How many unclaimed or abandoned cremated human remains do you have in your facility? In how many different locations are they stored? As much as you would like to turn your head away from facing this issue, it must be addressed.
It’s a ticking time bomb. And your firm is sitting on it.
The first step is to obtain and read your state rules and regulations dealing with what you are allowed to do with unclaimed or abandoned cremated human remains. If you don’t have a copy you may want to contact your state association to start. Many times, these rules and regulations are difficult to locate from the internet; also, some states have very few rules if anything in regards to this area.
The next step is to take inventory and to gather all unclaimed or abandoned cremated human remains into a secure area. Once you have the names and dates of cremation, the case files need to be located and reviewed.
The review is to determine who the authorizing individual(s) are and if instructions were given on what was to be done with the cremated human remains. Often, it is documented that the cremated human remains should have been buried or scattered years ago, but it never took place. There could be many situations where the owner of the firm will need to make a determination of how to handle different situations.
After you have contacted the authorizing individuals(s) by resister return receipt and there is no communication back or the address is bad, you need to decide what long-term storage you are going to use. Many firms purchase a crypt or a grave and vault. When placing cremated human remains in long-term storage, there are critical areas that need to be addressed:
? Identification: The minimum container should be hard plastic with identification engraved into the plastic. Paper labels can come off due to moisture in graves and crypts.
? Place some form of shelving between each layer of cremated human remains. This could be as simple as a sheet of plywood to separate them.
? Have a detailed grid or diagram that shows the exact location of each cremated human remains.
? Maintain a file with detailed information on each cremated human remains. This information should consist of name, copy of the letter that was sent, type of container, who is authorized to claim the cremated human remains, location of the cremated human remains and the cost to retrieve them from long-term storage.
Some states allow the firm to scatter unclaimed cremated human remains. However, scattering is an irreversible process. Once scattered, the cremated human remains cannot be retrieved. You may be within your rights to scatter, but it does not stop a family member from bringing legal action against you and your firm. The cost of the litigation and press coverage will far exceed that of the grave or crypt.
You may be within your rights to scatter, but…
Once you have your unclaimed cremated human remains taken care of, work on not having the same problem again. The first step is to have a clear understanding with the families who are requesting cremation – they need to do something with the cremated human remains after they are returned to the funeral home.
This may necessitate someone reviewing the unclaimed cremated human remains at the start of each month and have the arranger contact the authorizing agent.
When I write an article on cremation, I attempt to upgrade the cremation procedures that many of the death care providers are following. These procedures may take more time or add cost to your firm. If they do, you may want to research what you are charging and adjust to reflect the dignity and respect that everyone needs to have when dealing with consumers that choose cremation.