Have you spent a lot of time thinking about it and decided that you want to choose cremation services in Longboat Key, FL over burial services for yourself? You’re welcome to do this. But before you solidify your decision, it would be a good idea for you to sit down with your family and discuss it. They are, after all, going to be the ones who will most likely have to carry your final wishes out. So it’s smart for you all to be on the same page. Take a look at some tips that will help you open up a conversation about cremation with your family below.

Set aside some specific time to talk about cremation with your family.

Cremation isn’t something that you want to bring up on a whim while speaking with your family. Instead, you want to set aside some time to talk to your family about it so that they’re able to focus on the things that you have to say. You’re going to get a better reaction from your family when you take this approach. You’re also going to be able to stress just how serious you are about wanting a Longboat Key, FL cremation when you make it a point to talk to your family about it at a designated time.

Read also: Tips to Help Families Work Together While at Funeral Homes

Let your family know why you want to be cremated.

After you’ve sat your family down and told them that you want to be cremated, they’re going to want to know why you’ve made this decision. You should be ready to list off your reasons for why you’re choosing cremation. You should have at least a few good reasons for it. It’ll show your family just how much time you’ve spent thinking about it and emphasize how important cremation is to you.

Prepare to answer any questions about cremation your family might have.

Your family’s first question for you when you tell them that you want to be cremated is going to be, “Why?” But that’s going to be far from the only question that they’ll have for you. If they don’t know a whole lot about cremation, they’re going to have plenty of other questions that they’ll want to ask you. You should be prepared to answer any and all questions from them. You should also try to keep the conversation positive and upbeat, even if you feel like they’re attacking you a little bit with all their questions.

Read also: How to Find Out What Your Religion Thinks About Cremation Services

Tell your family you would be happy to talk about cremation further in the future.

Your family might not be able to ask all the questions that they want to ask you about cremation during your initial conversation about it. For this reason, you should express to them that you would be happy to continue your conversation on cremation as you move forward. The more that you and your family are able to communicate about cremation, the more comfortable they’re going to feel about you choosing cremation. It’s why you shouldn’t hesitate to continue to talk about cremation with them as often as they would like.

Do you want to learn more about cremation yourself before talking to your family about it? Maloney Funeral Home LLC is here to help. We encourage you to stop by our Longboat Key, FL funeral home to get all the information you could ever want and need on cremation. Give us a call today to schedule an appointment with a funeral director.

Cremation services in Lakewood Ranch, FL are more popular right now than they’ve ever been. But it wasn’t that long ago that almost everyone was choosing burial services over cremation services. So, what changed? Well, for starters, a lot of people learned the truth behind many of the cremation myths that were floating around out there in the world. These myths prevented a lot of people from even considering cremation in the first place, and when they started to go down, it resulted in the cremation rate going up. Still, some of these myths have continued to linger, and you could argue that they’ve prevented the cremation rate from going even higher than it already has. Let’s learn about a few of them and debunk them so that they don’t impact the cremation rate anymore.

The Definition of Cremation

What is cremation?

Contrary to popular belief, cremation is an industry-standard practice for sanitizing the human body and reducing it to ashes. Cremation is the process of reducing dead human bodies to basic inorganic elements by exposure to intense heat. It can take as little as one hour to reduce, on average, most of a body to bone fragments.

Cremation services have become a popular alternative to traditional burial, and it is no surprise why. A lot of people have preconceived notions about what happens during a cremation service, but these are usually misconceptions. In this blog post, we will debunk some of the most common myths about cremation services and explain how they are actually carried out.

Cremation Myths and Facts

Myth #1: Cremation Involves the Usage of Fire

This has always been one of the bigger myths surrounding cremation, and it continues to be a thorn in the side of those who push for Lakewood Ranch, FL cremations. For a long time, many people were under the impression that cremation involved the use of fire, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. In reality, it’s actually heat and not fire that is used to cremate a person’s body. People don’t have to worry about their loved ones being subjected to fire when they’re cremated.

Although the most common cremation process is to expose the body to intense heat, water cremation has become more popular than in years past. Water cremation is also called alkaline hydrolysis, where the deceased’s remains are broken down by a mixture of 95% water and 5% alkali heated to extraordinary temperatures that cause them to break apart in time.

Myth #2: People’s Cremated Remains Routinely Get Mixed Up

Another myth that has prevented some people from considering cremation is this one that suggests a person’s cremated remains might get mixed up with someone else’s remains when they’re cremated. This is impossible these days since cremations are tightly regulated by a long list of rules. Crematories are not allowed to let two people’s remains come anywhere close to coming into contact with one another. Families don’t have to be concerned about this happening.

