Presenter: Holly Pruett
Date: Thursday, October 10, 2024, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Registration: Details / Register Online
Did you know that in Oregon and Washington, like most states, one is not required to purchase the services of a funeral director or funeral home? Many people don’t know about the rights of families to care for their own dead – what’s often called a “home funeral”.
This workshop shares a bereaved mother’s story of what happened when the deputy medical examiner, hospital chaplain, and funeral director didn’t know the law after her son’s death. The website she later created with other home funeral advocates is changing professional practice to prevent what happened to her family from happening to others.
This presentation will explore and discuss:
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Families’ rights and responsibilities when death occurs
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What’s meant by a “home funeral” and how families can benefit from more hands-on engagement with after-death care
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Barriers posed by misinformation, conventional wisdom, and default practices among helping professionals
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Simple techniques for empowering families with non-commercial consumer information
