A mortuary is a place where bodies are stored temporarily, often while they’re being identified or autopsied. These facilities are typically located in hospitals or medical examiners’ offices.
A mortuary is not a funeral home, but some of them offer some of the same services as funeral homes do. For example, they may offer onsite cremations.
What is a Mortuary?
Many people are confused about the difference between a mortuary and a funeral home. While both places care for a dead body until it is buried or cremated, the main differences are in their emphasis and focus. A mortuary is a facility that focuses on mortuary science, including embalming. It may also provide on-site cremation, which is something that a funeral home typically will not offer.
Mortuaries are often found attached to hospitals, but they can also operate as standalone locations. They are more clinical than funeral homes and don’t always have space for visitations or memorial services.
Some funeral homes use the term mortuary to describe their facilities, but they are not actually morgues in the technical sense of the word. While both mortuaries and funeral homes provide care for a dead body until it is prepared for burial or cremation, a funeral home’s emphasis is on family mourning services. For example, a funeral home will often include viewing rooms and a chapel for memorial services.
Morgues are a type of funeral home
Not all funeral homes have a morgue, but some do. Typically, morgues are located in medical facilities or near crematories, as they are primarily used for storing bodies that need to be identified and/or autopsied before burial or cremation can take place.
When someone dies unexpectedly, access to a morgue is critical for families and law enforcement officials to properly identify the body. Additionally, if the death is suspicious or unattended, the authorities may need to conduct an autopsy.
Mortuaries are more focused on the technical aspects of preparing the body for final disposition, and they usually don’t offer spaces for memorial services or visits. They also don’t provide the same level of care and comfort that a funeral home can. However, some mortuaries offer a blend of services such as a quick viewing for immediate family members and onsite cremation. This is the type of mortuary that most people think of when they hear the term “funeral home”.
Morgues are not all funeral homes
Many people think that mortuaries and funeral homes offer similar services, but doing a little bit of research will reveal that this is not necessarily true. Funeral homes tend to be more homely, with an emphasis on comfort for the deceased’s loved ones. They also employ funeral directors to help grieving families with their options for memorialization.
Morgues, on the other hand, are more focused on storing bodies until they can be buried or cremated. They do not usually have chapels or space for public viewings and often only allow quick views of the deceased to be held by family members.
In addition, mortuaries do not typically offer any sort of memorialization services other than burial and onsite cremation. This makes them less of a full-service facility than funeral homes. However, it is important to note that some mortuaries have chapels and memorial spaces as well. This can make a big difference to some families.
Morgues are a place to store bodies
A morgue is a place to store bodies temporarily until they can be identified, an autopsy is performed, or arrangements for burial or cremation are made. They are typically located in hospitals or medical examiners’ offices. They may also offer services like embalming.
Most people have seen a depiction of a morgue in a movie or television show. While these images may be shocking, they are generally accurate in terms of the layout and storage compartments. Morgues are refrigerated and usually contain drawer-like compartments where the deceased are stored. The bodies are inspected visually for any signs of injuries or distinguishing features, and they are then documented.
A forensic pathologist or other medical professional may perform an autopsy on the body to determine the cause of death. The results of this process can be used to help families make funeral plans and to assist police in investigating a crime. Depending on local laws and cultural or religious practices, the bodies may be kept in the mortuary until a family decides how to proceed with their final resting place.