Understanding the Cremation Process is Essential so here are the Traditional Steps
If you need to plan cremation services in Mattoon, IL but have never been through the experience before, you might be wondering what’s going to happen with your loved one. The last can be difficult enough to navigate in the best of circumstances and understanding the practices will help bring you some confidence about your decision, so here are the steps for the cremation process.
What are the Traditional Steps?
Cremation has been around for thousands of years and is used as a way to truly honor an individual after they have passed away. Once they arrive at the crematory, the individual will need to be identified by a family member so the process can get started. They will also need to fill out the essential paperwork that gives the chosen company the authority to go through the cremation steps.
The company will then begin preparing the body; this generally consists of cleaning and dressing the deceased. Embalming is generally not completed unless the family has scheduled to have a viewing, and the remains need to be maintained for a shorter period. If the individual had any medical devices or prosthetics that her battery-operated, these will need to be removed to prevent any issues in the cremation chamber. In addition, any jewelry will also be removed from the individual unless this has otherwise been requested by them or the family.
The individual’s remains are then placed into a strong enough vessel to hold them while simultaneously combustible, and they are placed into the cremation chamber. The chamber can reach temperatures of up to 1800 degrees, and the process will take between two to three hours to complete. Some companies offer a liquid cremation process that can take up to 16 to disintegrate the remains.
Once this step is completed, the remains are removed from the cremation chamber and left to cool. If there are any metal fragments left behind, like pins or screws from surgeries, these will be removed and sent for recycling. The remains are then ground down into a fine substance resembling ash, placed in a plastic bag, and returned to the family for safekeeping.
Other Considerations
One thing you will need to keep in mind is that an urn will need to be purchased to house the remains. A standard urn will hold between three and nine pounds, but there are smaller options available on the market called keepsake urns intended for children and pets.
Quality and Commitment
As you can see, the process has several steps to it, but if cremation services in Mattoon, IL, were requested by your loved one, then you know what will happen once they arrive at the crematory. Ensuring that you are including any last wishes and specific details is essential to laying them to rest, so if you need support, we would love to help you through the process. We are locally owned and take great pride in offering our community the highest level of care in the market, so call us today for an appointment.