Myth #3: Cremation Isn’t Allowed by Most Major Religions

With so many religions now accepting cremation as an option, major myths about the process have been debunked. One such myth is that religious authorities warned people of dangers associated with it in early history but today there are very few religions who still oppose it and warn against its use.

This myth used to be true. There were, at one point in time, a lot of major religions that didn’t let people choose cremation as their preferred option. They openly spoke out against cremation and warned people of the dangers of using cremation. But nowadays, very few religions are still against cremation. Islam and Judaism are two of the religions that are, but most other major religions have come around to it and accept it.

Myth #4: Families Can’t Plan Funerals for Loved Ones Who Are Being Cremated

This might just be the biggest myth of all these days with regards to cremation. There are far too many families who believe that they won’t be able to hold a proper funeral for a loved one if they’re being cremated or already cremated. But this is, just like all the other myths here, false. Families can and should hold funeral services for their loved ones, regardless of whether they’re being buried or cremated.

Myth #5: Cremation Is a Sin

Since cremation most often involves the burning of a body, it would cause quite an offense among religions that see fire as sinful, such as Hinduism and Jainism. In other religions such as Christianity and Buddhism, cremation or burning is seen more neutrally.
The choice means that there are many other factors to consider when considering whether or not cremation may be considered a sin. Are you in agreement with the teachings of your religion? If so, then you should strive to go against these teachings when deciding whether cremation is acceptable for yourself, even if it’s only in certain situations.

Myth #6: Cremation Is Eco-Friendly

The partial truth is that as a cremation process, it could not be more environmentally unfriendly. Fire and smoke are released into the atmosphere which can have serious consequences on the air quality in your environment for days to come.

Myth #7: Human and Pet Cremation is Different

The process of pet cremation is very similar to human cremation. The procedures and processes are the same for human cremation as they are for pet cremation, but what sets them apart is who handles the process. Some people prefer to have it done by a professional company, while others may do it at home. And of course, with humans, we need to factor in legality and the necessary paperwork.

Myth #7: You Can Scatter Cremation Ashes Anywhere

No. The federal EPA controls what happens to cremated remains. There are special rules for scattering ashes because, without human contact and decomposition, they present a higher risk for water pollution than other conventional forms of disposing of remains. They might contain toxic substances and heavy metals that could be hazardous if ingested or inhaled by people or animals. In short, you’re not allowed to legally scatter ashes anywhere you please; it would be illegal to do so at a park, school ground, “within 100 feet from any body of water,” in an area with soil erosion problem due to a steep slope or runoff problems caused by lack of vegetation.

For example, it’s legal to scatter cremation ashes on private land or federal land with permission from property-owner; but not on military bases, national parks, U.S state lands such as U.S National Forests and Bureau of Land Management Lands and Indian trust lands without prior written approval from the government organization that manages these federally owned areas.

Myth #8: Cremation Ashes Contain Virus And Bacteria

Cremated ashes are not thought to contain any organic material. The process of cremation, which completely burns the body, generates heat so intense that no pathogens can survive. Nonetheless, many states classify the possession of human remains and cremains as either a biohazard or a sanitary nuisance. States vary on how they regulate these situations but generally require permits for transporting or storing cremains in certain settings (such as residential properties where people live). There may also be local laws regulating storage at cemeteries or other locations that use water sources such as rivers, lakes, and oceans for their water supply.

Myth #9: Cremation Ashes Are Prohibited on A Plane

Travel Security Administration doesn’t ban cremation ashes. If you’re flying from the U.S., your best bet is to check with the airline because airlines may have their own rules about carrying cremation ashes onboard their flights. In general, when taking cremated remains onboard airplanes, it’s always best to carry everything in checked baggage with you and not through security lines.

Why Still Choose Cremation Over Burial

Cremation is the most eco-friendly disposition alternative for one’s body. While both are equally healthful options, cremation reduces environmental impact by taking fewer resources to process as it only requires a hearth where temperatures need not exceed 1800 degrees Fahrenheit – also reducing energy needs and emissions because less fuel will be needed to cremate someone. Using these 3 factors alone (time, space, and availability of fuel) cremation uses 98% less energy than other disposition methods. Also, Embalming is expensive, both for families as well as funeral homes. According to the NFDA, about 60% of people using this service end up with cremation at the end. Most funeral homes will state upfront on their website if they offer a combined package of embalming and coffin purchase or if you can purchase one without the other.

Interested in finding out even more about the truth behind cremations? Maloney Funeral Home LLC is a reputable funeral home that can teach you all about cremation services. Contact us today to discover everything you need to know about cremation.