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Colorado Prison First to Have Hospice

When a guilty verdict is reached and someone is sent to prison, the outside world sometimes forgets them. This is especially true for those sentences that will last far beyond the life expectancy of the prisoner. Many will succumb to sickness and die either in their prison bunks or the prison hospital before their sentence ends. If they’re estranged from their families, they end up dying alone, with no one to comfort them or talk to them during their last days.

Colorado Territorial Correction Facilities is the first prison to have a hospice. It’s operated by inmates, who are trained in the basics and must help care for dying patients. For the caregivers, it can be a chance to find the redemption they’ve been seeking. For the prisoners, it’s a chance to have a meaningful connection in their last few days of life. It also helps lower costs, though in this case, the idea of a humane death supersedes cost cutting measures.

Hospice focuses on easing pain instead of trying for an impossible cure. When a person is dying due to disease or injury, the traditional response is to pump them full of medications or resort to surgery in order to try and extend their life, even if only for a few days. Hospice accepts death and focuses on the patient’s comfort by helping them prepare for the end stages of their life instead of trying to extend it a few more days.

The reality of death for most people is that they will live their last moments on a hospital bed while under the influence of various medications and attached to machines. Even if there is only a tiny chance that the doctors can fix the patient, they will try. The downside to this approach is that some medications (such as chemotherapy for cancer) can cause the patient tremendous amounts of pain. Unfortunately, going through this pain is no guarantee that the individual will survive. Sometimes, it’s the family members that are encouraging the patient to keep trying, inadvertently causing the patient more pain than necessary in search of an unlikely solution.

A hospice death is accepted as the natural end point to life. When someone is old or has a minimal chance to live, they may choose to accept death rather than fighting it. The hospice then focuses on comforting the patient and minimizing their pain through their last few days. With the knowledge that they don’t have a lot of time left, the patient can spend their last days focusing on what’s really important to them.

Hospice is seen as a graceful acceptance of mortality. The patient gets the opportunity to do things they couldn’t if they were stuck in a hospital bed. As a hospice focuses on comfort instead of a cure, the patient gets the opportunity to enjoy their last few days, whether that means brief walks outside, watching their favorite movies, or quiet time with family. They can make sure their will is prepared and share last words with those close to them rather than being hooked up to hospital machinery. Hospice will also have a caregiver that is able to attend to their needs when friends or family are unable to do so.

Hospice isn’t for everyone. Those who are young or have a good chance at survival shouldn’t select comfort over medical attention. A hospice is for those who’ve come to terms with their life, and recognize that since the odds are slim that they’ll survive, they should spend their last days or weeks living how they want to live, with those close to them, instead of being confined to a hospital bed away from their loved ones. They’re choosing to spend their last days in a quiet, dignified manner rather than fighting for a few extra hours.

For friends and family of the patient, hospice lets them see their loved one in a positive light, enjoying their remaining time. The environment is much warmer than that of a sterile hospital, and with more personalized caregivers they can get easier answers to their questions. Hospice caregivers will often start the inevitable conversation regarding funeral plans. Many state prisons now promote simple cremation services. Many patients report feeling a blanket of acceptance as they move on from our world. Accepting death allows the family members a chance to prepare and accept the inevitable, and also ease into the grieving process.
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We Can All Learn Something From Irish Funerals

There is something to be said for an Irish funeral, which is often referred to as a wake. More commonly a celebration, as opposed to a time of mourning, this type of service allows family and friends to become further involved in the planning process.

Prior to the mid 1900’s these events turned into large celebrations partly because men were not otherwise allowed to congregate, for fear of planning rebellion against the British government.

Until 15 or so years ago, Irish funeral ceremonies always took place in the home. Today, many are held in a different location such as a garden or country club setting. Locale is typically based on something or someplace the departed enjoyed.

An old-fashioned Irish funeral was looked upon as a social event, which could last as long as three days. The premise was not to leave the decedent alone, during that time. The term “wake” was used due to the fact that family members stayed with the body at night, making sure its spirit didn’t come back to life and evil spirits didn’t try to claim it.

