BereaveMent ADVICE (Continued from page 222) s discussing and agreeing funeral director’s charges with the next of kin in advance, unless expressly asked not to do this; s professionalism and quality of service in arranging and conducting the funeral; s openness about cost and payment; s accurate advertising of prices and services; s sensitivity, confidentiality and a commitment to leaving the customer in control of decisions. Individual funeral arrangements vary widely and depend on, among other things, where the funeral is taking place, the type of coffin (casket) you get and whether or not you hire funeral cars. The funeral director’s job may include the following: s discussing the family’s and deceased’s wishes and ensuring that all the details are taken care of and that the whole process goes smoothly; s provision of the coffin, hearse, habit/ shroud, embalming, limousine/transport of family; s organisation of and payment for the grave purchase, grave opening/ cremation charges, church offerings, newspaper announcements, flowers, music at the ceremony and catering.
EMBALMING
Embalming is a process involving the replacement of all body fluids with a substance designed to prevent the body from deteriorating. It is not strictly necessary, especially if the removal and funeral take place
relatively quickly after death. About half of all bodies are embalmed.
BURIALS
Burial grounds (cemeteries) in Ireland are governed and maintained by local authorities. The local authority then usually appoints a registrar or caretaker for each burial ground to manage the sale of plots in that site and to maintain the burial ground in some cases. Prices for grave plots and burials in Ireland can vary a lot, so check around for prices, if possible.
HOME BURIALS
It is possible to bury a loved one outside an official burial ground, for example, on family land. However, it is very difficult to do so. It is very wise to sort this out well in advance of the death, as it may be ]impossible to organise legally at short notice. You should contact your local authority who will carry out the necessary inspections.
WOMEN LIVE LONGER FACT!
The latest figures from the Central Statistics Office show that life expectancy for males in Ireland is 76.8 years, compared to 81.6 for females. However, the gap between the sexes is constantly narrowing.
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