|
Answers to
Questions about Cemeteries
Why do we need a cemetery?
top
A cemetery is a place where a loved one may
be buried. Many people choose to have a
burial plot in a cemetery because it
provides a physical place for family and
friends to gather in memory of a deceased
loved one. The most common cemetery sites
are privately owned cemeteries, churchyard
or synagogue cemeteries, and municipal
cemeteries.
If a cemetery is
needed, in most cases you will need to
contact either a funeral director or a
cemetery manager. They are the people who
make all of the arrangements, such as time
of burial, and will provide information on
the particular policies of that cemetery.
One policy that
most cemeteries require to prevent the
ground from settling after burial is the use
of either a grave liner, or a vault. Another
item that is needed for burial in a cemetery
is a marker for the grave. The style and
type chosen will determine the marker's
price. As with any purchase, investigate the
full range of options before making a
decision.
What services
do cemeteries provide?
top
Cemeteries generally provide several kinds
of services, including earth burial.
Cemeteries usually give you the choice of
single or double occupancy of the grave, or
above the ground burial in a garden or in
indoor mausoleums.
Many cemeteries
also offer earth burial for cremated
remains, often in specially designed
gardens. Also available are above ground
placement of cremated remains in a garden or
in indoor columbariums. A Columbarium is a
structure of vaults lined with recesses for
urns.
When selecting a
cemetery, remember you will be entrusting it
with a precious part of your heritage and
dealing with it for many years. You may wish
to look for well-maintained grounds;
friendly, confident, and knowledgeable
staff; and a willingness to show and discuss
with you a wide range of options and prices.
In addition you might want to seek
recommendations from such sources as
neighbors, the Better Business Bureau and
other consumer groups.
Do we need a
vault? top
Most cemeteries require a grave liner or a
vault. A burial vault is a structure that is
placed underground to hold the casket. It
provides protection for the casket and
prevents the ground from sinking at the
grave site.
Burial vaults
are constructed from various materials
including concrete, plastic, and metal. The
burial vault is often lined with a material
which provides additional reinforcement, as
well as a permanent seal for the casket. The
highest quality of liners are non-corrosive
metals such as bronze, copper, or stainless
steel. Like caskets, burial vaults are
available in a range of models and prices.
To find out if burial vaults are required at
your family's cemetery, contact the cemetery
office.
For additional
information on burial vaults, please visit
http://www.wilbertonline.com or contact
us today.
What do
cemetery services cost?
top
The choice of cemeteries today is not as
great as it once was. Many of the small
church cemeteries have no spaces left to be
sold. As the supply of cemetery spaces
decreases, prices increase. Due to this
fact, buying cemetery property in advance
can give peace of mind and the savings can
be great.
Ground burial
spaces are the least expensive. Price
depends on location and how many spaces are
left in the development.
The opening and
closing fees have increased to as much as
$1000. Some larger cemeteries offer burial
spaces which include the outer container.
These burial spaces are called Lawn Crypts.
If this type of space is purchased, the
family could save money since an outer
container does not have to be purchased from
the funeral home.
Above ground
mausoleums are more expensive than ground
spaces, but like the Lawn Crypts, an outer
container does not have to be purchased from
he funeral home. There are few cemeteries
that have an indoor mausoleum.
Other burial
sites include private estates and spaces
especially designed for cremains. The better
cemeteries will have many options in price
and many payment plans to meet your needs.
What are the
advantages of preplanning cemetery services?
top
Prearranging cemetery wishes and expenses is
an integral part of estate planning, and a
major courtesy to survivors. Just as we
prepare a will to spare our family the grief
and disruption of being forced to decide how
our assets and possessions should be
divided, we can show the same consideration
by making plans for the cemetery
arrangements we think important. In the
planning process you can research your
options and make a well thought out
decision.