A window was opened as soon as the person died. The body was dressed in dark clothing or covered with a white shroud and placed on a bed or in a coffin. No embalming was necessary. Candles were placed above the decedent’s head and boots were placed at his or her feet, in effort to make the journey through purgatory easier. Out of respect, clocks were stopped and blankets were placed over mirrors.

There was and still is plenty of food and drink (usually Irish whiskey and Beer) at an Irish funeral. There is also music (bagpipes), dancing and games. When any type of card game is played, it is customary to deal an extra hand for the person whose life is being celebrated. Contests of strength sometimes occur as well.

“Keening,” the Irish term for a display of sorrow, is an old tradition that still takes place at some wakes. Professional mourners are hired to do things like wail, cry and even recite poetry.

A pipe of tobacco is passed around as a means to assist the spirit of the loved one on his heavenly journey. Each person who smokes the pipe is encouraged to share a bit of wit and wisdom with the crowd.

On the one month anniversary of the wake, a “month’s mind” is held in a church to again celebrate the life of the person who died. A yearly mass is held as well.

In modern day USA families are getting more involved in planning and participating more in caring for their own dead. Home funeral are more common than they were 20 years ago. Baby boomers are not wanting services on thousand year old impersonal ceremonies. Because many are now choosing cremation services there is the freedom of more time for families to plan a more detailed and personalized memorial gathering.

More American families are now choosing to work with a funeral celebrant, when it comes to the details of the actual funeral ceremony or service. A celebrant is extremely versed in all aspects of a funeral. This includes everything from funeral history to the funeral rituals of many cultures. He or she can perform tasks like writing the perfect eulogy, offering advice in ritual and customs that may suit the individual needs of each family. Unlike clergy, celebrants are more open to handling families with multiple cultures and religions that are found in much of society today.

Celebrants take the time it takes to get an in-depth look into the life of the person they are memorializing. This information, coupled with things like the rest of the family’s personal values and religious beliefs, tend to make it a much more meaningful funeral ceremonies. The funeral home staff can often recommend a local celebrant or you can contact the Celebrant Foundation and Institute to find a celebrant near you.

Unfortunately, a traditional funeral service doesn’t always pay an adequate tribute to a loved one. With the help of a celebrant, that is never the case. Opting for an end-of-life ceremony, as opposed to a standard funeral, allows family members and friends to remember by way of stories and objects which truly define the departed.

Irish Cremation Products — Irish Funeral Products from therishwake.com

Yes, there is a lot to be learned from Irish funerals. They are celebrations of life and love, meant to make the initial mourning process and the overall healing process a little easier.

To learn more about how to plan an Irish wake click here and visit My Sendoff.com

To see some products designed with the Irish in mind visit “The Irish Wake”.com
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Generic Memorial Videos

There are so many great way to produce excellent personalized memorial videos today. Anyone in the funeral biz will tell you how much added value these “Life Story” videos add to ant funeral or memorial gathering.

Specialized software enables users to upload pictures from throughout the life. Usually in chronological order. You get to add a theme that is displayed between the changing pictures. Even moving footage with a real cinematic effect. You pick the music and can even add your own. Anyone with a computer and internet connection can now produce these wonderful memorial tributes. Even notoriously low tech funeral directors can do it.

These custom personal memorial tribute videos have proven themselves now for years. The rumors of another fad have diminished as family and friends share memories through these amazing little life productions. Multiple copies are made and cherished for generations to come.

Sometime a more generic video is appropriate. Like at a memorial event when several lives have been lost at once. Or their has not yet been enough time to make a personalized tribute. These tribute do not mention names and dates or any particulars. A generic memorial tribute video is just about general healing when suffering from a loss. These tributes are about life in general and remembering what is special. They are about hope and moving on.

Here are some samples of Generic Memorial Videos.

