If your family member is under the care of Florida Hospice, they have probably told you that you need to look into Funeral Arrangements or Cremation Services in Florida. There are multiple steps once this process begins and we wanted to help families understand the processes.

What is Hospice?

Hospice is end-of-life care that focuses on the quality of life for people and their caregivers who are experiencing an advanced, life-limiting illness. Hospice care provides compassionate care for people in the last phases of incurable disease so that they may live as fully and comfortably as possible. Hospice can care for your loved one in your home if necessary or in a Hospice Care Facility. Sometimes hospice also has facilities within hospitals to help families. Once your loved one is near the end of their life, Hospice will need for the family to make the decision of final arrangement. Once a family has chosen their final cremation arrangements, the family needs to give the cremation facility’s name and phone number to Hospice.

When deciding on cremation vs burial for your loved one understand some key facts and suggestions:

• Florida burial services are usually between 10,000-15,0000 for complete burial. The price of Florida cremation can run between 1500 -5000 depending on if you are having a viewing.  
• It is bestto look ahead into what Florida Crematories or Funeral Homes are in your immediate area. 
• Look for affordable direct cremations in your local area and make contact with a crematory near you. Speak to someoneto make some arrangements for your loved one so that Hospice can call them anytime day or night. 
• Try to find someone within 50miles or less of your area for the best service when it comes to taking your loved one from the Hospice Home.
• You can have all of your paperwork filled out ahead of time.
• The forms that are needed are a Vital Statistics form, a cremation authorization form which is used for permission to cremate, and then make sure you keep these forms in a safe convenient place and send them to the facility you have chosen. Here are the forms to fill out: https://goinghomecremations.com/forms/
• You can pay at the time of need for cremation services but it is better to have your forms filled out ahead of time. 

 After you have decided on what facility you are using, notify Hospice of your choice and make sure they have the 24-hour number for the direct cremation or burial company you are using. If Hospice is taking care of our loved one at your home make sure you call Hospice when death occurs if they are not present at the time. Hospice must initiate the call to any funeral home or crematory that you are using. Before the direct cremation facility picks up your loved one, they will pronounce the time of death and prepare your loved one for transport into the care of a Florida direct cremation facility of your choice. 

It usually takes approximately 1-3 hours for someone to arrive depending on time of day and traffic. The transport company will take your loved one into their care and deliver them to the facility you have chosen. If your loved one is a Veteran, Going Home Cremation will drape an American flag over your loved while in transport. Please make sure you notify the Hospice nurse that your loved one is a Veteran.

IF DEATH OCCURS unexpectedly IN YOUR HOME:

If your loved one is at home and is NOT under the care of hospice, make sure you call 911,Ambulance services and Law enforcement will be called out to your home. Depending on the circumstances the police will decide if your loved one will go to the coroner or direct to a cremation or funeral facility.

At Going Home Cremations, we answer our phones 24/7 so that Hospice can reach us anytime day or night. We cover Pinellas County south to Lee County.