By: Camille Baillargeon - Family Advisor
During the days and weeks following the death of a loved one, many decisions will rest on your shoulders or those of your family. You may feel under pressure to complete these steps required as quickly as possible. We wouldd like to take some of that stress away, by outlining the real deadlines involved, so you can make an informed plan that is right for you.
Immediately after death
- The quickest time to respect will also be the first : the choice of a funeral home to allow transporters to collect the deceased. You will have about 48 hours if the death occurs at the hospital, but this choice must be made within hours if it occurs at home or in a residence. Some residences or CHSLDs also require you to have made that choice beforehand, and to communicate it to the people in charge.
To this end, we offer a pre-arrangement service that can relieve you of some of the urgency of dealing with the death of your loved one.
- The Memoria representative on the phone will open a file and arrange an appointment for you within a few days. Please do not feel pressured to make that appointment on the day of the death. If you need a day to rest, organize your papers, gather missing information, or simply breathe and absorb the shock, don't hesitate to take it.
- On the administrative side, the Memoria counselor you will meet, will take care of completing many of the pressing government formalities on your behalf, as long as you are able to provide some basic information. A list is given to you before the appointment, so that you can prepare yourself accordingly.
Organization of funeral rituals
- When it comes to ceremonies with a casket, there are two different deadlines to be respected: if you wish the casket to be opened, you have up to 30 days after death to carry out the commemoration and burial. If, on the other hand, you wish the casket to remain closed during the commemoriation, you have up to 60 days. Talk to your counselor at the initial appointment to reserve a ceremony date that is available and convenient for everyone.
- In the case of an urn, there is no time limit. The choice of date is therefore determined by your preferences or expectations. Whether you want it to be organized quickly or you prefer to wait for a specific date, it's up to you.
Burial
- Burial or entombment of the coffin usually takes place directly after the ceremony or funeral. In very rare cases, the cemetery may have closed one of its sections for the winter, if the terrain is rough, and the deceased will be placed in storage until a milder season. This possibility will have been discussed with the cemetery beforehand. Burial is not affected by winter temperatures.
- Burial of the urn, as its display, has no deadlines. This can be done directly after the planned funeral rituals, if the season permits it (since urns are not placed in the ground in winter). Some families also prefer to keep the urn at home for some time. Memoria can also store cinerary remains over winter until the weather warms up.
You can reach us seven days a week at 514-277-7778 to speak with a funeral counselor. It will be our pleasure to guide you, even before a death occurs, so that you are prepared.
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