Most adults have seen a depiction of a mortuary in movies or TV. It is a place where bodies are temporarily kept until they are retrieved by a funeral home.
Mortuaries offer more direct services than funeral homes. Their facilities usually only allow quick viewings for immediate family members and onsite cremation.
Definition
The term morgue is used to describe a section of a hospital or medical center where dead bodies are stored until they are ready for autopsy, respectful burial or cremation. This area is usually refrigerated to delay the decomposition process. A mortuary is also a private business that provides death-care services.
In the US, the term funeral home is sometimes used interchangeably with morgue. However, there are some important differences between the two. For example, a funeral home is not required to have a morgue. A mortuary is a facility that focuses on the death-care industry and is typically state regulated.
A mortuary has a more narrow focus than a full-service funeral home, and often offers a limited range of services, including a quick viewing for immediate family members and onsite cremation. It may not even include a funeral director, but in some states, funeral directors are required to be involved. Mortuaries may also be used for research purposes in archaeology and anthropology.
Functions
Compared to a funeral home, mortuaries have more of a focus on the science behind preparing and honoring a deceased person for burial or cremation. They often offer a short viewing for immediate family members and an onsite cremation service. They also provide grief counseling and coordinate paperwork, the obituary, memorial preparation, and other tasks.
They are also responsible for ensuring that the bodies they handle don’t contain infectious diseases and they need to provide facilities such as safety showers, eye wash stations, and handwashing facilities. The morgue also needs to be well ventilated to keep the air clean.
When a service member dies on active duty, the mortuary prepares their remains for return to their loved ones. This includes a quick physical evaluation and sometimes an autopsy. It also provides care and storage of personal effects and ensures proper identification. This is a crucial part of the military’s medical examiner system.
Services
Mortuary services are a deeply personal and delicate endeavor. It’s a business that requires not only a strong entrepreneurial spirit but also the ability to empathize with grieving families. Moreover, it is important to understand the regulatory complexities of this industry and secure the required licensing. Additionally, a keen understanding of operating costs and implementing effective pricing strategies is essential for ensuring long-term sustainability.
Some funeral homes and mortuaries offer cremation services. They can assist in planning memorial services and provide grief counseling. However, they do not typically have a cremation facility. In such cases, they work with a mortuary to offer full service to families.
A well-established mortuary services firm can help clients cope with their loss and offer peace of mind during a difficult time. It can also provide assistance with pre-need arrangements. This can ensure that the grieving process is as easy and stress-free as possible for the family. In addition, it can help reduce the cost of funeral services.
Costs
Mortuary science is a popular field for people who want to be of service to others during one of the most difficult times in life. They often work with families to honor their wishes, provide grief services and plan funerals. Some also find employment at medical centers as embalmers, or in the sales end of the industry.
A traditional funeral costs significantly more than a cremation ceremony. This is due to the cost of embalming, funeral home rental, a visitation and viewing, casket price and a cemetery plot or crypt. A simpler, less expensive alternative is direct burial, where the remains are not embalmed and no visitation or service is held. Some families choose cremation for the cost savings or to be consistent with their religious beliefs. In 2023, 60% of consumers indicated they would be interested in exploring green funeral options, according to the National Funeral Directors Association (nfda). These may include urns, caskets made from recycled materials and a memorial service that doesn’t require a physical presence.