5 Reasons To Choose Cremation When Someone Dies Away From Home

When a loved one dies while away from home, making their final arrangements is often harder, more emotional, and more expensive. One decision that can help ease your burden in all three areas is cremation in the local area of the death. Why? Here are five reasons this choice will help your family. 

1. It's Less Expensive

While all final arrangements involve some cost, the transportation of the body of a deceased person is one of the biggest expenses. Depending on how it must be transported, from where, and what the rules are in that area, you may have to pay to cover embalming, air freight, approved caskets, and specialized services. Cremation drastically reduces these costs by removing the body from the equation. 

2. It's Simpler

As mentioned, transporting a body over a distance (and especially over borders) is a challenging process. Make it significantly simpler by transporting the remains as ashes. You may be able to just hand-carry them in a personal vehicle, for instance, rather than have to hire a hearse or arrange for air cargo. Not only will this make things physically easier, but it will also make it somewhat easier emotionally. 

3. It's a Common Choice

Check with your late loved one's will or estate planning papers, if available. They may have chosen cremation for themselves. If not, consult as a family or with the executor. Cremation is an increasingly common choice, so it's more likely to be what the deceased would have wanted — meaning there's no reason not to do it where convenient. 

4. It's Not Time-Sensitive

Unfortunately, death away from home slows down the process of the final disposition of the remains and thus finding closure as a grieving family. If you wait until they arrive back home, many days may pass. You may, for instance, have to add embalming whether or not it was their intent. Timing is of particular concern if their religious beliefs require quick disposition. 

5. It Doesn't Preclude Services

Don't feel that cremating your loved one away from family and friends has to hinder the grieving process. You can still have all the funeral or memorial services you wish and honor them as you otherwise would. Depending on the circumstances, you may opt for a small viewing before cremation for those who need it. 

Where to Start

It may sound somewhat harsh to have your loved one cremated in a distant location, but it could be better for everyone who remains. Start by learning more about cremation options in consultation with a cremation provider in the area today.