Planning a funeral for someone can be a difficult and challenging prospect, but a funeral director can assist with many of the steps involved. They are accustomed to the fact that most people don't understand how funerals are arranged and may have questions that they hesitate to ask for fear of looking foolish. This is why you should never hesitate to simply ask a funeral director for any help needed, and note a few common questions below so you can discuss these with him or her as well.

1. How does the body get from the hospital to a funeral home?

Once you've gotten a death certificate from a hospital, you can call a funeral home and they will arrange to have the body picked up for you. This is not something you need to arrange on your own. The the funeral home will know how to collect the remains, to fill out paperwork at the hospital, and so on. The funeral director will also tell you what you need to do to ensure the hospital knows that they will be the ones to collect the remains of the deceased as well.

2. Is a casket always needed for burial?

There are many persons today who are foregoing the usual expensive casket for burial and opting for things that are more affordable and better for the environment. There are natural burials where the deceased is wrapped in linen or other cloths, palm tree leaves, and the like, so that there are no chemicals that run off into the ground as a casket breaks down. Whatever your wishes by way of burial for the deceased, talk to the funeral director and he or she will typically do everything they can to accommodate.

3. What if you want the deceased buried in another area?

If you want the remains of the deceased to be returned to their hometown or another area for burial, your funeral director can help you to make these arrangements. Usually you need to have another funeral home in that area ready to receive the remains, and the two funeral directors will coordinate how this is done. The funeral director in the area of the burial will then receive the remains and arrange for burial once they arrive. Talk to a local funeral director about what you need to do and how they can assist in getting this done so the deceased is buried in your preferred choice of areas.

For more information or assistance planning a funeral, contact a company like Chapel of the Holy Family.