Direct Cremation: Is it right for you?

For some families, when a loved one has passed, one of the hardest parts in the grieving process is the financial limitations that can arise and affect decision making.

One of the challenging realities of life is that not everyone can afford all the parts and pieces that are done following a death. Not all families want to host or endure an entire funeral service. Each person mourns in their own way, and for some families, direct cremation might be the right answer.

What is Direct Cremation?

 Direct cremation goes exactly how it sounds: the deceased is cremated directly after death with minimal to no interference beforehand. This means the family or loved ones forego traditional practices such as embalming, viewings, services, memorials etc. 

The direct cremation process includes the removal of the body from the place of death, transportation to a cremation facility, the cremation itself, and a temporary box for ashes.  

With a direct cremation, the wait time is significantly decreased for the family, bringing it down 7-14 days to receive the cremains. No one wants to experience their mourning process being dragged out longer than it needs to be. No one wants to have to handle various details and decisions while also trying to support other family members and work toward healing. 

How is Direct Cremation Cost Efficient?

Embalming and burial is typically expensive.  That, alongside all the extras such as flowers, caskets, religious assistance, etc can really add up. It’s not uncommon for families to spend thousands on a ceremony. 

Direct cremation is far less expensive for families since it cuts out the majority of costs that typically arise such as caskets, burial vaults, or viewing. It can be a practical option that allows a family to focus on their own private mourning process. 

After cremation, families can choose to have a sending off ceremony to seek closure after death. This can involve placing the cremains inside a personalized urn and allowing family a last chance to gather in honor of the deceased.

~~

In allowing a family or mourner to quickly and efficiently handle the cremation decisions, those individuals are then able to focus on helping others proceed through their own mourning, or perhaps they’re able to focus on getting their lives back on track.

Whatever your final decision is, and for whatever justification you provide for that decision, each person’s process is their own, and each person must decide on a method that is right for them and their family. There simply is no guilt in choosing to take a less common route for saying your farewells.