Bayshore Home Funerals

What is a Home Funeral?

 

Undertaken With Love defines a home funeral as the following:
“A 'home funeral' is a noncommercial, family centered response to death that involves the family and its social community in the care and preparation of the body for burial or cremation, and/or in planning and carrying out related rituals or ceremonies, and/or in the burial or cremation itself."

 

Simply put, a home funeral is run by family and friends and at least partly takes place at home or in an alternative space, such as a nursing home.  It might entail selected individuals washing and dressing their loved one in privacy and in familiar surroundings before they are picked up by the licensed funeral director.  It could encompass keeping the deceased home for several days for the viewing, wake and/or a funeral service. There are no "right" or "wrong" choices, just what the individual and their family prefers. 

 

Home Funerals have many advantages

• Gives the family time to grieve and process the death of a loved one in a place of comfort

• Can save a significant amount of money

• Is a "greener" alternative to being embalmed (which is not required by law in most cases, but is usually required by funeral parlors for viewings)

• Will be tailored to the individual and families beliefs, customs and preferrences

 

Home funerals are legal in almost all states, including New Jersey, though NJ is one of only eight states that have laws that affect the freedom of families to act completely as their own funeral guides.   You can read about NJ funeral laws here, or contact Kris Bradley to discuss what your options are.