When you get married, you’re signing on for a partner for life. But sadly, death often gets in the way of this plan making the death of a spouse traumatic and stressful. That’s From dealing with the emotional fallout to planning a cremation service in Clarksville, TN, the stress of losing your spouse can have a severe impact on your emotional and physical health.

That’s where these tips come in. They can help you deal with the loss of a spouse in a healthy and healing-driving manner:

1. Avoid Major Decisions – Grief can cloud judgement or lead you to rash decisions. Try to avoid making major decisions after losing a spouse as you might not be thinking clearly after the loss. Put off decisions regarding moving or quitting a job till later, as any decision you make will be clouded by the loss of your spouse and might not be the best choice in the long run.
2. Take Care of Yourself – Grief can have both physical and psychological symptoms. You may feel exhausted or in pain after losing a spouse or may find it difficult to think clearly or process your emotions. Many people try to numb themselves to deal with the pain of loss by turning to drugs or alcohol. This is unhealthy in the long run. Instead, take care of yourself by eating right, exercising, sleeping, and talking to a therapist if you so choose.
3. Acknowledge the Loss – It’s easy to allow yourself to get lost in the planning and details of a death, like planning a cremation service, and not allow yourself to feel your emotions. However, it’s important to take time to acknowledge the loss and let yourself begin to process it. Letting yourself mourn and deal with the fact that your life has changed is the healthiest way to proceed.
4. Make a Plan for Personal Belongings – Take as much time as you need before taking this step but do make a plan for your spouse’s personal belongings at some point in your grieving process. It’s important to move on in the way that’s right for you, so do whatever feels right to you, whether it’s putting the items into storage, donating them to a charity, selling them, or leaving them where they are.
5. Memorialize – Remembering and memorializing a lost loved one, and especially a spouse, can go a long way towards healing as it allows you to reflect on the good memories, love and happiness in a healthy way. You can make a memorial with a cremation urn, photographs, or custom art.

Dealing with the death of a spouse will never be easy, but these tips may help ease your process in small ways. Sykes Funeral Home & Crematory offers a range of services and is here to help if you would like to learn more about dealing with a loss or your options for Clarksville, TN cremation services. We are here to help you however we can in your time of loss.

Its particularly difficult to know how a child will handle a death and a cremation service in Clarksville, TN. Many parents and guardians struggle with what to say and how to speak to children about death – especially since losing a loved one is never easy, and everyone handles these losses in different ways including children.

You have to keep in mind that every child is different and will deal with grief in a different way. Be prepared that just because one kid was more open to communicate another kid may not be the same, and keep these tips in mind:

1. Talk About the Future – The child will most likely have questions about how this loss will affect the future. Be reassuring but honest about changes, like how holidays will be a bit different but still fun.
2. Be Honest – Kids are smarter than they seem, especially when it comes to emotions. Be honest with the child about how you’re feeling and let him know that he can express his feelings honesty, too.
3. Be Prepared for a Variety of Reactions – Every kid reacts differently to loss and death, so be prepared for a variety of reactions. This is especially true if this is the first time the child will have lost someone close to him. Let the child deal with the loss in his own way and be prepared to support him however he needs.
4. Focus on Understanding – Focus the conversation on what death and loss means to make sure the child understands what has happened. Let him know what death is so that he is not left confused or with questions.
5. Prepare for the Funeral or Service – Be sure to spend time discussing what the funeral or service will be like. Your child might have questions about the burial or cremation, so be prepared to answer them. You should also discuss funeral etiquette and the exact plan for the day of the service.
6. Grieve Together – Don’t be afraid to express your emotions in front of the child. Crying together is a good way to move forward and heal.

You can also help your child manage and understand his grief through various activities. There are lots of activities to try, from one to get him talking about his feelings or one to have him create something to keep memories of the deceased. For example, you can try creating a memory box.

Help the child make a special box in which he can keep keepsakes that remind him of the deceased. For younger children you can build the box and help them decorate it, while older children might be able to build the box themselves. You can also try a feeling matching game in which the child connects his feelings with positive actions in order to help him work through what he’s feeling.

Sykes Funeral Home & Crematory is here to help if you want to learn more about dealing with loss or Clarksville, TN cremation services. Please stop by and visit us or give us a call for more information on what we can do for you in your time of loss.

Many bereaved have questions about the cremation services in Clarksville, TN which is understandable as its not common knowledge how it works and its done. It’s important to ask these questions sooner rather than later in order to make sure that you have all the necessary information to make an informed choice for after the loss of a loved one. One of the most common areas that people have questions about is the mechanics of cremation, specifically how the cremation or chamber works.

The cremation chamber, sometimes called an oven or a retort, operates between 1,400- and 1,800-degrees Fahrenheit. This high heat is necessary to break down the body into small fragments of bone and ash and is generally produced by propane or natural gas. Most cremation ovens are made out of fire-resistant bricks and special masonry. The fire-resistant bricks line the interior of the chamber on the ceiling and walls. Specially made masonry materials cover the bottom of the chamber as that is the area that is exposed to the highest temperatures.

Cremation oven walls are usually about 6 inches think to keep the extreme heat contained. They can have manually or mechanically operated doors depending on the model and design. Organic body materials like skin, tissue, organs and muscle are oxidized and then vaporized during the cremation process, as the human body is mostly made of water, bone and carbon. These vapors are filtered and released through the oven’s exhaust system. All that remains after a cremation is bone fragments and non-organic materials like artificial bones or joints, implants, or dental work.

