One of the harshest realities that we must face in life is the death of a family member or loved one. Knowing what to expect will help you be better prepared when somebody in your family passes away. Below, this funeral parlor in Park Ridge, Illinois is going to explain the process for preparing the body for a funeral service.

Preparing the Body for a Funeral

Once a person dies, the loss of bodily and organ functions will lead to the body's decomposition. The decomposition is rapid, and if no preparations are made, decomposition of the body can start to occur within 24 to 48 hours. Therefore, you need to decide what to do with the body until the necessary funeral arrangements are made. There are two options for you to preserve the body long enough for relatives and loved ones to have a viewing or a memorial.

Embalming: Embalming involves a process where a funeral parlor in Park Ridge, Illinois, will remove all the bodily fluids in the body and replace them with embalming chemicals such as formaldehyde. Formaldehyde is a chemical solution that slows down the decomposition process so the body will look fresh until the viewing process during the funeral is done, and the body gets buried or cremated.

Refrigeration: Refrigeration is an effective and less costly method of inhibiting the body's decomposition until you make the necessary funeral arrangements. However, refrigeration is often an option for families who want immediate burial of their deceased and would like to have a funeral service without the option of viewing the body before the burial or cremation.

It is best to choose a funeral home in Park Ridge, Illinois that offers both embalming and refrigeration services for flexibility.

When to Consider Embalming and Refrigeration

When a loved one passes on, you may be the person responsible for arranging funeral services. There are a lot of things to consider when planning a funeral. First, it is best to consider all the religious, cultural, and legal concerns of the funeral. There are situations when you have to postpone the funeral for religious and cultural concerns.

When to Postpone Funerals

Some cultures require viewing for a deceased relative, and no burial should happen unless all the immediate family members have paid their respects. However, if the deceased have family members that will take days to attend the viewing, it is best to have the body embalmed to preserve it until all relatives have paid their respects.

However, some religions are against any mutilation or embalming of the body after death. If this is the case, then the best course of action is to preserve the body through refrigeration until decision-makers from the deceased’s family arrive to plan the proper funeral.

How Long Can the Body Remain Preserved?

Federal and state laws require a deceased person to be buried within 24 to 48 hours. However, if there are delays in the burial or cremation process, federal laws require the body to be preserved through embalming or refrigeration.

Embalming can preserve a body for about a week which is usually long enough for all family members to pay their last respects to the deceased. However, if the viewing will take longer than a week, a funeral parlor in Park Ridge, Illinois will have to re-inject embalming fluids within the duration of the wake. On the other hand, refrigeration is an ideal preservation method for immediate burial or cremation.

Are You Looking for the Most Trusted Funeral Parlor in Park Ridge, Illinois?

When someone you love passes, it’s important to find a reliable funeral home that can take the stress out of the process. As the top-rated funeral parlor in Park Ridge, Illinois, Cooney Funeral Home has been serving the community with the highest degree of care for over 80 years. Contact us today at (847) 685-1002 for assistance.