Barbara Fradkin – Hometown News

Q: Does a pre-paid funeral include traditional burial or cremation?

A: This is a great question about a seldom-discussed topic. It’s actually wise to plan and pre-pay your funeral for several reasons: You pay at today’s prices, you relieve your loved ones of decision-making while they are grieving, and your sendoff is exactly the way YOU want it.

For anyone unsure which route to take (burial or cremation), let me explain some differences.  When the body is cremated, it is incinerated, and only ashes remain. With a burial, the body is intact.  Both options can take place before or after a funeral/memorial service. In the case of a burial, the body can be interred in the ground or entombed in a mausoleum. The ash “cremains” can be kept by the family, scattered (perfectly legal in Florida), buried in the ground, or entombed in a columbarium. Cremation is generally the more economical choice.

Many people consider the impact on the environment. Some people will say there is a significant amount of pollutants released during the cremation process. Others point to the lack of biodegradable materials in traditional caskets, as well as the toxicity of embalming fluids, when trying to think green.

Then there is religion. The Catholic Church lifted its ban on cremation in the 1960’s. While the majority of Protestant denominations also allow it, some fundamentalist Christian branches, along with the Eastern Orthodox Church and Islam do not permit cremation. Presbyterians and Mormons prefer a burial for the intact body. Judaism has traditionally shunned cremation, although some Jews now accept the practice. Sikhs, Hindus and Buddhists prefer cremation, believing it releases the soul from its physical form.

Consider this: Choosing burial or cremation is really about what’s best for your family. Any pre-planning you do serves the loved ones you leave behind. Making your final choices now allows them to begin healing sooner.

Want more information? One Senior Place holds monthly seminars on this topic. Check the event schedule at OneSeniorPlace.com or call us at 321-751-6771.

One Senior Place is a marketplace for resources and provider of information, advice, care and on-site services for seniors and their families. Questions for this column are answered by professionals in nursing, social work, care management and in-home care. Send questions to askOSP@OneSeniorPlace.com or visit One Senior Place, The Experts in Aging at OneSeniorPlace.com. Barbara Fradkin is a Social Worker, Certified Care Manager and the Director of One Senior Place, Viera.