Just A Song with Written Lyrics

Dont Cry For Me

Introducing Your Touch Portraits

Fingerprint Art — Fingerprints Captured In Beautiful Portraits

Have you ever wanted something so unique to give as a gift that it won’t be found anywhere else in the world? Most people know that their fingerprints are one of the few things in the world that is unique and impossible to find again elsewhere. Now imagine artwork with unique fingerprint patterns that can’t be reproduced anywhere else. For those who like to feel a connection to their art as well as knowing the pattern or detail can’t be found elsewhere, fingerprint art can be a viable answer.

Variety of Styles

Fingerprint art can be produced in a variety of ways. This can include enhanced and zoomed photographs or prints, art prints, portraits of full handprints, wall posters of an exploded single print and more.

See Our Full Selection Here: (Your Touch Portraits).

The imagination is the limit, but each product shares a distinct and unique element: a fingerprint of a loved one that can’t be reproduced anywhere else without the original. Furthermore, a customer isn’t limited to just one print. Multiple family members and friends can be included in the final portrait. This can be a neat way to get everyone involved and produce a piece artwork that includes an entire family.

How it Works

Fingerprint art products can’t be created without the original element, the print. So the process starts with a fingerprint collection kit being provided to the customer to collect a given print. The kit will come with instructions on exactly how to obtain the best print possible, a card for the print to be inked onto and the ink strips that create the color needed.

After the print is collected, the kit is then mailed back to our collection office to begin the production process. The next step involves a fabrication of a high resolution image of the submitted prints. We can alter the print anyway you want. You are in control of how your art will look. You will be emailed a copy of the artwork for your approval, before we do the final print on canvas. Then, with the image completed, the artwork can be produced as desired. Unlike the boring black prints normally seen at government identification stations, fingerprint art can be made with a variety of shades, colors, materials and surfaces. The framing can be matched to meet all sorts of tastes from conservative traditional to modern and impressionable.

Gifts with a Unique Twist

For parents who want to make something memorable for their kids to enjoy later in life, fingerprints, handprints and footprints can reproduce really neat ideas for gifts. How about memorializing the time when junior got into the finger paints a bit too much and left them on the walls of the house? So take a photo of the wall and have enhanced fingerprints layered on top with a frame titled “remember when?” This is just one idea of how to make fun or comical memories lasting, and fingerprint portraits can certainly help.

A basic print may seem pretty straightforward, but imagine a wall sized canvas, framed, with a single fingerprint across the entire surface. Now it becomes a work of modern art, with a unique pattern that catches the eye. Set in the right décor the print can become a focal point of an entire room, as well as nice conversation piece when friends come over to visit.

If a close relative or friend has passed away, prior to final service and all involved allowing, a print can be obtained and then translated into a lasting memory that everyone who loved the person will cherish. The prints or artwork can then be produced in a variety of ways that match how each relative or friend wants to remember the deceased in the best light.

In Summary

Fingerprint art takes what defines a person’s identity in the modern age and also makes them a part of a singular artwork that won’t be found anywhere else. It provides families with a great way to remember years and life events gone by without being mediocre about it. With the variety of art products possible, everyone will find an approach that appeals to their taste. Further, many will be surprised at how impressive the products can be once they are placed in a home or office or special room. Don’t be surprised if people visiting ask where to find a similar print or have one made. The artwork will generate lots of questions as it continues to catch the eye of all who see a fingerprint in a unique setting of love and memory. And that’s what makes art mean the most to those who cherish it.

See Our Full Selection of Art Made From Prints (Click Here).

See our Popular Selection of Fingerprint Jewelry

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Another Beautiful Ash Scattering in The Holy Land

As cremations service continue to rise, Ash scatterings are becoming very popular. Many of your clients will do ash scatterings, and they need options. Tying into this market can produce a rewarding income stream for you.

A Scattering Service is not as simple as it may seem. There are many considerations to doing it properly and professionally. In our industry, you only get one chance to do it right. Clients demand top service.

