The Time Element in Cremation Services

When arranging cremation services in Glendale, AZ, one thing looms over all of your preparations. That thing is time.

When a loved one dies, the first few hours are a flurry of activity. If they die in a hospital, there are medical professionals who handle the death and arranging transportation to the funeral home – which you will provide to them.

If your loved one dies at home unexpectedly, then you will call emergency services and then the funeral home. If you loved one was terminally ill and was receiving hospice care, then you’ll call the hospice agency and they will help making sure your loved one gets transported to the funeral home.

While all of this is going on, you will be busy calling immediate and not-so-immediate family members, friends, coworkers (yours and those of your loved one), and perhaps clergy to let them know that your loved one has died.

Already you’ve dealt with time. If you’re working, then you’ve had to ask for time off of work to take care of the funeral process for your loved one. While some employers offer a few days of paid family bereavement leave, it will likely not be enough time for you to do everything you need to do in the funeral process because time will be a factor for everyone else as well.

You may have to take general paid time off (PTO), or if your company doesn’t offer paid time off, then you may have to take the time off under the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA). FMLA is a legal statute that lets you take up to 12 weeks off work for family matters. However, the time you take off is unpaid, and the only employment guarantee you get is that the company cannot terminate you or fill your job while you are out on FMLA.

The next element of time you’ll have to deal with is in making funeral arrangements for your loved one. The funeral home will usually want to meet with you within 24 hours after your loved one has died to get funeral arrangements started. That will give you 24 hours to get your loved one’s clothes that they will wear, personal information (social security number, military separation papers (Form DD-214), etc.) for the obituary, for the death certificate, and for military funeral benefits (if your loved one is eligible), and any written instructions your loved one has for their funeral service and cremation.

When you’re making funeral arrangements, you are also dealing with time – that of other people’s. If family members or friends need to travel to get to the viewing and funeral service you are having for your loved one before they are cremated, then you’ll need to factor that into when the viewing and funeral service will be held.

You will also need to factor in time for local family and friends who may want to attend, and make sure that you that schedule the viewing and funeral service at a time of day when it will be more convenient for them, which is usually after most workdays end, if the viewing and funeral service is on a weekday.

If you’re including a clergy member in the funeral service for your loved, then you will also need to consider the time when they are available to participate in the service. And, another aspect of time that needs to be factored in is when the funeral home can hold the viewing and the funeral service.

If you want to know more about cremation services in Glendale, AZ, our compassionate and experienced staff at Simply Cremations & Funeral Arrangements can help. You can come by our funeral home at 16952 W Bell Rd., Ste 303, Surprise, AZ 85374, or you can contact us today at (623) 975-9393.