Embalming, Funeral, Restorative Art,Value to Embalm

Licensed embalmers are unique people. I am honored to be one and proud to associate with them in various social settings. Please note that an embalmer, who perceives the decision to care for the dead as a calling, a forte, and a gift to humanity, is an extraordinary quality. Despite the high potential risk with various chemicals in the embalming room, the exposure to bloodbourne and airborne pathogens, and other safety hazards, sadly the compensation continues to be an arguable issue.

With many changes the profession is experiencing from high cremation rates, families declining embalming, or the lack of appreciation for the art of embalming, the purpose is the same; to provide quality service. As an embalmer, the attention to detail or the lack thereof, fosters trust and integrity – or those actions diminish that trust. It is the attention to detail that becomes the mortar of the embalming practice. Through trust, we build a positive reputation in the community in which we serve.

The responsibility of many of the problems we are facing originate many years ago. Who do we blame? Do we blame the National or the State for responding slowly to curriculum and licensing changes? Do we blame ourselves for not raising personal and professional standards? In most professions, the company offers the employees income increases based on merit, accreditations, and continued education fulfillment, completion of undergraduate or graduate degrees. Students complete mortuary science programs expecting fare wages as an apprentice and once they become licensed they expect a reasonable increase. I have spoken to several disappointed neophytes around the country who are full of disappointment and frustration. Where have we gone wrong?

I believe there are a few collogues, like me, which may have experienced moments of hopelessness, stress and fatigue from giving your all and receiving little appreciation. A Proverbs 13:12 state that hope deferred makes the heart sick, or causes your spirit to malfunction. Some embalmers may have hoped for an improved work relationship with management, new prep room equipment, promised pay increase, a promotion or a much needed assistant. When hope has been destroyed, not only the heart made sick or spirit crushed, but our outlook is affected; our future is made to appear dismal.

Several funeral service professionals are hopeless because of what they have been told, what they have allowed to lodge and take root in their hearts. Truth be told, it is most disappointing to see management hire or promote someone with less experience, or lacking licensure for the assigned task. This disapprove has merit on many levels. I have held long quarrels with licensed persons that feel that we serve in a ‘business industry’ and not in a ‘service profession’. They base the argument on the limited amount of required education, licensed requirements to operate a funeral home or the lack thereof in some state, in additional to the modest salary.

California regulations, at the least will allow a non-license person to own a licensed funeral establishment, without a chapel, embalming room or merchandise selection room; however, they must have a full time licensed funeral director as the manager and operate an approved shared storage and preparation area for decedents at another location. Due to these regulations, charlatans and jacklegs of all cultures have entered the profession as a business owner lacking the mortuary science education, license – and dare I forget the passion to minister hope to hurting people. Beyond the obvious problems, this practice erodes the strong and valuable funeral market. The traditional funeral and the direct cremation markets are greatly affected. There is a value to good embalming, excellent restorative art and an excellent funeral service with skilled tailored staff and trustworthy custom-made funeral vehicles. Again, there is a value.

As if that weren’t enough, the frequent media reports concerning moronic, imbecile embalmers and directors who make poor decision by changing “the rules of the game” in middle of the 4^th quarter. If we subsist on a steady diet of that type of negative input, we soon become burdened and heavy of heart. It is no wonder that so many professionals are malfunctioning today, because their hope has been deferred and their hearts have become warped.

The media often report events and situations that frown on our profession; they are reluctant to report about the good that we do to excel family’s expectations. The truth is that the community is not aware of the embalming or restorative art that was completed on the victims of high velocity gun shots wounds, trauma from motor vehicle accidents. Where are the exposé on the embalmers who made the viewing possible for the community to say farewell? In addition, are the number cases with edema and jaundice from organ disease, but more often, they exist due to the extended use of therapeutic drugs, chemotherapy and life support measures. How many times have we seen a family decide on an open casket rather than direction cremation after identification of a well embalmed case? Pardon me, I have now lost count of those families – it’s endless.

The media also falls short to report the professional services that are donated to many families who are in fact in serious financial need, as well as community catastrophes with mass deaths. The embalmer or team of embalmers is there to preserve, sanitize and restore those persons. With such circumstances, those embalmers work tediously through the night, to allow the immediate family and the Curious George’s to take one last glimpse until glory. There is a lot of good in what we do in this business.

We must not allow negative reports concerning our professional or concerning a position at our place of employment, to affect our outlook for the future. Whether you chose to use the power of positive thinking, mind over matter or intestinal fortitude, we are compelled to remain positive. It will transform us from hopeless, warped, heavy-hearted professionals into hope-filled, positive, creative professionals. This attitude will help you to become productive, reach goals, and fulfill the commission to offer care and the final valuable rites to the dead.

Is there a Value in Viewing?
Shun Newbern, CFSP

Good information is the basis of good solid decision making. When a loved one dies, we all know, intellectually, that they really have died. But people, regardless of how bright or sophisticated - have strong feelings which are not logical when a powerful emotional issue is involved. Seeing the body as the focal point of a ritual (the funeral service) is a powerful form of reality testing. When one is dead, they are dead.

Social scientists who study grief and the serious psychological problems it can cause consistently find value in viewing and the funeral. We all know instinctively how bad not seeing the body would be when a person goes missing, soldier dies overseas, plane crashes or a bombing occurs. Thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars are spent searching for lost bodies, and we all understand why.

Most of us was taught from childhood that the polite and proper thing to do was to say "Hello" when we meet someone and "Good-Bye" when we departed their presence. In the Western Culture we acknowledge contact with another person with a hand shake, hug, high five, smile or a nod of the head. And finally, when we leave the presence of another person we shake hands, give hugs but most importantly we say "Good-Bye" - this was all taught from childhood. Thus, when someone suddenly dies the family and friends has the basic, and very distinctive human need to say "good-bye".

Embalmers are professional, skilled, knowledgeable and well trained to restore decedents after a febrile disease, long-term disease or trauma of any kind. Shun Newbern & Associates also offer training for embalmers who lack those skills or who would like to improve their standard of care. Reconstructive surgery performed is a unique professional expertise that cannot be provided by discipline and provides an enormous value for families.

The Immense Values of Viewing :

Ø Provides the family and friends with the confrontation that death has in fact occurred to test the reality - seeing is believing.

Ø Without viewing it can be difficult for the family and friends to persuade their own mind that their loved one or close friend is gone. Denial can cause a person to continually expect their deceased loved one to someday "just walk through the door."

Ø Viewing the body is a very special time that allows the family and friends to begin the transition into their new life. That new life is continuing to live onward without the presence of their loved.

Ø Viewing provides comfort and a time for everyone to say goodbye to the deceased in their own personal way.

Ø Viewing provides a means of social support. Regardless of the method chosen for final disposition of the body a public visitation can be of great help to family and friends in dealing with the grieving and mourning process.

Ø Viewing of the body should always be considered before final disposition.

Ø The open casket viewing is the most personalized part of any funeral ritual or ceremony. Not having the body present at a funeral ceremony or ritual is like having a wedding ceremony without the bride or groom being present.

For current embalming, restorative art presentations please use click on the "Seminar" page above.

References:
Adams, Jack (September 2002). The Key to a Successful Viewing, The Dodge Magazine

Fountain, Vernie (June 2008) Fountain National Academy of Professional Services, Springfield, MO, Retrieved July 10, 2009 from: http://www.fnacademy.com

Steele, Dr. Donald W. Steele Consulting and Publications, Mansfield, MA, http://www.steelepublication.com