Monthly Archives: May 2020

cremation services offered in Beltsville, MD

Cremation Services Regulations

All cremation services offered in Beltsville, MD must follow industry and government regulations. Some of the laws and rules about cremation services differ slightly at the state level, but there are several that are the same or similar throughout the United States.

One regulation is that all cremations must be authorized by a designated family member. Usually, this is the person who is the executor of the deceased’s will or their trustee. If the deceased dies intestate (without a will or trust), then the next of kin rules apply as to who can authorize the cremation.

In Maryland, the next of kin is defined as:

  • Spouse
  • Children
  • Parents
  • Siblings

If no spouse survives and children are under the age of 18, then the deceased’s parents are the default next of kin if they are living; otherwise, the deceased’s siblings are the default next of kin.

Cremations cannot be done without a cremation permit. The funeral home will obtain the cremation permit from the designated local government agency once they have filed the death certificate and cremation authorization for the deceased.

All funeral homes and crematories that offer cremation services must have cremation provider licenses. This means that funeral homes and crematories are licensed and certified by governing agencies and ensures that they adhere to all rules and regulations, which are designed to preserve the dignity and respect of the deceased and to protect consumers from fraudulent practices.

Caskets are not required for cremations. However, most American states require that people who are cremated be placed in rigid, fully combustible (with no metal) containers before they are cremated. If you want your loved one cremated in a casket, the funeral home can help you select a fully combustible casket prior to your loved one’s cremation.

There are very strict laws in place about how cremation remains can be handled and what can and can’t be done with them. For example, one person’s cremation remains can’t be mixed with another person’s cremation remains without explicit permission given by the deceased before they died (for instance, in the case of spouses).

In most cases, however, where spouses die at the same time and are cremated, even if they’re placed together in an urn or columbarium niche, their remains are placed in separate plastic bags and put inside the urn or container side by side.

Additionally, there are specific laws about where cremation remains can be scattered. For instance, if you want to scatter your loved one’s cremation remains on private property that you and your family don’t own, then you are required to get the property owner’s permission before you scatter the remains. As well, if you want to scatter cremation remains at a public beach or in a national park, you need to check with the governing agency for either rules or permission before doing so.

When a loved one is being cremated and the body must be transported from one state to another, the body may need to be embalmed. Usually, if more than 24 hours elapse after your loved one dies, then the body will need to be embalmed for transportation. In general, most interstate transportation of deceased loved ones will take more than 24 hours to complete, so it is very likely that they will need to be embalmed at the funeral home where they are being transported from.

The funeral home will arrange for interstate transportation by hearse (if the distance is drivable) or airline (if the distance isn’t drivable) and they will provide appropriate containers for the transportation of the deceased for either mode.

If you want more information about cremation services offered in Beltsville, MD, you can talk with our expert staff at Donald V. Borgwardt Funeral Home, P.A.

funeral homes in Beltsville, MD

Working Through Grieving

After funerals at funeral homes in Beltsville, MD, you will have to, usually sooner rather than later, resume the routine activities of life. When you’re grieving, even the most mundane of these activities, like taking the trash to the curb each week or going grocery shopping, may seem monumentally difficult.

Going back to work is perhaps one of the toughest challenges you will face after the death of someone you love. There are many reasons for this.

One reason is that, in our modern society, there is no time to grieve or mourn. Most companies give a short bereavement time (three workdays is common; some are paid and some are unpaid) before the bereaved return to work.

You will experience a lot of mixed emotions and feelings when you return to work as you juxtapose the major life event you’ve experienced against business as usual on the job. It can seem quite surreal, and you may feel like you’re a foreigner in a place where you know nothing about what is going on in this new location where you find yourself.

These feelings and thoughts can seriously disrupt your ability to function at work, at least initially. Additionally, there is always the likely possibility that you will not get the empathy and support of your coworkers so that you can ease back into work while you’re grieving. You also are very apt to have people make insensitive or hurtful comments (perhaps not intentional) that will compound your feelings of grief.

Grief is a process, not an event. It may take weeks, months, or even years to work through when you lose someone you love. The grieving process has a tremendous impact on you physically, mentally, and emotionally. It is exhausting and you will, no doubt, find yourself feeling very tired all the time and easily overwhelmed by even the smallest things.

Grief disrupts your body’s physiology. Two common physiological problems that emerge during the grieving process are disrupted sleep patterns and mental fogginess. Both of these can take a toll on your ability to work and to be productive at work.

No matter, however, how much grief is internally taking a toll on you, there are a few guidelines that can help you work through grieving.

One guideline is to always take the high road professionally. People do insensitive things and they will say insensitive things. Whether these actions or words are intentional or not, it’s important for you to be professional regardless. Don’t respond emotionally and do your best not to react emotionally.

Another guideline is to get grief counseling. The funeral home has many community resources for informal and formal grief counseling, so talk with the funeral director about access to these resources. If a particular type of grief counseling doesn’t fit your style and temperament, then try something else. Not everyone, for example, is comfortable in group settings or in one-on-one counseling. But, it’s important to keep looking until you find a method that works best for you.

Third, if your employer has a work-from-home option either full-time or a few days a week, consider taking advantage of it until you are emotionally and mentally far enough down the road in the grieving process to be able to competently handle being back in an office environment.