All jewelry and removable medical devices are taken off the body before the cremation. The bone fragments are separated from non-organic materials and then left to cool. After cooling, they are processed and broken down into what we call ashes, with a texture like coarse sand. These ashes are placed in sealed bag and returned to the bereaved so they can inurn, bury, scatter or spread them as they so choose. In order to stay in compliance with health and safety codes and to maintain the dignity of the deceased before, during and after the cremation. All bodies are placed in a cremation container before the cremation takes places and for the duration of the process.

There are certain container specifications that also must be met for health and safety laws, but the remainder of the container details can be chose by the bereaved. Many choose standard corrugated boxes, and others choose wooden containers or caskets. No matter what kind of container is chosen, its purpose is to hold the body before the cremation and break down entirely during the cremation, so no residue is left.

Sykes Funeral Home & Crematory is here to help if you have more questions about the cremation process or would like to learn more about your options for Clarksville, TN cremation services. You can stop by and visit us or give us a call for more information on what we can do for you in your time of loss or of preplanning.

As required by law, during all cremation services in Clarksville, TN, the body is placed inside a cremation container before being put inside the cremation chamber. Cremation containers can vary from simple cardboard boxes to more traditional caskets.

These fully combustible containers are large and sturdy enough to hold the body during transportation to the chamber and during the cremation itself. There are a few different kinds of cremation containers, each with different intentions and needs. The main thing that they all have in common is that they are fully combustible, meaning they don’t have any parts that won’t melt or break down under extreme heat like decorations or metal handles.

The kind of container that is chose depends on a few key factors including the family’s wishes, the size of the person, whether or not there will be a viewing with the body present, local laws, the crematory’s standards and, of course, budget. The most common kind of cremation container is a rigid cardboard box that is large enough to hold an average body.

The purpose of the container is to provide a dignified means of storing the body prior to cremation and to literally contain the body while it is being prepared for cremation and when entering the retort. These common containers are simple and unadorned, making them budget friendly for those looking for an inexpensive option. Families can also choose to rent caskets for the funeral service and then use a common cremation container for the cremation itself.

This is a good way to save money while also honoring the deceased with a more decorated casket. Rental caskets are kept sanitary with removable linings, shells and overlays that are used to hold the body in the rental as well as the cremation container. There are a few other kinds of cremation containers and caskets such as green caskets that are made from natural materials or Jewish caskets, called arons, that are specially made for Jewish funerals.

Also, in some instances, the family wishes to spend a bit more money on a decorated cremation casket. This usually happens when there is going to be a viewing or service with the body present before the cremation. These cremation caskets are decorated with combustible or removable hardware and are often made from wood and natural materials like bamboo or wicker. Or, in some cases, the common cremation container isn’t an option, such as when the body is larger than average and requires a sturdier box.

With so many choices, how do you choose the right container for your lost loved one? The first step is being informed and knowing your options, and then you should take the deceased’s wishes into account, as well as what kind of cremation and service you are going to have. Remember, though, at the end of the day there is no wrong choice as it only matters that you choose what’s right for you and the deceased.

Sykes Funeral Home & Crematory help you with any and all of your Clarksville, TN cremation service needs or questions. Please stop by and visit us or give us a call today.

Many people hear false horror stories of families being returned the wrong cremains, or just being given bags of wood ash or even of sand. These rumors lead to a lot of concern over the cremation identification process. That’s why one of the main concerns the bereaved have with cremation services in Clarksville, TN is how their loved one’s remains will be identified throughout the cremation process.

These concerns are understandable, as it is a very sensitive subject with a lot of tension. However, there is no reason for these concerns as all licensed cremation providers have thorough and effective identification procedures in place to ensure accuracy and dignity. Most licensed cremation providers are more than happy to walk clients through their individual identification process.

The majority of crematories are obligated by law to carry out two different identification processes to ensure the deceased are correctly identified based on the name provided by the authorized agent or the bereaved. First, the deceased’s name, as provided by the bereaved or authorized agent, will be clearly listed on the cremation container. Second, a metal bracelet, disk or other token will be placed in the container with the deceased. This metal tag will not be broken down during the cremation process and will remain with the cremated ashes to further ensure identification.

Don’t be ashamed to ask for additional details, as most cremation businesses understand these concerns and are happy to help alleviate them. It’s important for you to be 100% comfortable with your provider and their practices. It can be difficult to ask questions surrounding such delicate and potentially painful topics. If you’re unsure of what to ask surrounding identification during the cremation process, try these questions such as

• “How are the deceased identified?”
• “How does this process change if I am not there when he or she passes?”
• “How can I be sure my loved one is the one you are cremating?”
• “How can I be sure of this if I choose a cremation without a viewing?”
• “In what ways do you certify that the ashes I am returned are those of my loved one?”

If the cremation provider is unable or unwilling to answer questions such as these, consider taking your business elsewhere. It’s vital that you feel comfortable with the cremation process.

You can always ask for additional identification steps. For example, you can ask for a detailed explanation of the cremation process in writing, have the cremation provider do a comparison of the deceased to a current photo of your loved one before the cremation begins, ask the cremation provider to do a final identification check based on a listed unique detail like a tattoo or birth mark.

Sykes Funeral Home & Crematory is here to help if you would like to learn more about the body identification process during cremation or Clarksville, TN cremation services. Stop and visit us or give us a call today for more information on what we can do for you in your time of loss.