By selecting
cemetery property and services in advance
and filing the plan with the cemetery
office, several major courtesies are
provided for your survivors. They will know
for sure what your wishes are, as most
people discuss the purchase and their
planning with their family when it is
complete. Your survivors will be more likely
to follow your wishes unless extenuating
circumstances prevent it. Finally, if you
have set money aside to pay for the
services, you will have saved your family
from a difficult problem. They will not be
burdened by the expenses nor will they
overspend in the hurry and emotion of the
circumstance.
Pre-purchase is
also an absolute hedge against inflation.
The cemetery property you already own can
not go up in price.
Answers to
Other General Questions
What should I do when a death occurs?
top
If the death occurs in a hospital or nursing
home, the nursing staff will assist you in
contacting Cheshire Family Funeral Home. It
is not necessary for family members to wait
on the funeral home staff to arrive, but it
is critical that the next of kin contact the
funeral home as soon as possible due to the
state law that requires the funeral home to
obtain permission before embalming. In
addition, a time will need to be agreed upon
for the family to come to the funeral home
to make arrangements.
If the death
occurs at home and the deceased was under
the care of one of the local hospital
hospice programs, the hospice nurse should
be contacted for assistance in contacting
the funeral home.
If the death
occurs at home and the deceased was not
under the care of hospice, you should
contact the police and the funeral home. An
officer will come to your home and will
release the deceased to the funeral home. In
some counties, the deceased must be taken to
an emergency room so that a doctor can
examine and pronounce the person dead.
If death is imminent, it is helpful to
contact the funeral home in advance of the
death.
Regardless of
where the death occurs, remember that it is
critical that the next of kin call the
funeral home to discuss embalming and to
discuss a time to come to the funeral home
to make arrangements.
For more
information on what to do when a death
occurs, contact us at Cheshire Family
Funeral Homes: (603)357-2980 or email us
today!
How do I
handle death benefits?
top
When a loved one dies, survivors may be
eligible for benefits from Social Security
or the Veterans Administration.
The
qualifications for Social Security benefits
depend on age, marital status, number of
dependents, and whether the deceased
contributed to Social Security. It is
important to remember that the payment of
Social Security benefits is not automatic;
survivors must apply for benefits through
the Social Security Administration.
Benefits from
the Veteran's Administration are available
to any honorably discharged individual,
surviving spouse, and children of the
veteran. These benefits include an American
flag, a grave marker, and in some cases
military honors. If a veteran and spouse are
buried in a national cemetery, they will
also receive a grave space and the minimum
outer burial container, called a grave
liner.
For more
information, contact one of our
professionals. We are pleased to offer these
services to you as part of our professional
commitment to your family. Call or email us
today!
Can you help
me record my memories in an autobiography?
top
One of the most valuable gifts you can give
your children and grandchildren is your
memories. After all, your life story is the
beginning of their life story as well -
especially the origins of your family values
and traditions.
But how do you
get started on your informal autobiography?
A new guide helps you organize your thoughts
and put the first words down on paper.
Prepared by the Southeast Florida Center on
Aging, Florida International University ,
for the Hospice Foundation of America, the
guide consists of an introductory book and
five workbooks.
Although it was
created for the terminally and chronically
ill, the guide can be used easily by anyone
who wants to share information that helps
descendants see themselves as part of a
larger family and community. Using a series
of "questions for reflection," the workbooks
help you discuss your family, growing up,
your adult life and growing older. There's
also a workbook where you can record your
reflections on your life.
What memories
should you share with your family? Some
suggestions include information about your
parents and siblings, the neighborhood where
you grew up, and how new inventions--like
television--and world events affected your
life.
Here are more
tips from the Hospice Foundation for telling
your life story:
-
Don't be
critical of yourself.
-
Try to
include names, dates, and as many
historical facts as you can remember.
For information
about purchasing the Guide for Recalling and
Telling Your Life Story , contact the
Hospice Foundation of America at
1-800-854-3402.
(The above
content has been sampled and altered from
other informational on-line sources
regarding funeral services and adheres to
the fair use qualifier/exception outlined by
the Library of Congress pertaining to
Copyright Law.)
|
