One of the most common annoyances of the funeral industry is the lack of predictability for the work. However, recently I was in a class on quantitative research where we discussed 'big data' and I realised how it could possibly apply to the funeral industry. That this new form of qualitative research might be able to accurately predict specific details about funeral work.
Which would be quite a benefit to many companies and individuals!
Showing posts with label unpredictable. Show all posts
Showing posts with label unpredictable. Show all posts
2012-03-12
How We View the Undertaker & Why Many Deny the Job
Funeral directors get a lot of different and often strong reactions when telling people their occupations. In fact many funeral directors I talked with admitted that they had lied about or avoided the topic of their job at least once. They are not ashamed of what they do, no, they are actually often quite proud. However they feel others would likely judge them for doing the work they do.
This is not an unfounded notion. For example take a moment to think of 'funeral director' or 'undertaker'. One will usual conjure an image of a strange guy in a dark suit and oddly wearing a top hat, a person who is odd in nature and a little creepy. To further this google "undertaker" and you will find, strangely enough, the top images are of a wrestler. His clothing and appearance is dark, wearing a brimmed black hat and usually shown as dimly lit and with fog. Search "funeral director" and we find more images of various people in dark suits; many of whom are walking in front of or next to a hearse. Although many of them are smiling most of them are lacking colour or warmth. Looking for "embalmer" or "mortician" we get images of people in a mortuary, usually over a steel table, posing with tools or performing a procedure. All of these images are cold, the tiled walls, the vapid colours and the lack of expression on the persons face. There is rarely any colour other than hospital green and no smiling in any of these photos.
It is clear that searching for funeral people or related positions results in almost negative results. But we might doubt this is representative of the general public. After all, search for "archaeology" and the top hit is of Indiana Jones swinging his whip. However I very much doubt this would be the first thought for most people when they think of archaeology. So it is not much of a leap to assume that the google results for funeral professional images would not be too smilar to what people think of funeral professionals.
Yet this is not the case, people do think of strange things when thinking of undertakers. Undertakers have just cause for 'hiding' what they do for a living from others. A common reaction I and others in the industry have experienced is "I couldn't do that". This is one of the first things a few have said to me, and something several in the industry said they have heard. As if the job is for very few and definitely not for them. In saying this most are referring to what they perceive as a difficult job, both in terms of being dirty and emotional.
Lets break down this idea of it being a dirty job. What is strange is that it is usually less dirty a job than what a nurse, doctor or carer would have. The closest undertakers get to the body is putting the deceased in a bag and then later putting clothes on them. There is little actual contact with a body, less than for many carers. Yet it is considered more dirty than other jobs by most people. But not just dirty, it is also seen as grose and unclean. A nurse deals with the living, an undertaker deals with the dead and just this fact makes the job more dirty. I have been questioned about the 'quality' of bodies, how they decompose and how fast they decompose. A few people have said how the job must be bad at times commenting that bodies decompose fairly fast. What they do not realise is that the funeral industry is an old and experienced one. Bodies are preserved in a special fridge. People have an idea that the job involves dealing with decomposing bodies constantly. These questions and ideas lead to the notion that the process of touching a body, let alone interacting with 'it' is dirty. I have also been asked about "the smell of death", which does not exist, the closest thing is the smell of the embalming chemicals. Their scent would cling to clothing, and some people did comment on the odd smell. But it is closer to a chemical smell than a 'scent of death'. The very idea that death can have a smell, and that undertakers would be use or exposed to it is interesting. Death itself has a presence, which lingers on those who associate themselves with it. In other words this dirtiness of the body (in this case the smell) clings to those who work with bodies. It follows them home and stays with them. Basically to many the act of touching a body is dirty in itself, but also that this dirtiness transfers to those who touch the body.
