hw 53 A

1.) Article 1: Precis: After the earthquake in Haiti, the thousands dead were buried in mass graves without identification which the public feared that the dead bodies posed a health risk such as the spread of disease and infection. Though their assumptions might seem valid, bodies of people who die healthy don't spread disease but the people when handling the bodies without proper care can run a risk. The important thing was to identify the dead so the families can grieve for them and properly dispose of the bodies using chemicals and such to disinfect.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/8465464.stm

Article 2 : Precis: Picking the perfect coffin is important as it's part of your final say in your send off even though you won't be able to see your funeral play out at least you can choose the coffin. By pre- planning your own funeral or someone else's can help make the entire process a lot easier to handle. It assures you that you or your dead will be handled with care. Death and how what you want to happen to your body is something that should be talked about and planned ahead of time.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-10636368

The first article spoke about the lack of the care of the dead since they were buried in mass graves or left rotting on the roadsides after the quake without identification. when people are buried in mass graves without identification it becomes difficult to keep tack of the death toll not to mention the relatives of the decease would have a hard time with the grieving process if they knew the type of care their dead received. The second article which focused on the preplanning of the funeral and burials unlike just shoving the dead into mass graves without a care. The arranging of your funeral can actually be helpful like picking your own coffin instead of leaving in the hands of others.


2. Michelle and I went to a funeral home called The Funeral Chapel owned by Frank E. Campbell. We got a tour of the place which didn't seem very warm or inviting. The lighting in the place was very dim,it was cold and all the staff were either dressed in all black or dark colors and kept a very cool composure. We found out that the funeral home require an authorization to obtain custody of the body and must be released to them upon their request. We found out that the funeral homes direct cremations are more expensive than their direct burials because you get to choose from a range of alternative containers to place the remains inside. The type of container affects the price of the cremation. They have more packages for cremations than they do for burials. We also found out that embalming needed to be done if you wanted an open casket funeral or viewing and that can be done in their "preparation room". There was also a chapel located on the ground floor where funeral services are held. They also stated that their staff is on call for anything regarding the service you choose. They pretty much take care of every aspect regarding the care of the dead from the funeral service to the hearse ride to the cemetery. Everything can be handled by them at a price.

The funeral industry is a money making business . I got the sense from the funeral home that everything can be taken care of for the death of your loved one, but at a price. The cost of the different services can be very expensive. It costs a lot to die. Funeral homes stand to make a lot of money off of people who simply don't want to be involved because they handle everything from the moment they get custody of the body to the moment it's placed in the ground while you pay all the expenses along the way. So it's as if you're paying for something that doesn't turn out to be personal at all. Which lead me to think about the alternative funeral and burial options out there. Without getting a funeral home involved in the process such as home births or sea burials. Instead of paying strangers to take care of and handle your death rather handle the arrangements yourself and have it be less expensive while making the experience more meaningful and personal.