If you've recently lost a loved one who asked to be cremated, this may be the first time that you have ever dealt with cremation. If so, you might not really understand the timing of the process or what you should expect. Many people find themselves wondering how long cremation takes or asking why the process is taking as long as it is. There are a few key things that you should know that can directly affect how long it takes for a cremation to be completed. Here are some of those things to think about and discuss with the crematorium. 

How Busy Is The Crematorium?

If you're dealing with the only crematorium in a large area, you might find that the facility is a really busy one. In those cases, it can take a while for the final cremation process to be completed because they can legally only process one body at a time. This ensures the integrity of the cremains for the family as well. Unfortunately, it does mean that you have to have patience when it comes to getting the job done because there may be others that need to be cremated first.

Is The Medical Information Correct?

Another thing that can delay cremation is incorrect information passed to the crematorium or the funeral home. The deceased's doctor, or the declaring doctor, must sign paperwork confirming the cause of death as well as the time and place where it occurred. This must happen before the remains can be cremated. If the crematorium can't get in touch with the doctor, or they are provided with the wrong information for the doctor, this can delay the process. Make sure you double-check all of the information that you give them for accuracy.

Have You Signed The Next-Of-Kin Release?

Legal statues also require that you sign a release as the next of kin, and that release authorizes the crematorium to complete the cremation process. They can't start without your signature, or the signature of the necessary next of kin, so make sure that you have that handled in a timely manner as well. That way, you're not holding anything up.

Are There Any Special Considerations?

Did your loved one have a pacemaker, a prosthesis, or any other medical device that will have to be removed? If so, this requires additional time and specific scheduling to make sure that it is completed before the cremation. That's particularly important if you're dealing with a pacemaker or something similar because those can actually explode from the heat. 

Talk with a local cremation service today for information about how long you can expect to wait for your loved one's cremains.

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