We specialize in scattering cremation services and have one of the best scattering locations in the world. Your clients will appreciate our professionalism and first-class approach to scattering. We are the best at what we do; you and your clients will appreciate the exceptional service and attention we give you.

This is a partnership. Simply suggest us to your client during the funeral planning and we will take care of the rest. They will be extremely satisfied with the recommendation you gave them. And we will compensate you a handsome commission for each referral.

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Holyland Ash Scattering .COM — Learn More Click Here

Angels In The Air

When Race pilot Scotty Crandlemire lost a friend and fellow air race pilot in 2007, he was asked to scatter his ashes. The scattering ceremony was out on the runway and breezy at the time. In doing so the ashes got all over him as they typically do. As a result of that bad experience, Scotty had a dream how to fix the problem. He created the first ever fully automated, re-chargeable, scattering urn. Its called the AngelAire release urn and it pretty dam cool!

Once the cremation ashes are processed fine and filtered, you simply add the ashes and set the urn up at the desired location. Then its as simple as flicking a switch. The powered urn will gracefully propel a beautiful plume of ash in a brilliant ghostly cloud. Its quite spectacular as you can see in the video we have provided above.

The ashes are gracefully scattered with dignity and creates and inspires a tranquil moment in time as survivors look on in awe! As you gaze into the magnificent plume memories are invoked as the ashes slowly fade back to the earth in which they came. The fine airborne ash does not deposit in any one location, so it leaves a perfectly natural footprint.

The death care industry as we know is a staggering 17+ billion p/yr and growing at an exponential rate in cremation. About one million people a year are now being cremated in the USA. More then half of all cremations end in scattering. Scattering ashes has always been popular and locations of natural beauty as well as particular importance to the deceased and survivors are often selected. Using this new powered scattering urn adds an unmatched element to the already beautiful scattering ceremony.

The Angel Aire Scattering Urn is US patented with 15 claims, for both human market and pets. Funeral homes can purchase one and the rent it out to families that desire scattering. Even better families now have a good reason to hire the staff of the funeral home to facilitate the entire scattering ceremony.

Cremation Solutions is proud to offer these new amazing scattering urns. We have used them ourselves and can only say how easy and peaceful the experience was for us. The urns can be ordered online here: Cremation Solutions Release Urns or you can rent one Here.

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Wooden Cremation Urns

If your loved one wanted to be cremated, then you may have questions about what to do with the Ashes. The ashes will be returned to you after the cremation process, and you can bury them in a cemetery or display them in a beautiful cremation urn in the home. When you are looking at all the different urn selections, consider a beautiful cremation urn made of warm and beautiful wood.

We offer quality wooden cremation urns that are warm, attractive and a delightful accent for any area of your home. Take your time and consider the style and taste of not only the deceased, but also your own taste as well as the decor of your home. You will always appreciate the beauty of style of the wood urn. Consider a our whole selection and then narrow it down to “The One “to protect your loved one through the ages.

Fisherman Wooden Urn — For The Fisherman

Gone Fishing – We offer personalized urns, and one of the most favorite features a three-dimensional relief sculpture, like of a fisherman out on a peaceful lake. Placed on a beautiful wood urn with softly rounded edges, the case is a beautiful addition to your mantel or side table. It’s a way for your loved one to enjoy fishing throughout the ages, and people visiting your home will always be impressed with the beautiful artwork.

Walking with the Lord – We also carry beautiful urns featuring religious symbols to help you find some peace during this incredibly painful time. Find peace and comfort by choosing an urn featuring a simple cross, Our Lady of Guadalupe, praying hands, doves in flight or a detailed relief scene featuring The Lord is My Shepherd. The sophisticated woodwork on the urn is a thing of beauty, and the calming religious scenes will bring comfort to you when it’s needed the most.

Landscapes – The reason landscape scenes are so commonly chosen for artwork is because they are extremely relaxing. They bring comfort to you and help people relax when they are tense and stressed. We offer beautiful, warm wooden urns with several landscape scenes that are sure to delight you. Choose soft breezes, tall ships or even a farm scene that will bring you comfort and peace in an attractive package.

