When someone comes into our care, an early action we take is to establish if the next of kin want their loved one to be embalmed. There’s no requirement for this to happen prior to a funeral, but there are many benefits to doing so. Our guide sets out what embalming is, and when we would recommend it.
Embalming Explained
When someone dies, their body starts a natural process of decomposition. Embalming slows this process down. It’s defined as the preservation of a body from decay through the injection of a chemical embalming fluid. This preservative fluid replaces the blood and treats the body cavity and organs. There are many types of fluid, commonly referred to as formaldehyde, but it can have different brand names.
Reasons To Embalm
- By slowing down the natural rate of decomposition, there is longer for a family to say goodbye and more flexibility in having them return home before the funeral.
- It’s important that family feel their loved one looks as much like themselves as possible. Embalming can restore skin tone to a more natural colour, reduce signs of illness or trauma and create a peaceful and dignified appearance.
- It’s safer and more hygienic for both families and funeral teams as embalming fluids act as a disinfectant and reduce bacterial activity.
- It’s an essential part of any international repatriation where someone who’s died is transported between countries, where delays to arranging administration and varying temperatures could be expected.
- As the time taken to arrange funerals is now longer than years gone by, we do recommend embalming for most clients. Families may need time to travel, crematoria and cemetery availability may create a small delay, and personalisation means people take more time to get the final celebrations just right.
There may be some reason why embalming is not possible or recommended. If it’s not possible, or just not a family’s preference, it’s still possible to visit loved ones who have not been embalmed, and in very serious situations, we can still arrange a closed coffin visit.