Monthly Archives: May 2021

Common Cremation Service Questions

If you are considering offering your loved one a cremation but you are still not sure if that is the option that is best, you can read up on the process. This can help you find the best choices for your loved one and for your family. There are a number of questions that are very common and their answers can help you make the right decision. Here are the things that providers of cremation services in College Park, MD want you to know.

What Options are Available?

There are different options that you can choose from when you decide to go with cremation. Lots of times, people think that the only cremation option is direct cremation, but that is not the case. You can choose to have a full cremation, which you can have with a memorial service, or you can even choose to have a bio cremation. A bio cremation is done with water instead of heat so that there is very little carbon released into the air when the cremation takes place. This is something that can be important for people who are worried about the environment.

Will the Remains be the Correct Ones?

This is another concern that people have when choosing cremation. There is no need to be afraid of this. Because cremation cannot be undone, providers of these services go out of their way to ensure that everything is in order. There are very strict protocols in place and lots of paperwork that you need to fill out. This ensures that the remains you receive are always the right ones. You can also ask to be present during the actual cremation, though there is usually a fee.

Is it Possible to Have a Service?

People who hesitate to choose cremation services many times are not sure if they can offer their loved one the kind of service that they would have wanted. That is not something that you need to be worried about. Before the cremation takes place, you can have a funeral and a viewing, if that is what you want, while after the cremation you can plan a memorial. For lots of people, the memorial service can be a better idea since it allows you to take time planning these arrangements.

If you are considering cremation services but you are not sure if they are the best option for you, it can make a difference to ask lots of questions and to do a bit of research into the different benefits that cremation can offer. Take some time to learn about the options that you have. You can always give your loved one the type of service that you want when you choose cremation. If you want to get started making arrangements for the person, you can reach out to a College Park, MD cremation services provider like us at Donald V. Borgwardt Funeral Home, P.A. We are here to help you with all of the arrangements you want to make for your loved one. Give us a call today to speak with one of our experts.

Veteran Benefits

If you have lost a loved one who was a veteran, they are likely entitled to funerary services and benefits. You always want to check on this to ensure that you know what to expect, so take the time to reach out to experts and ask lots of questions. If you are not sure about what to expect from veteran services, directors of funeral homes in College Park, MD have some things that they want you to remember.

You want to be sure that you know who is eligible for the benefits. You always want to check this with the VA. If your loved one served in the Army, the Navy, the Air Force, the Marine Corps, or the Coast Guard, and they received a general discharge, they are entitled to benefits. In some instances, a person who received a dishonorable discharge is also eligible, so be sure to check with the VA about this. The spouses and dependent children of a veteran are also eligible, and in some instances, even the parents. If your loved one was a member of the National Guard and died on duty, then they too can be eligible for this. It is always important to check.

Another thing you want to be sure you know about is the services and benefits that are available. Your loved one can be buried in a national cemetery at no cost, which includes the opening and closing of the grave, the grave marker, perpetual care, and many other things. Remember that you cannot reserve a spot in a cemetery ahead of time, so your loved one may not be able to get the option that they may have wanted. There are state cemeteries that also offer these options, so be sure to reach out to the provider who is helping you for more information.

You also want to know that the VA will not cover the cost of the actual funeral or memorial service. This is something that can be confusing, so you always want to speak directly with the VA. You will have to pay for the service, the casket, the transportation, and a number of other things. The VA may reimburse you for these costs, however, so do ask.

By knowing what to expect from veteran benefits, you will be able to make the best arrangements for your loved one. You want to always be sure that you ask lots of questions from the provider and that you reach out to the VA to learn about all of the services they offer. All of this can make a difference when deciding on the funerary options you want for your loved one. You can learn more about veteran benefits by reaching out to a College Park, MD funeral home like us at Donald V. Borgwardt Funeral Home, P.A. Our team is ready to help you with all of the arrangements that you want for your loved one. You can give us a call now or stop by our location to learn more about what we can offer.

Planning a Virtual Service

As you start planning the kind of funerary services you want for a loved one, there are some things that you want to remember. One of these things is that a virtual service can be a great option, especially these days. If that is something that you want to offer your loved one, you want to take some time to know how to plan this arrangement. Here are some tips that providers of cremation services in Adelphi, MD want you to know when planning a virtual service.

It can be crucial that you find the right provider for this option. Most of them do offer it these days, but you still want to check that they have done this kind of service before. It can be logistically difficult to arrange a virtual service, so be sure that the provider you are considering can offer it. Take the time to ask about the history of the provider before choosing.

You also want to make sure that you let people know as soon as possible that the service will be a virtual one. People can get nervous about these things and it can make a difference to let them know in advance. You also want to remember that there will be lots of people who may live in different time zones, and you want to give them a chance to make the necessary arrangements.

Another thing that you want to remember is that people who have never done this kind of service before may be worried about the logistics. To make it easier on them, it can be a good idea to have a day where you can have a kind of “mock” service. This will allow people to join the virtual service and get a chance to sort out any issues they may have using the platform. This can be crucial, especially if you have guests who are not very tech savvy. Many times, even the provider of the services will be able to offer this kind of help, so be sure to ask. You may also want to give the guests a kind of guideline about what they should and should not do while on the virtual service. This can also be a great help.

When deciding to plan a virtual service for a loved one, you will want to consider all of these things. It can be difficult to make these arrangements, so you do want to consider the options that you have. You want to find a provider that has lots of experience with this and that can offer exactly the kind of help that you and your loved ones need. To learn more about having a virtual service, you can reach out to an Adelphi, MD cremation service provider like us at Donald V. Borgwardt Funeral Home, P.A. We are here to help you make all of the necessary arrangements after the death of a loved one. You can give us a call right now or stop by our location today.

Dos and Do Nots of Choosing a Casket

If you have decided to have a loved one buried in a traditional manner, one of the decisions you will have to make is about the casket. Choosing a casket is not always a simple process, since it can mean considering lots of options. If that is something that you are worried about and if you are having trouble knowing how to make this choice, there are some dos and do nots that directors of funeral homes in Adelphi, MD want you to keep in mind.

Do think about the size of the casket your loved one needs. This is something that not everyone considers and it can make a difference. If your loved one weighed more than two hundred pounds or if they were taller than average, they will need a larger casket. You can have caskets for children and infants, as well. The best thing you can do is reach out to experts and see what size you need.

Do not skip putting a budget together. Sometimes people think that they can save time by not doing much research and not putting a budget together, but it can actually be the wrong thing to do. You always want to take some time to put a budget together so that you can know what you can expect to pay. Find the average rates for the options you are considering, and then see what rates the provider asks for.

Do speak about the material the casket is made of. This is something that you want to think about with care since it can affect the options that you have. You want to consider metal caskets, that can be made of steel, stainless steel, copper, or bronze, or you can choose wooden caskets. If you want wood, think about the budget that you have in mind. You will want to have an idea of the budget you have available because that can influence your purchase. For more affordable wooden caskets, you can choose from pine, poplar, or willow, while more expensive ones are made of mahogany, cherry, or walnut. By knowing the budget that you have, you can make the best option.

All of these dos and do nots can make a difference when getting ready to plan the kind of services that you need. Take the time to put together a budget and be sure to also think about the material the casket will be made of, and the size that your loved one needs. If you have more questions about this, you can always contact experts for help. You can reach out to an Adelphi, MD funeral home like us at Donald V. Borgwardt Funeral Home, P.A. Our team is here to answer any questions you may have about this process so be sure to reach out to us. You can call us now or you can stop by our location today to get more information on how to choose a casket.

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