every funeral was a “home funeral.” funeral director can complete their section and file the Wash, dress and lay out or casket the body certificate. Economical. By doing much of the work them- 2. Do initial paperwork selves rather than hiring a funeral director, the family Transit permit. A burial/transit permit is issued Complete and file death certificate often can save thousands of dollars. when the death certificate is filed at a town clerk, city Obtain burial transit permit registrar, or state vital records office, allowing families in 3. Hold vigil Extra time. Having several days—or even a few eligible states to transport the body for disposition. extra hours—gives mourners plenty of time to share Invite participants and guests memories, express their sorrow, and say final farewells. Cremation authorization form. The crematory Decorate the space will require a cremation authorization form, which can be Arrange for food, music, etc. Therapeutic. Many participants say that gather- signed by next-of-kin, other agent, or in some cases, the 4. Schedule final steps ing together to wash and dress the body and share a deceased before death. vigil can create a special intimacy that helps ease their Schedule disposition at cemetery or crematory Plan a memorial service if desired grief. Steps to follow More personal. By conducting the funeral them- 5. Finish paperwork selves and bypassing the usual commercial offerings, Ahead of time— File completed cremation or burial paperwork the family is free to create their own unique rituals to 1. Do research Obtain certified copies of the death certificate honor the one who died. Find out if your state requires a funeral director Check state regulations about cooling the body Preparing the body Legal requirements Become familiar with all required documents Often hospice, hospital, or other staff will assist in Learn how to wash and dress the body In every state the next-of-kin has full custody and preparing the body, but in most cases family members control of the body after death unless the deceased ap- 2. Begin planning will intuitively know how to bathe and dress it. The pointed another agent. But families are still subject to a Assign one person to coordinate all arrangements “Resources” section below can direct you to sources range of laws and must research the legal requirements Contact those who might help for useful information. Or you could consider hiring a ahead of time. Examples are: funeral director to wash and dress the body and return * Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Michigan, it to your home for the vigil. Nebraska, New Jersey, and New York FUNERAL CONSUMERS ALLIANCE Steps include: ments with you. Usually the body must be transported 1. Gather supplies for washing, dressing, cooling, in a closed vehicle large enough to accommodate a and casketing or shrouding the body coffin-sized box or prone body. Using half a dozen help- 2. Prepare a table, massage table, or adjustable bed ers and a rigid container or board for a shrouded body as a work area makes carrying the body easier and more secure. 3. Wash and dress the body, using recommended hygienic practices Who can help? 4. Lay out the body on a bed or massage table, or in Many friends would be delighted to help with various an alternate container or casket tasks if asked. Church or other community groups may 5. Use open windows, dry ice, Techni Ice® and/or air offer their support or a location for a vigil or memorial. conditioning to cool the body for up to three days A funeral director can perform part of the process—pre- paring the body, filing paperwork, or transporting the How to Arrange Holding a vigil body, for instance. Or a home funeral guide or end- A home funeral allows you to spend several hours or of-life doula could train you in proper body care, offer days with the body of your loved one in familiar and support and connect you to helpful local resources. a Home Funeral comfortable surroundings. You could choose to hold a private vigil and/or welcome the wider community, Typical costs whatever feels right. You could add flowers, candles, The “typical” professionally directed funeral costs photos, and a few special mementos to decorate the $10,000 or more. A home funeral can cost as little as room and honor the deceased. $300; this would cover a certified death certificate, Options during the vigil include: shroud or simple box, ice for cooling, and gas for trans- Sitting with the body and offer final farewells port. Any burial or cremation costs would be extra. Reading sacred texts or poetry Resources Praying or meditating Listening to or playing music The National Home Funeral Alliance (NHFA) provides information about home funerals, including how-to Sharing memories and stories books and videos, educational materials, and directories Gathering friends to decorate the casket or shroud of home funeral guides, amenable funeral directors and See FCA’s brochure “How to Plan a Memorial Service” for celebrants. See homefuneralalliance.org. ideas about readings, music, flowers, photos, and food. The National End-of-Life Doula Alliance (NEDA) has directories to help find an end-of-life doula (EOLD) prior Transporting the body to the death. Go to nedalliance.org. Funeral Consumers Alliance™ In most states you are permitted to transport the body The book Final Rights: Reclaiming the American Way Dedicated to protecting a consumer’s right to choose to your home or to the place of disposition if you obtain of Death is a great resource for state-specific practical a meaningful, dignified, and affordable funeral the proper paperwork; be sure to have the transit per- information. 33 Patchen Road • South Burlington, VT 05403 mit, death certificate, and any other necessary docu- © Funeral Consumers Alliance 12/20 802-865-8300 • www.funerals.org.
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