Identification – We offer engraving services for many of our wood urns, or you can choose to invest in a brass nameplate. With this service, you can personalize any urn further with a special epitaph and other vital information.

High Quality Urns
Our urns are made from high quality sold wood and built to last. Crafted by hand by skilled artisans in the United States, they are the best wood urns available anywhere. We use beautiful solid cherry, oak, maple and walnut to provide you with the beautiful grain and stunning look. The unique character of wood grains means that every urn is special and unique. With so many quality wooden urns to choose from, you are sure to find one that’s perfect for your loved one and your individual home.

We understand that this is a difficult time, and choosing the right urn can be difficult. It may feel overwhelming, and you want to make sure you make the right choice. We carry a wide range of high quality wood urns for you to choose from, so you are sure to find the perfect urn. From the color, style, and finish to the decorative accents, we are dedicated to helping you find the perfect choice for your loved one.

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Here are Some Great Resources For Funeral Professionals

Resources for Funeral Professionals

Happy Holidays From

Cremation Business is For The Birds

Scattering ashes is now the preferred choice disposition for the majority of people who choose cremation. Places of natural beauty and special meaning are often selected as the final resting place for those scattered near and far. Locations are limitless but two popular choices stand out. Into the sea is very popular throughout the world. Closer to home, scattering into the garden is the preferred choice. If you think about it the garden is a micro world where the full cycle of life continues year after year. It is hard to feel more connected to the earth then when we work with nature in our gardens. Working the soil is a deep rooted and natural cycle that humans have benefited from since ancient times. As we reap the harvest and admire the beauty of the garden, a spiritual connection is ever present. Its no wonder why so many choose the garden as their final place of rest.

Just like when the funeral industry created biodegradable scattering urns for those who scatter at sea, a new way to scatter in the garden will now harmonize with nature to memorialize the dead. Introducing Birdhouse Memorial Urns!

These urns serve as beautiful and functional scattering urns, that following the scattering ceremony, convert into a memorial birdhouse, providing a true “Living Memorial”

Birdhouse Urns Provide:

• A dignified vessel to hold the ashes and display at funeral ceremonies.

• A functional scattering urn that will easily disperse our loved one’s remains back to the earth.

• A lasting living memorial that will give survivors a necessary place to visit, remember and heal for years to come.

Birdhouse Memorial Urns are the natural choice for many:

They are a natural way to go back to the earth and continue the cycle of life. As birds come and go with the seasons to build their nest and raise their young, the cycle of life continues. These memorial not only provide shelter to our winged friends, but also give comfort to the survivors when they come to these places of rest. Birds often remind us of a sense of freedom and oneness with nature that many of us yearn for. Watching the birds provides us with tranquil moments in time that help us reflect on the lives of our loved one’s for generations to come.

Birdhouse Memorial Urns Are:

•   A memorial that will live on
•   Earth Friendly
•    Creates Wildlife Habitat
•   A place to come where spirits will soar and memories will fly
•   A place where life goes on
Birdhouse Memorial Urns come with everything you need to convert them into a memorial birdhouse. They also come with a handmade cast paper heart that is embedded with seeds. You may plant this heart in memory and beautiful forget me-not flowers will grow year after year.

Jeff Staab, a funeral director and owner of Cremation Solutions got the idea a few years ago when he was selling a traditional scattering urn to a client family in rural Vermont. The family wanted to scatter the ashes of their father in his favorite meadow on their property. They like the idea of the scattering urn and the way it functioned, but asked what would they do with it after the scattering. Jeff suggested that they screw it to a tree and drill a hole in the side so that the birds that lived in the meadow could use it for a home. The family love the idea. A year later the mother died and they requested the same scattering urn so that mom could also have her own memorial birdhouse. These were the first birdhouse memorial urns. Now their are several unique styles to reflect on one’s individual taste and style. Please don’t tell the birds why they are getting such classy new homes, we wouldn’t want them to fell guilty about their new dwellings.

