Below is a list of questions and responses that we commonly receive at the funeral home. We will continue to include any new questions in this section that we feel would be helpful to others.
If you have a question that has not been covered in this site we would like to hear from you. You may use the "Ask the Director" section of our site to forward your question or comments to us.
If you would prefer to call us on the telephone, our staff would be pleased to provide an answer to any funeral related matter you may have. If we do not have the answer immediately, we will find it for you and contact you the minute the information is in our hands.
| Question #1 | What do I do when a loved one dies? |
| Answer: | When a death occurs at home or unexpectedly, emergency services should be summoned and will ultimately lead to the funeral home being notified. At that point the family should also contact the funeral home and we will handle all the details from there. Generally speaking, most deaths occur in an institution. In this case, notify the funeral home and they will make all the necessary appointments and arrangements. |
| Question #2 | Do I have to have embalming? |
| Answer: | No, it is not required for closed casket ceremonies. We recommend embalming if the deceased is to be viewed by anyone or where the remains must be kept several days before the funeral can be held. Modern embalming techniques sanitize, preserve and refine the appearance of human remains. Also, in cases where the remains are to be shipped out of the province, embalming is required by law and in most cases various countries have strict regulations and procedures that must be followed. |
| Question #3 | Do I have to purchase a casket if cremation is chosen and if so, what happens to it? |
| Answer: | No, however the remains must be in a container to be received by the crematorium. When a casket is chosen for cremation, that casket is cremated with the remains. Other options are available, such as rental caskets, where an outer casket is utilized for funeral ceremonies and an “inner” container is used for cremation purposes. “Casket”, from the French, “is a case designed to hold precious objects.” Whether buried or cremated the casket is sacrificed. The purpose of a casket is to enhance the memorialization of the deceased. |
| Question #4 | Should children be involved with funerals? |
| Answer: | “When it comes to loss, adults can help children process their feelings and honour their sorrow through therapeutic ritual. Invite children to participate in the funeral ceremony....” It is important to include the children in the funeral by giving them the choice to attend the visitation or the service. They must also be prepared to know what to expect at the funeral home or church. By being honest and upfront about death, children will be able to understand and accept what has happened. It is important to tell them the truth so that the children will not have to "unlearn" in the future, what you have told them in the past. Children are faced with issues of death everyday...television, movies, books, pets even driving past a cemetery or funeral coach...be honest with them and they will understand. They will grieve just as adults do, but in their own individual way and time. We are here to help with your questions about Children and death, we can provide you with information such as pamphlets, books, video's and colouring books to explain the funeral process. We are also able to provide on going grief services through our "Durham Grief Resource Centre" where our Grief Educator, Tom Easthope can help your child through a difficult time. |
| Question #5 | What makes up the price of a funeral? |
| Answer: | Funeral prices are comprised of three categories, these being Facilities & Equipment, Professional Services and Merchandise. Funeral prices can fluctuate greatly depending on what facilities are used, what services are selected and the quality of merchandise selected. Another area of cost is cash disbursements for many items associated with funerals. A few of these items include newspaper notices, cemetery costs and clergy honorariums etc. For additional information see Price List. |
| Question #6 | How do I prearrange a funeral? |
| Answer: | Contact the funeral home and make an appointment to discuss your wishes for your prearranged funeral. You may meet either at the funeral home or at your home, whichever is more comfortable for you. |
| Question #7 | What information is required for prearranging? |
| Answer: | We will require your personal information for government documentation, eg. Social Insurance Number, parents' names and places of birth. From there we discuss your choice of services and merchandise for the funeral. |
| Question #8 | How do pre-arranged and pre-financed funerals differ? |
| Answer: | For a Pre-Arranged Funeral the client provides all information and makes decisions regarding selected services and merchandise. All arrangements will be paid by the estate or by an existing insurance policy after the client’s passing. A Pre-Financed Funeral is similar to pre-arranged in that arrangements are pre-made regarding services and merchandise, prior to the client’s passing. The difference is that all arrangements are pre-paid through the funeral home at current prices. These funds are held in a trust or insurance policy. The interest is used to offset any future price increases. |