The emotional difficulty is also something some raise. Just recently I had someone say "it must be emotionally hard". That undertakers have a depressing job in dealing with the depressed living and dealing with the dead. Many think of a funeral as a sad and fairly depressing affair. We turn once again to our friend google to look for images of "funeral". What comes up are pictures, usually void of colour and just black and white of people standing around a coffin in a cemetery. The people are often crying or looking sadly at the coffin as it is either carried or lowered. What I found is that many funerals, while sad in a way, are a 'celebration' of the departed. People did not linger on the negatives of their loss but clung to the positives of their impact on those left behind. Of the good times they had and the good memories they will keep. However, to be perfectly honest, most funerals are more an excuse to have lunch while catching up with relative otherwise rarely seen. I was primarily a 'family car driver', which involved driving around the close family and/or friends of the deceased on the funeral. These families or friends were rarely depressed or difficult. Actually most were actually really fun and great people, and we often had a great time together. So funerals, and those attending, are not really emotionally difficult or draining in most cases. As for dealing with death and bodies this is not an issue. Not to sound cold but you will get use to it after a couple of bodies. Medical professionals who treat and work with patients have more trouble with 'death' or 'bodies than funeral directors. For example at some nursing homes where the staff focused on or spent a lot of time with patients they were sad to see them die. These nurses would often be involved in the transfer if they could, wanting to oversee the paperwork and the process. In doing so they would quietly or silently say their goodbyes to the patient. However the funeral director did not know the deceased in anyway other than them being deceased. Thus there is less emotional connection, simply put it is not personal. Having said that children or babies were different, especially to parents and more so if the deceased reminded them of their own child. While funerals were rarely a sad event, more often being closer to a family gathering, the children's funerals were different. They were not 'sad' or 'depressing' but were much more tense. Everything was more important, everything was more observed and everything had to go perfectly. Appart from children or infants overall I found being an undertaker was emotionally less difficult than working on a cash register.
There was once instance that was surprising to me. I had driven an older man, his wife and their first daughter on a funeral. The relation they had to the deceased I cannot remember. Either way the job had gone well and despite the husband and wife's lack of English we had a good time. We had a good time and everything had gone well. Then about six weeks later I was sent to an address that appeared familiar. upon arrival I recognised the place. It turned out that the husband had died and I was now driving his wife and all three daughters. Overall it was a really enjoyable job, the wife (still lacking English) obviously appreciated me being there again. We again had a good day, although now it had a slightly sad atmosphere to it. This was the closest I ever came to an emotional connection.
So people unreasonably see it as a dirty, emotionally negative job. But this is not enough for those in the industry to hide their occupation. The main reason for this is that a few people judge those with the job negatively. It is rare and I only experienced it once, yet it happens and especially with older or Asian people. Once they find out that the person is a funeral director they want little to do with that person. Mainly as they see it as dirty and that not only does this dirtiness follow the undertaker home but it makes the undertaker themselves dirty. Yes, some believe undertakers to be dirty or contaminated, marked by death and disease. Look at certain Asian cultures (such as those who are Buddhist, Indian or Chinese) who consider those in the funeral industry to be untouchable and the lowest class possible. A good example is the movie 'Departures' where a Japanese man discovers his calling in the funeral industry after he is unable to find any other work. At first he is reluctant and fights the idea of being an undertaker, only doing so as he is desperate for work. And when his wife finds out she leaves him. To certain groups being a funeral director is not just dirty but also wrong.
Many, especially those who are older or Asian, would react badly to the news of one being a funeral director. Even if they do not react badly, they often react inappropriately or are uneasy with the news. Thus many undertakes have avoided or actively lied about what they do for a living. All despite most being proud of what the job and understanding that, while it is not dirty or emotion, that most people will view it this way.
~~
This is not an unfounded notion. For example take a moment to think of 'funeral director' or 'undertaker'. One will usual conjure an image of a strange guy in a dark suit and oddly wearing a top hat, a person who is odd in nature and a little creepy. To further this google "undertaker" and you will find, strangely enough, the top images are of a wrestler. His clothing and appearance is dark, wearing a brimmed black hat and usually shown as dimly lit and with fog. Search "funeral director" and we find more images of various people in dark suits; many of whom are walking in front of or next to a hearse. Although many of them are smiling most of them are lacking colour or warmth. Looking for "embalmer" or "mortician" we get images of people in a mortuary, usually over a steel table, posing with tools or performing a procedure. All of these images are cold, the tiled walls, the vapid colours and the lack of expression on the persons face. There is rarely any colour other than hospital green and no smiling in any of these photos.