If you’d like to know more about grief resources at funeral homes in Beltsville, MD, you can talk with our knowledgeable team at Donald V. Borgwardt Funeral Home, P.A.

cremation services in Burtonsville, MD

Planning Cremation Services

Planning cremation services in Burtonsville, MD is something that your funeral director is very familiar with. The funeral home can give you guidance and provide all the support you need to make sure that cremation services for your loved one go smoothly and fulfill all the needs and wishes that you and your family have in the wake of your loss.

The first step in the cremation services process is the transportation of your loved one’s body from the place of death to the funeral home. If your loved one died in a hospital, someone from the hospital staff will make these transportation arrangements. If your loved one was in hospice care at home, the hospice nurse who comes at the time of death will contact the funeral home for transport.

One or two staff members will come to your home to remove your loved one’s body and take it to the funeral home. The process is very dignified and your loved one’s body – and you and your family – are given utmost respect throughout this process.

The second part of planning cremation services is to decide what type of cremation you want for your loved one. There are two different options: direct cremation and traditional cremation.

When you choose a direct cremation, your loved one is cremated without a service before their cremation. People who chose direct cremation for their loved ones typically hold a memorial service or some other type of service (scattering the cremation remains, etc.) at a later date.

The benefit of having a direct cremation with a service at a later time is that it gives you and your family time to plan a unique way to remember your loved one and it gives those who wish (if the service is public) or those who are invited (if the service is private) the time to plan to be at the service. This is especially helpful if people will be traveling to the service and need to make work, travel, and lodging arrangements.

When you choose a traditional cremation for your loved one, a service is held before they are cremated. You may choose to have a visitation or viewing, which is then followed by the service. If you choose to have a viewing and have the body of your loved one at the service, you will be required to have the body embalmed (having the body embalmed is not required for direct cremations or for cremations, such as in the Jewish faith, that occur within a day or two after death).

To have your loved one cremation, the funeral home will require you to sign a cremation authorization form. The cremation authorization form gives the funeral home the authority to cremate your loved one, following strict guidelines that ensure that their identity is confirmed throughout the cremation process, ensuring that their cremation remains are the cremation remains that are returned to you.

The next cremation service will be getting death certificates. You will need several copies of the death certificate to handle financial, insurance, and property matters after your loved one’s death. You should plan on getting 15 or 20 copies of the death certificate (you can order additional copies for a fee) to start with.

Finally, you will plan a service to honor the memory of your loved one. You may decide on a more structured memorial service held at the funeral home or a church, or you may decide on a personalized service that highlights a passion or hobby of your loved one. The funeral home will assist you in making all the necessary arrangements.

If you want more information about cremation services offered in Burtonsville, MD, you can talk with our expert staff at Donald V. Borgwardt Funeral Home, P.A.

funeral homes in Burtonsville, MD

Food and Funeral Receptions

When planning funeral receptions at funeral homes in Burtonsville, MD, be sure to include food as part of your reception. Food brings people together and it gives those who attend an opportunity to relax and share warm memories and stories with each other, including the grieving family, about the loved one who has died.

There are many types of food that you can serve at a funeral reception. The funeral director may have caterers available to provide food, or friends may get together to provide it. Food selections can range from a full meal – usually, a potluck where each family brings a dish to be shared – or light snacks.

The timing of the funeral service or graveside service will usually determine what kind of food is served at the funeral reception afterward. If the funeral service or graveside service is held in the middle of the morning, a potluck or catered full meal is often served at the funeral reception. If the funeral service or graveside service is held in the early afternoon, often the food served at the funeral reception will be much lighter fare.

It’s easy to plan what type of food to serve at a funeral reception if it’s a full meal, but you may have a more difficult time deciding what kind of foods to serve if a full meal is not being served. Here are some suggestions that will make your planning easier.

For funeral receptions where a full meal won’t be served, it’s best to stick with a particular type of food instead of trying to provide a variety of different types of food.

Be sure, if you don’t have the funeral home cater the food, that you designate someone – either a friend or a church member, if you’re holding the reception at a church – to organize and assign people to bring the food so you don’t have to add this to your personal funeral tasks to complete.

One type of food that you can serve at a funeral reception is a salad bar. Include a wide variety of greens, fruits, vegetables, and cheeses, along with salad dressings. Having a salad bar is a healthy way to allow everyone to eat, and each person can choose how much they want to eat. For some people attending the funeral reception, this may be their lunch or main meal. For others, it may just be a healthy and light snack.

Another type of food that is popular at funeral receptions are dessert bars. Sweet food offerings bring comfort and they can encourage people to grab an extra couple of coffee and stay a little longer to provide comfort and support. Since many people love to bake, this will give them an opportunity to contribute to the funeral. There should also be fruit and

Sandwiches, chips, and vegetable plates are also a good type of food to serve at funeral receptions. Be sure to have enough varieties of sandwiches to feed children (think peanut butter and jelly) and people who may prefer not to eat meat (vegetable fillings). For sanitation purposes, having individual bags of chips is a good option.

Another idea for light fare at a funeral reception is to provide a fruit, cheese, and crackers bar. Have a variety of crackers, fresh fruit, and cheeses that can satisfy any palate (you can use more pungent cheeses like blue cheese and goat cheese, but the majority of cheeses should be mild in flavor).

If you’d like to know more about funeral reception foods at funeral homes in Burtonsville, MD, you can talk with our knowledgeable team at Donald V. Borgwardt Funeral Home, P.A.