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Vatican Prefers Burial and Opposes Scattering Ashes

Lord knows Christians are scattering ashes in locations that are both meaningful and beautiful. Favorite fishing holes, golf courses, mountain vistas, parks and beyond. It doesn’t seem to matter where they as far as the Vatican is concerned. no where is good enough!

The second Italian-language edition of the ‘Funeral Rites’, produced by the Vatican Publishing House, was presented recently at the headquarters of Vatican Radio. Among other things, the new edition contains fully revised biblical texts and prayers.

The first innovation refers to the visit to the family, which was not part of the earlier edition. Msgr Angelo Lameri of the National Liturgical Office of the Italian Episcopal Conference, explained how “for a priest this a moment to share in the suffering, to listen to the mourning relatives, to learn about certain aspects of the deceased’s life with a view to a correct and personalised presentation during the funeral”.

Another change involves the revised and enriched ritual for the closing of the coffin; with a number of different texts for various situations: an elderly person, a young person, or someone who has died unexpectedly.

Other changes involve the pronouncement of words recalling of the deceased at the moment of the committal, and the introduction of a broad range of possibilities for the prayer of the faithful.

However the most significant new departure, contained in the appendix of the book, concerns cremation. Msgr Lameri explained that the issue of cremation had been placed in an appendix to highlight the fact that the Church, “although she does not oppose the cremation of bodies, when not done ‘in odium fidei’, continues to maintain that the burial of the dead is more appropriate, that it expresses faith in the resurrection of the flesh, nourishes the piety of the faithful and favors the recollection and prayer of relatives and friends”.

In exceptional cases, the rites normally celebrated at the cemetery chapel or the tomb may be celebrated at the cremation site, and it is recommended that the coffin be accompanied to that site. One particularity important aspect is that “cremation is considered as concluded when the urn is deposited in the cemetery”. This is because,
although the law does allow ashes to be scattered in the open or conserved in places other than a cemetery, “such practices … raise considerable doubts as to their coherence to Christian faith, especially when they conceal pantheist or naturalistic beliefs”.

The new ‘Funeral Rites’ also focuses on the search for the meaning of death. Concluding the presentation, Bishop Alceste Catella, president of the Episcopal Commission for Liturgy, explained that “the book is testament to the faith of believers and to the importance of respect and ‘pietas’ towards the deceased, respect for the human body even when dead. It is testament to the pressing need to cultivate memory and to have a specific place in which to place the body or the ashes, in the profound certainty that this is authentic faith and authentic humanism”.

Here at Cremation Solutions we understand people are going to do what they want and often for disregard for the the rules of their church leaders. In the Jewish faith for example, cremation is strictly forbidden, yet I recent spoke recently to the owner of a Jewish funeral home in Florida who said he is now cremating 35% of the Jews he serves. He does not promote cremation at all, yet people continue to request it. Next thing you know dogs will be living with cats and watching kitty porn!

Christians now can choose to be scattered in the holiest land in all the world. Funeral homes are now working with a company called Holyland Ash Scattering. The company makes it easy to be scattered in their own private memorial scattering garden in Israel. Right along side the Jesus trail, where Jesus lived and taught his followers. People you use this service to return to the holy land are thrilled to be able to lay to rest the earthly remains of their loved ones on such sacred and protected grounds. Survivors can make the pilgrimage in the future and visit the memorial garden and reflect on the life that was, as they gaze out over the sea of Galilee. A popular trend now for people who choose to scatter, is to retain a portion of the ashes. With so many using cremation jewelry to keep and hold their loved one close to their heart and keepsake sized urns. I wonder what the Vatican thinks of people wearing jewelry that holds a portion of ashes. We may have to wait a couple hundred years to find out.

Scattering Ashes in the Holy Land — Serving Funeral Homes Everywhere

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