Q: When a person dies and is taken to a funeral home, what is done to the body? Where is it held?

A: Several weeks ago during an in-service education program with hospice staff, this was the first question a nurse asked me. Most people are unaware of the procedures that take place following a death.

When funeral home representatives arrive at a location (hospital, nursing-retirement facility, coroner’s office, residence, etc.) to transfer a decedent, the identity of the deceased is checked and rechecked to ensure that only the correct person is transferred. If the person died at home, more than likely there will not be any form of identification attached to the person. It is a standard of care for the funeral home to attach an identification tag with the name of the deceased written on it around the ankle of the deceased. The tag is not removed and stays attached to the person permanently.

When assuming custody, the funeral home signs a receipt for the deceased. From this point on, the decedent is never left unattended and, for security and health reasons, is brought directly to the funeral home. The decedent usually enters through a receiving room where the name of the decedent and the date and time of arrival are recorded on a Care Report Form. Personal property and any medical devices on the body are inventoried; clothing is removed and usually laundered. The personal property and clothing is then returned to the family.

If the family authorizes embalming, this is done in the embalming/preparation room at the funeral home. If there will be no embalming, minimum professional care is provided to the body. This may include topically disinfecting the body, straightening the body with arms at the side or folded over the abdomen, closing eyes and mouth and combing the hair. A gown is usually put on the deceased and the body is wrapped in a sheet or shroud. The decedent is then placed into a controlled temperature refrigeration room. Specially built and designed to hold human remains, this room maintains a constant temperature of 36-40 degrees to help retard deterioration of the body.

When the deceased will be publicly viewed, embalming takes place first. The embalming process also includes bathing the body and shampooing and conditioning the hair. Final preparations include applying cosmetics and dressing the decedent. Clothing is usually supplied by the family or selected at the funeral home. The body is then placed in a casket or cremation container.

In all communities the funeral home is a unique facility that offers specialized services, playing an important role in guarding public health and in fulfilling the wishes of survivors. Professional care helps provide temporary preservation and sanitization, giving survivors time to make decisions and ensuring that privacy of individuals is never compromised.

Kubasak is a licensed funeral director, embalmer and certified crematory operator. A consultant and lecturer, he can be reached by calling (702) 345-3212 or via e-mail at mkubasak@aol.com.