It is clear that searching for funeral people or related positions results in almost negative results. But we might doubt this is representative of the general public. After all, search for "archaeology" and the top hit is of Indiana Jones swinging his whip. However I very much doubt this would be the first thought for most people when they think of archaeology. So it is not much of a leap to assume that the google results for funeral professional images would not be too smilar to what people think of funeral professionals.
Yet this is not the case, people do think of strange things when thinking of undertakers. Undertakers have just cause for 'hiding' what they do for a living from others. A common reaction I and others in the industry have experienced is "I couldn't do that". This is one of the first things a few have said to me, and something several in the industry said they have heard. As if the job is for very few and definitely not for them. In saying this most are referring to what they perceive as a difficult job, both in terms of being dirty and emotional.
Lets break down this idea of it being a dirty job. What is strange is that it is usually less dirty a job than what a nurse, doctor or carer would have. The closest undertakers get to the body is putting the deceased in a bag and then later putting clothes on them. There is little actual contact with a body, less than for many carers. Yet it is considered more dirty than other jobs by most people. But not just dirty, it is also seen as grose and unclean. A nurse deals with the living, an undertaker deals with the dead and just this fact makes the job more dirty. I have been questioned about the 'quality' of bodies, how they decompose and how fast they decompose. A few people have said how the job must be bad at times commenting that bodies decompose fairly fast. What they do not realise is that the funeral industry is an old and experienced one. Bodies are preserved in a special fridge. People have an idea that the job involves dealing with decomposing bodies constantly. These questions and ideas lead to the notion that the process of touching a body, let alone interacting with 'it' is dirty. I have also been asked about "the smell of death", which does not exist, the closest thing is the smell of the embalming chemicals. Their scent would cling to clothing, and some people did comment on the odd smell. But it is closer to a chemical smell than a 'scent of death'. The very idea that death can have a smell, and that undertakers would be use or exposed to it is interesting. Death itself has a presence, which lingers on those who associate themselves with it. In other words this dirtiness of the body (in this case the smell) clings to those who work with bodies. It follows them home and stays with them. Basically to many the act of touching a body is dirty in itself, but also that this dirtiness transfers to those who touch the body.
The emotional difficulty is also something some raise. Just recently I had someone say "it must be emotionally hard". That undertakers have a depressing job in dealing with the depressed living and dealing with the dead. Many think of a funeral as a sad and fairly depressing affair. We turn once again to our friend google to look for images of "funeral". What comes up are pictures, usually void of colour and just black and white of people standing around a coffin in a cemetery. The people are often crying or looking sadly at the coffin as it is either carried or lowered. What I found is that many funerals, while sad in a way, are a 'celebration' of the departed. People did not linger on the negatives of their loss but clung to the positives of their impact on those left behind. Of the good times they had and the good memories they will keep. However, to be perfectly honest, most funerals are more an excuse to have lunch while catching up with relative otherwise rarely seen. I was primarily a 'family car driver', which involved driving around the close family and/or friends of the deceased on the funeral. These families or friends were rarely depressed or difficult. Actually most were actually really fun and great people, and we often had a great time together. So funerals, and those attending, are not really emotionally difficult or draining in most cases. As for dealing with death and bodies this is not an issue. Not to sound cold but you will get use to it after a couple of bodies. Medical professionals who treat and work with patients have more trouble with 'death' or 'bodies than funeral directors. For example at some nursing homes where the staff focused on or spent a lot of time with patients they were sad to see them die. These nurses would often be involved in the transfer if they could, wanting to oversee the paperwork and the process. In doing so they would quietly or silently say their goodbyes to the patient. However the funeral director did not know the deceased in anyway other than them being deceased. Thus there is less emotional connection, simply put it is not personal. Having said that children or babies were different, especially to parents and more so if the deceased reminded them of their own child. While funerals were rarely a sad event, more often being closer to a family gathering, the children's funerals were different. They were not 'sad' or 'depressing' but were much more tense. Everything was more important, everything was more observed and everything had to go perfectly. Appart from children or infants overall I found being an undertaker was emotionally less difficult than working on a cash register.
