Choices: Funeral and Cremation Options in Riverdale, NY
If a death has happened in your family, you may be faced with uncertainty about the next steps to take. Who should you call on for support in your time of need? Who can you trust to care for the mortal remains of your fallen loved one? Because death is not something that most people regularly encounter, it isn’t something that most of us know how to deal with on our own. If you need funeral and cremation support in Riverdale, NY, there are a few things to know before you engage a company’s services.
Contrary to popular opinions, there is no wrong way to hold a funeral and burial service. There are many reasons why a family might prefer a particular service option such as burial, or cremation and scattering. The choice may come down to the final instructions of the deceased, any pre-arranged funeral plans, family customs, and traditional observances, or even budgetary limitations. Fortunately, there are no absolute requirements for how a service should be carried out. The main priority is that the needs of the deceased and their family are met by their chosen end of life care.
Traditional Burial and Cremation Services (Jewish, Spanish, Catholic)
Here at the Riverdale-on-Hudson Funeral Home, we specialize in serving the needs of our local communities. Many families come with unique funeral requests that are important for them to observe. We’ve come to respect and appreciate the simple beauty of these traditional observances, and have made it our business to assist families in planning funerals for their fallen loved ones that meet these requirements.
Some families request a traditional funeral service with earth burial. The body of the deceased is prepared for the services through embalming, dressing, and grooming. Services often include visitation hours where friends and families can view the deceased and pay their final respects. The viewing also provides a place where friends and relatives can extend their support and sympathy to the surviving family. After the viewing, a funeral service is held in the chosen manner and tradition. This is sometimes held in a peace chapel, at the side of the grave, or any other preferred location.
Other families may choose cremation care, with the ashes placed in an urn for safekeeping. In time, a family may wish to spread the ashes at a beautiful location that has meaning to the family or the deceased. Some families choose to scatter the ashes immediately, some choose to keep them close, and some choose to bury the ashes. Regardless of what the family chooses to do with the ashes, they often choose to hold a memorial service for their fallen loved one. This service is similar to a funeral, but because cremation has already occurred, the body of their loved one is not present at the ceremony.
Alternatively, some families choose to forgo the embellishments of ceremony, wanting only a direct cremation, or a simple cremation where the remains of their loved one are retrieved from the place of death and taken directly to the crematory for care and disposition. The deceased’s ashes are then given to the family to do with as they deem appropriate.
What to Look for in a Funeral and Cremation Care Provider in Riverdale, NY
When you need help from a professional funeral home, make sure to consider the following details before hiring anyone:
Experience Counts: Always ask if a funeral provider has the experience to perform the services that you want. Some funeral homes specialize in certain types of funeral care and are more qualified with specific cultural and religious traditions.
Funeral Personalization is Important: Whatever your family chooses to do, the memory of your loved one must be honored. A life celebration does not need to be elaborate. There is great meaning in simplicity and traditional customs that are hallmarks of a community. Make sure your funeral care provider is well experienced at personalizing your chosen service to celebrate your fallen loved one.
Pricing: Ask to see the general price list of the funeral establishment you are considering to use. The law requires these prices to be made publicly available upon request. This will help you to comparison shop your options and find a service at a price that is within your budget.
Merchandise: Funeral providers often carry a variety of industry products for sale. These may include caskets, urns, vaults, floral services, and preneed arrangements. When you hire a funeral home, remember that these products are optional to buy, you can source them at other locations if needed.
Venue: Double check that the funeral service facilities are adequate. Is there enough gathering space for funeral attendees? Is it in a convenient location? Does the building have the needed amenities that you want?
Here When You Need Us
Since 1966, Riverdale-on-Hudson Funeral Home, Inc. has been supporting local families who’ve lost someone close. If your family needs funeral and cremation support in Riverdale, NY, stop by our funeral home at 6110 Riverdale Ave Bronx, NY 10471. Call us at (718) 884-6100.