Funeral directors are a crucial part of our end of life rites. As part of the modern-day Australian culture, a funeral director handles most aspects of burial. One critical role that they play is to prepare the body of the deceased for viewing and burial.
Funeral directors use a lot of chemicals to prepare the body of the deceased. What is acceptable nowadays in Australia, is for the dead to appear like they are still alive and just sleeping when viewed during the funeral. The funeral director achieves this by use of chemicals, cosmetics, glues and other such things.
Usually, most people notice no difference between how their loved one looked when living and when dead. But, what does a family do that wants an all natural funeral, and want to prepare the body themselves?
Here are ideas from Natural Death Advocacy Network that might help those who opt for a family-led funeral prepare the body of their loved one.
How to keep the deceased eyes shut
The eyes of the dead may remain open after they die. Many people are not comfortable with this. But you don't have to put up with it. Keeping the eyes of a deceased loved one shut is not so difficult if you know what to do. You closed the eyes by lifting the eyelid and placing some Vaseline under the lid. The eyes will remain shut after you drop down the eyelid.
Closing the Mouth
One indication that a person has passed on is that their mouth remains open unless you shut it. You can tie a scarf around the head of the dead person, and under the jaw to close the mouth. As well, you can place a piece of cloth, such as a face washer under their jaw, to shut the mouth. When rigour mortis sets in, it will do so with the mouth closed.
Washing the Body
It is not necessary to clean the body, but this can be done by those families who feel it is part of caring for the dead person. A body can be washed by wiping the face and hands with warm water and some essential oil. The bottom of the deceased can also be wiped in the same way. It is not necessary to wash the whole body. If the family desires to clean the entire body though, it is as easy as cleaning a living person.
Legally, families can handle the all the body's preparation for final rites. With a little preparation for death, most members of the family will not be unduly affected by the appearance of the body after death. Few changes that are drastic happen to the body within three days of dying. Most families who desire to manage their dead without employing funeral directors should be able to do so.
For more information about funeral services or how to prepare the body yourself, reach out to a local funeral home.
Share8 January 2018
Irving Berlin famously sang, "The song is ended, but the melody lingers on..." Anyone who has been in charge of funeral arrangements knows the importance of striking the delicate balance between reverence and celebration which helps us remember the true heart of a person. We admire incredible examples of funerals that faithfully commemorate a person's life such as those for Nelson Mandela and Joan Rivers. Unfortunately, funerals for our own loved ones often end up being generic or "cookie cutter" because sadness overwhelms us. This blog is designed to help by outlining the ways that funeral directors can personalise a service and providing imaginative ideas.