There was once instance that was surprising to me. I had driven an older man, his wife and their first daughter on a funeral. The relation they had to the deceased I cannot remember. Either way the job had gone well and despite the husband and wife's lack of English we had a good time. We had a good time and everything had gone well. Then about six weeks later I was sent to an address that appeared familiar. upon arrival I recognised the place. It turned out that the husband had died and I was now driving his wife and all three daughters. Overall it was a really enjoyable job, the wife (still lacking English) obviously appreciated me being there again. We again had a good day, although now it had a slightly sad atmosphere to it. This was the closest I ever came to an emotional connection.
So people unreasonably see it as a dirty, emotionally negative job. But this is not enough for those in the industry to hide their occupation. The main reason for this is that a few people judge those with the job negatively. It is rare and I only experienced it once, yet it happens and especially with older or Asian people. Once they find out that the person is a funeral director they want little to do with that person. Mainly as they see it as dirty and that not only does this dirtiness follow the undertaker home but it makes the undertaker themselves dirty. Yes, some believe undertakers to be dirty or contaminated, marked by death and disease. Look at certain Asian cultures (such as those who are Buddhist, Indian or Chinese) who consider those in the funeral industry to be untouchable and the lowest class possible. A good example is the movie 'Departures' where a Japanese man discovers his calling in the funeral industry after he is unable to find any other work. At first he is reluctant and fights the idea of being an undertaker, only doing so as he is desperate for work. And when his wife finds out she leaves him. To certain groups being a funeral director is not just dirty but also wrong.
Many, especially those who are older or Asian, would react badly to the news of one being a funeral director. Even if they do not react badly, they often react inappropriately or are uneasy with the news. Thus many undertakes have avoided or actively lied about what they do for a living. All despite most being proud of what the job and understanding that, while it is not dirty or emotion, that most people will view it this way.
~~
2012-02-13
House Transfers
This is the most unpredictable and delicate form of transfer. Because of this it is the most interesting and also the most difficult. It involves going into someone private residence to remove a dead body, often in front of family or friends.
One must always be on guard and act professionally when doing a house transfer. You should never forget that not only are you moving a body, a loved one but you are also doing it in someones private home. It is incredibly personal for most people.
Here is the basic procedure:
- Get the paperwork. Before you do anything make sure they have the appropriate papers. If there is no DC or interim then something signed by a doctor or other professional which declares the person dead and give you authority to remove them.
- Scope out the place, you can do this while sorting the paperwork. What you want to look for is a way in and out as well as what the situation and residence are like. Will you need to move furniture? Can you get the stretcher to the body and back? Are there any stairs or tight corners? And other similar questions. Do this before you get the stretcher out.
- Bring gloves and wear them when needed. Keep them quietly in your pocket and actually wear them, some find it awkward to put on glove in font of the family but it is your health at stake. The family may object to you wearing gloves as they do not see the deceased as ‘dirty’ or ‘diseased’. But again, it is your health and helps preserve the deceased.
- Assess the situation before starting. You do not want to be in an awkward situation where you realise the stretcher will not fit through the door with a body. Knowing what you are dealing with and talking it through with your partner can avoid an embarrassing issue later.
- Talk to the family or those who are watching. If appropriate tell them what you are going to do. Even before putting on the gloves let them know and why. Not only will this make them more comfortable but they might even help.
- Getting them involved. This is debatable and not recommended unless absolutely necessary. The family or whoever is there may be quite willing and able to help, but they are not trained or experienced. If anything goes wrong because of them it would be your fault. In situations where it would be dangerous or very impractical not to get their help, and they are willing and able, then ask them. Other times the family just want to help and doing so will make them happier. If this is the case find something simple and easy for them.
- Check for valuables!! This is one of the most important steps, but check for valuables on the body before you put them in the stretcher. Also ask the family if anything is to go with them such as clothing.
Explain what you have to do and the procedure before you do it. This will help them understand and prevent any unpleasant surprises. If it is appropriate get them involved in the process. Not only can this make it easier for you but it makes them feel better. Someone I work with is great at this. He at least gets them to at least help slide the body onto our stretcher and they always appreciate it. So if the job is difficult or dangerous and the residence are willing and able to help ask them.
I personally prefer the family or friends be out of the room when transferring the body to the stretcher. This is because it allows me to be rougher and work as I normally would without worrying about what others think. Sometimes it is impossible to move a body ‘delicately’ and watching it could look bad.
