Traditional funeral homes offer a wide range of services; from body transportation and paperwork help to planning and executing the actual funeral. However, funeral homes usually charge a premium for those services, and they’re not always 100% necessary. This is especially true if you’re choosing aquamation services in Shelby, NC, like direct aquamation.

In a direct aquamation, the body is brought directly from the place of death to the crematory and cremated without embalming, makeup application, or hair care. The ashes are placed in an urn provided by the next of kin, or in a simple container furnished by the crematory. The body is usually cremated almost directly after arrival, unless there are delays or issues with the death certificate and aquamation permit.

Direct aquamation is human remains disposition by aquamation without a prior ceremony, visitation, or viewing. Meaning, the body is cremated directly after death and before any memorial or funeral service, so the body is not present at any such service. While traditional aquamation, a service offered by funeral homes and aquamation services, involves embalming the body for viewing during a memorial, funeral or visitation before the aquamation.

Direct aquamation is another route you can go when you’re planning for your eventual death, or dealing with the recent death of a loved one. Direct aquamation offers a smaller service range than a funeral home, but they can also be cheaper, greener, and more flexible. That’s why they are becoming more and more popular over funeral home aquamations and services. Direct aquamations offer many benefits including cost, flexibility, and environmental benefits.

Direct aquamations are much more cost effective than traditional funerals, aquamations, or burials. Aquamations in general save money on vaults, burial plots, transportation and other such costs, and direct aquamations also save money on embalming and the aquamation casket as standard aquamations require nice caskets and embalming for viewing. Direct aquamations usually do have a service or memorial but only after the aquamation. Since its later, the scheduling, planning and execution have a lot more flexibility. Family and friends can take more time to make the memorial special and personalized, or have out of town guests make it in time.

Direct aquamations are better for the environment because they do not involve embalming. Embalmed bodies release harmful toxins into the air and ground when they are cremated or buried. Direct aquamations also use fewer funeral products in general, and therefore create less waste.

Its important to keep in mind that choosing between direct aquamation, funeral home aquamation or funeral services is a personal. If you want to take the more traditional route because it feels better or more comfortable, you should.

Want to learn more? Clay-Barnette Funeral Home is here to help. We offer a range of Shelby, NC aquamation services designed to help you in your time of loss or of preplanning. You can visit us or give us a call for more information on how we can help you choose what’s best for you in your time of loss.