Cremation is the process of burning a body until only a fine ash remains. The process involves placing the coffin or casket into a special furnace to produce ashes for the family to take home, often in an urn.
Today, it’s a common alternative to burial, with more than 70% of Australians choosing to be cremated. Cremation usually occurs after a funeral service but can also be done prior
The cremation process
Cremation is a relatively fast, straightforward process. It can also be a far more affordable option for families than most burial options. The process generally follows these steps:
- After the funeral, the body is transferred to a nearby cremation facility
- Paperwork will be completed – your funeral director and the cremation staff will help with all of this – and multiple checks will be carried out before cremation
- The coffin or casket is placed onto a cremation trolley
- The name plate from the coffin is removed and safely placed into a slot outside the cremator (this stays with the body the entire time)
- The coffin is placed into the cremator
- The process then takes upwards of 90 minutes at 1,000 degrees Celsius
- Afterwards, the remains are collected and refined into a powder (the ashes)
- The ashes are then transferred into a container with the name plate attached. They are returned to the family who may choose to inter the ashes in a memorial park or scatter them.
There are a number of options as to what to do with the ashes
1. You can keep your love done in a memorial park
Some families purchase a memorial wall niche or spot in a rose garden at a memorial park, and store the ashes there. This gives friends, family and future generations a place to visit and reflect. We can refer you to local memorial parks to help you find a permanent resting place for your loved one.
2. You can keep your loved one’s ashes in an urn
You may choose to share the ashes with family members who want to keep a part of their loved one close. Many people keep ashes in special urns or decorative vessels at home. Some choose to keep small amounts of ashes in keepsake jewellery that can be worn close to their hearts or held in their hand.
3. You can scatter your loved one’s ashes
Other families choose a place of special significance, like their loved one’s favourite beach or lookout, to scatter the ashes. The Memorial Park staff or Living Hope Funerals can give you some advice on how to scatter ashes.
Your guide to cremation urns
Choosing an urn for your loved one’s ashes is a big decision. Whether you decide to display it in your home or inter it somewhere special, there are a few things to consider.
The first step in choosing an urn
The first question to ask yourself is, ‘What will you do with the urn’? This will help you decide on other factors, like size, style and material.
1. Keeping the urn at home
Some families keep their loved one’s ashes at home on a mantlepiece or a table. It’s an enduring reminder that their loved one is never far away. In this case, you might focus more on the urn’s design – how it reflects your loved one’s spirit and compliments your home.
2. Burying the urn
Others bury or inter their loved one’s ashes inside the urn in a special place, like a memorial park. This means you may require a sturdier urn that won’t be impacted by erosion.
3. Sharing urns
You might want to share the ashes among your family, so everyone can keep their loved one close. This could mean you only need a small urn or you might buy a collection so each family member can have the same one.
If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact our experienced and caring team at Living Hope Funerals on 1800 177 166 or info@livinghopefunerals.com.au.