Benefits of Cremation

While there are many reasons a familiy in Wilkes-Barre, PA might choose cremation over burial, the simple answer comes down to six main things: cost, simplicity, flexibility, environmental concerns, cemetery availability, and religions becoming less strict.

Cost

As with most major purchases today, money is almost always a deciding factor for most people. When you look at the general price list for most funeral homes, you will often find that the cost of a cremation service is less than a burial service. On average, the price of a cremation service is around 45-50% cheaper than a burial service. Because there is no need to purchase items like a casket, vault, or headstone, families can use these savings to help the surviving family or offset the costs of the service. These savings can also be used to plan a more meaningful celebration of life or memorial service.

Environmental Concerns

Many see cremation as a greener option for caring for their loved one's remains. Burial often uses harsh chemicals to embalm the remains for a funeral service. This leads to concerns that those chemicals can contaminate the environment. Burial also takes up land space and disturbs the earth by bury the casket. While a crematory does release emissions, new equipment is constantly being developed to reduce the pollution and environmental impact.

Cemetery Availability

If a particular cemetery is a popular or desired place to be buried, eventually it will become full. More and more cemeteries are becoming completely full, and due to short supply of spaces the price of burial plots is in turn, increasing. Cremation allows you to avoid the trouble and stress of finding a burial plot.

Simplicity

Simplicity is another reason why cremation is better for most families. When planning a burial service for a loved one, you must spend time away from your family to select a cemetery, organize pallbearers, purchase a casket and complete many other tasks. Cremation services in Wilkes-Barre, PA offers a more simplified process which requires less of your time away from your family. This means you can spend the days following your loved one’s passing with family and friends as you comfort one another and mourn together.

Flexibility

A cremation service also allows for more flexibility. Since you can host a celebration of life or a memorial service weeks or even months after the cremation, you are not constrained by time. This means you can take your time to plan a more meaningful service and ensure guests can plan ahead and schedule themselves to be there. Furthermore, celebrations of life and memorial services do not operate on common traditions and rituals that traditional funerals do. Celebrations of life and memorial services give you the flexibility to make the ceremony much more personal and unique. They can take place almost anywhere and can take any type of format and style that you want.

Religions Becoming Less Strict

Many people are starting to move away from tradition due to religions having a more relaxed stance on cremation. Catholics believe that the soul is immortal and does not depend on the physical body. Since cremation of the deceased's remains do not affect his or her soul, according to the Church, there are no doctrinal objections to the practice (Bryner, 2016). The less strict beliefs of the Catholic church are becoming another reason that people are choosing cremation rather than burial. 

According to Wikipedia, cremation dates back at least 20,000 years ago in Australia, while in Europe, there is evidence of cremation dating to around 2,000 B.C. Cremation was common in Ancient Greece and Rome, and it remains a standard practice in India. The practice of cremation faded in Europe by the fifth century and during the Middle Ages, it was primarily used in the punishment of heretics or in response to the fear of contagious diseases. Today, cremation is preferred by more and more people around the world.

Cremation typically costs one-third of the cost of a traditional burial. While it's true that cost is a big factor for many families, it's important to remember that cremation is only one part of providing meaningful end-of-life care for a loved one. Coming to terms with the death of a loved one is important and can be achieved with a memorial service. Bringing family and friends together provides everyone with the opportunity to share memories and receive support.

Sit down with us to discuss your cremation options. We appreciate the opportunity to share our insights and experience to fully support you in making end-of-life decisions for you and your family. Contact us to schedule an appointment or drop by our office.

Online Sources:

Wikipedia, "Cremation"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cremation