Common Questions :: Social Security Benefits & Veterans Benefits
Common Questions
Funeral & Burial Questions
What purpose does a funeral serve?
The funeral is a way to pay tribute to the person who has died and allows for the family to come together to mourn that persons death. Funerals are recognized as the beginning of the grief process.
What do funeral directors do?
Funeral directors are trained professionals who provide guidance throughout the funeral process and insure that the services you select are right for you and your family. They arrange for transportation of the body, complete all necessary paperwork, and implement the choices made by the family regarding the funeral and final disposition of the body. Funeral directors are listeners, advisors and supporters. Funeral directors are trained to answer questions about grief, recognize when a person is having difficulty coping, and recommend sources of professional help.
Do you have to have a funeral director to bury the dead?
In Connecticut, you are required by law to utilize a funeral director regarding the disposition of the body.
Why have a public viewing?
Viewing is part of many cultural and ethnic traditions. Many grief specialists believe that viewing aids the grief process by helping the bereaved face the reality of death.
Isn't burial space becoming scarce?
While it is true some metropolitan areas have limited available cemetery space, in most areas of the country, there is enough space set aside for the next 50 years without creating new cemeteries. In addition, land available for new cemeteries is more than adequate, especially with the increase in entombment and multi-level grave burial.
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Cremation Questions
Is cremation a substitute for a funeral?
No, cremation is an alternative to earth burial. You may choose to have a traditional or private gathering, a church service and then have the person cremated.
Is cremation as a means of disposition increasing?
According to the Cremation Association of North America (CANA), cremation was the disposition of choice in about 27% of all deaths in the United States in the year 2001. It is projected that the percentage will rise to about 39% in 2010 and 47% in 2025. These figures represent the United States as a whole; individual states may have lower or higher rates of cremation. (Source: Cremation Association of North America)
What is Cremation?
Cremation is the final disposition of the remains; it is not a type of funeral service. Rather, it is a process of reducing the human body to bone fragments using high heat and flame. The bone fragments that remain are then processed into fine sand.
How long does the actual cremation take?
The length of the cremation depends on the weight of the individual. On average, the cremation process takes two-three hours with the average operating temperature of 1500-2000 degrees.
What is actually returned?
All organic bone fragments, as well as non-consumed metal items are swept into the back of the cremation chamber into a stainless steel cooling pan. All non-consumed items, like metal from clothing, hip joints and bridge work, are removed from the cremated remains. This separation is done from visual inspection as well as utilizing a magnet. Items such as gold and silver are non recoverable and co-mingled with the cremated remains. Remaining bone fragments are then processed to a consistent size and placed in a temporary container or urn.
So, I've decided on cremation. Can I still have a funeral or a viewing?
Yes, quite often some sort of viewing precedes the actual cremation. We can assist you with the necessary information for a funeral with a cremation following any type of service selected.
Is a Casket Needed for Cremation?
Connecticut State law does require the person be placed in some type of container. This can be an alternative container constructed of wood or cardboard which is then cremated with the body. For those instances where a viewing will take place, there are wood caskets specifically made for cremation.
Is Embalming Required Prior to Cremation
Embalming is required if there is going to be viewing of the body or a length of time before the services take place. Otherwise, the body will be placed in refrigeration.
Can the body be viewed without embalming?
Shaughnessey-Banks Funeral Home policy requires embalming for any viewing unless it is for identification purposes.
Can the family witness the cremation?
Yes, in many cases, crematories will allow family members to be present when the body is placed into the cremation chamber. We exclusively have working relationship with Mt. Grove Cemetery which allows families to witness the cremation process or hold a spiritual service on-site.
Is cremation accepted by all religions?
Today most religions allow cremation except Orthodox Jewish, Islamic, Eastern Orthodox and a few Fundamentalist Christian faiths. The Catholic Church accepts cremation but would prefer that the body be brought into church for the last funeral rites prior to the cremation taking place. In addition, the Catholic Church prefers that the cremated body be interred in a cemetery.
Can an urn be brought into church?
Nearly all Protestant and Catholic churches allow for the urn to be present during the Memorial service or Memorial Mass. if the family is planning on a memorial service, we encourage the cremated remains be present as it is the body of the person which we celebrate their life.
What can be done with the cremated remains?
There are many options and laws which vary from state to state. Remains can be buried in a cemetery plot or cremation garden, placed in a columbarium, kept at home, scattered, placed in a coral reef, etc. Our funeral directors can help you choose what may be right for you and your family.
Don't most funeral homes have a crematory?
Most funeral homes subcontract this service out to a third party provider in another town. In Bridgeport, there are three crematories. We choose to utilize the services of Mt. Grove Cemetery.
Do I need an urn?
An urn is not required by law. However, an urn may be desired if there is to be a memorial service or the remains are to be interred in a cemetery. If an urn is not purchased through us, or provided by the family, the cremated remains will be returned in a temporary plastic container.
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Embalming Questions
What is the purpose of embalming?
Embalming sanitizes and preserves the body, retards the decomposition process, and enhances the appearance of a body disfigured by traumatic death or illness. Embalming makes it possible to lengthen the time between death and the final disposition, thus allowing family members time to arrange and participate in the type of service most comforting to them.
Does a dead body have to be embalmed, according to law?
No. Embalming is required when death was caused by a reportable contagious disease, when the persons remains are to be transported from one state to another by common carrier or if final disposition is not to be made within a short time period. Embalming is required for public viewing of any type.
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Funeral Cost Questions
How much does a funeral cost?
The charge for an average, adult, full service funeral was $7,685.00. This includes a professional service charge, removal of the deceased, embalming, dressing and casketing, wake services for four hours, use of facilities/church for funeral ceremony, the hearse, casket and grave liner. The casket included in this price is a 20 gauge non-sealer metal casket which may not be the most common casket chosen. Grave opening, cash advances and cemetery or monument charges are additional.
Why are funerals so expensive?
When compared to other major life cycle events, like births and weddings, funerals are not expensive. A wedding costs at least three times as much; but because it is a happy event, wedding costs are rarely criticized. A funeral home is a 24-hour, labor-intensive business, with extensive facilities (viewing rooms, chapels, limousines, hearses, etc.), these expenses must be factored into the cost of a funeral. Moreover, the cost of a funeral includes not only merchandise, like caskets, but the services of a funeral director in making arrangements; filing appropriate forms; dealing with doctors, ministers, florists, newspapers and others; and seeing to all the necessary details. Contrary to popular belief, funeral homes are largely family-owned with a modest profit margin.
Who pays for funerals for the indigent?
There is an allowance from the State of CT for those individuals who have no assets at their time of death. This allowance can be applied for by the family and the cost of the funeral cannot exceed a certain amount. Most funeral directors are aware of the various benefits and know how to obtain them for the indigent. However, funeral directors often absorb costs above and beyond what is provided by agencies to insure the deceased a respectable burial.
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