You must always wear gloves on all transfers. However with house transfers the residence may take offence to this. To them their loved one is not dirty or diseased. This is not about dirt or disease, most bodies are clean. This is about simple hygiene and cleanliness for the body as well as you. Explain to the residence about the gloves before you put them on. Keep them comfortable and informed about the process.
Never demand, never expect and never judge. These are all important when dealing with residence. Demanding things will make them unhappy and uncooperative. Expecting things will disappoint you or leave you high and dry. And never judge, everyone is different. While some people appear uncaring or cold they may simply be grieving, or did not know the deceased well. How sad are you that they are dead?
The Unpredictability:
The driveway is the first issue you may find. Many places do not have driveways meaning you need to ‘load up’ on the street. Just do what you have to do, but be quick and discrete about it. Other times there is a driveway but it is impractical or difficult to reverse into. Do not be fooled, reverse in if you can. This will make loading up easier and then you can just drive out. Reversing out is always more difficult than reversing in.
Stairs and doors are a nightmare. Not only are they difficult to get around but they are often dangerous. Stairs in particular can be slippery, steep and have tight corners. One person has a story about how the stairs collapsed as he carried a heavy body out of a house. It resulted in him being up to his waist in stairs and with a heavy stretcher with a body on top of him.
Furniture is also an issue. It is often in the way of getting the body onto the stretcher, or getting the stretcher out of the place. This can be anything from a little table by the door to a washing machine. Either way feel free to move it, ask first if the residence are about but always move it if it is in the way. Asking sometimes results in them helping, so never hesitate to ask, or simply get them to help if you need. Try to put the furniture back if you can, but this is not always impossible. And remember that when moving anything electrical or plumed in to turn it off at the source and unplug it first.
The location of the body itself is often a hazard in itself. The deceased may be on the floor of a tiny bathroom with water everywhere and not enough room for the stretcher. Or they might be in the middle of a large bed. Beds are surprisingly difficult as you cannot get a solid or stable foot hold to move the body.
The deceased will not have been cleaned in most cases. While hospitals and nursing homes will usually clean the body, or at least neaten them up the residence of houses will not. be ready for a dirty or messy body.
Three Relevant Transfers:
One transfer I remember was very interesting in terms of dealing with residence. We arrived, scoped out the place and situation. There were two people there, the son and his friend. they were fairly emotional and tense but very nice and easy to deal with. We are about to head to the car and get the stretcher when they ask if they can watch. We explain that it might not be pretty but are free to watch if they like. After unloading the stretcher we come back, slide the door open and are confronted by over 40 people in the room. The deceased’s whole family was there, from his cousins and children to his grandparents and friends. To say this made us feel awkward is a serious understatement. Imagine trying to work with over 40 emotional people watching your every move. It all went well, but i will always remember the surprise of all those people and the awkwardness.
On another transfer I had to deal with some stairs. While the family were amazingly nice and friendly the job itself was particularly difficult. The body was over 6 foot tall and he was not light. The door was right next to the stairs with very little standing room let alone enough room to carry a stretcher. And then there were the stairs. They were slippery wooden, had no railing, a tight 180 bend in the middle and went up two stories. We ended up standing him vertically in the stretcher to get him out the door. Then slowly carrying him down the stairs. It was very difficult and dangerous.
My final transfer story is a little more ‘graphic’. The deceased was on the floor in a tiny bathroom. She had slipped getting out of the bath and died on the floor. There was a puddle of water (or at least what I hope was water) all over the floor. Luckily there was no blood at least. Because of the small size of the room there was not enough room to get the stretcher in and barely enough room to stand. After much struggling and tricky maneuvering we got her onto a sheet and then dragged her out into the hall where we put her on the stretcher.
~~
This makes the whole procedure very personal for those involved. So remember, the most important thing is to be delicate and professional!! Discretion is the corner stone of this industry and it is never more important as with a house transfer. Most times the family/friends will understand what you have to do, but try to be as nice and delicate about it as possible.
As for the unpredictability, with a hospital or nursing home you will generally know what to expect. However with a house transfer you will rarely know what the situation is before you get there. And peoples residence are rarely designed to get a body out of. Think about how hard it is to move something like a couch or fridge into or out of your place. Now imagine doing it with a body, the weight is about 60-80kg at the lightest with the trolley and you have to be more delicate than you can be with furniture.
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