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For viewings. If the viewing isn't done in the 24h post-death, the body has decayed noticibly: it's unsightly and smells bad. (take with a grain of salt, my on

For viewings. If the viewing isn't done in the 24h post-death, the body has decayed noticibly: it's unsightly and smells bad. (take with a grain of salt, my only source is 10 episodes of Six Feet Under)

docbrown 7y ago
24 hours seems a little fast. I’ve encountered bodies that have sat for 2-3 days unnoticed (estimated) inside of their house, in the summer, and it’s not too terrible of a smell. If anything, you’d start to see bloating and discoloration, but not enough decay will happen within 24hours that would result in a closed casket viewing. Also, once they stick ‘em in the freezer at the morgue, you’re stalling that decay tremendously — at least long enough to make it to the funeral, which is sometimes up to a week later. Also, to talk about the parents point on prime real estate, i’m not sure what current rates in other states for a plot but where i’m at, you’re looking at >$1,500/plot for one casket.
logfromblammo 7y ago
For the purpose of viewing, refrigeration prior to the event is preferable to embalming.
chrisseaton 7y ago
Surely it doesn’t take more than 24 hours to find someone to identify most dead bodies? They don’t need to be viewed after they’ve been identified.
- anjc 7y ago
  > They don’t need to be viewed after they’ve been identified. Says who? Do you have information about the grieving process being easier if you don't view?
  - chrisseaton 7y ago
    > Do you have information about the grieving process being easier if you don't view? I never claimed that - you've imagined that - so why would I have information on it?
- vageli 7y ago
  > Surely it doesn’t take more than 24 hours to find someone to identify most dead bodies? They don’t need to be viewed after they’ve been identified. Bodies don't need to be viewed just as a sunset does not need to be admired. But people choose to do both activities all the same.
SmellyGeekBoy 7y ago
I have to admit that I don't "get" the concept of the viewing (in most cases, apart from identification of course). My grandma died a few years back and the body was available for viewings. Unlike most of my family I didn't go. My last memory of grandma was us all together as a family at my aunt's house on Christmas day, her sitting there in an armchair beaming at how proud she was of her family and giving out hugs and kisses to her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She died a few weeks afterwards of heart failure. It's one of my fondest memories and I'm sure she'd rather be remembered that way than as a cold, lifeless body on a stainless steel slab.
- vageli 7y ago
  > I have to admit that I don't "get" the concept of the viewing (in most cases, apart from identification of course). My grandma died a few years back and the body was available for viewings. Unlike most of my family I didn't go. > My last memory of grandma was us all together as a family at my aunt's house on Christmas day, her sitting there in an armchair beaming at how proud she was of her family and giving out hugs and kisses to her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She died a few weeks afterwards of heart failure. > It's one of my fondest memories and I'm sure she'd rather be remembered that way than as a cold, lifeless body on a stainless steel slab. For some, the memories are not enough, and to touch the skin of a loved one one last time (even if there is no warmth behind it) before their body if forever removed from the world, is a special moment.

docbrown 7y ago

24 hours seems a little fast. I’ve encountered bodies that have sat for 2-3 days unnoticed (estimated) inside of their house, in the summer, and it’s not too terrible of a smell. If anything, you’d start to see bloating and discoloration, but not enough decay will happen within 24hours that would result in a closed casket viewing. Also, once they stick ‘em in the freezer at the morgue, you’re stalling that decay tremendously — at least long enough to make it to the funeral, which is sometimes up to a week later. Also, to talk about the parents point on prime real estate, i’m not sure what current rates in other states for a plot but where i’m at, you’re looking at >$1,500/plot for one casket.

logfromblammo 7y ago

For the purpose of viewing, refrigeration prior to the event is preferable to embalming.

chrisseaton 7y ago

Surely it doesn’t take more than 24 hours to find someone to identify most dead bodies? They don’t need to be viewed after they’ve been identified.

anjc 7y ago
> They don’t need to be viewed after they’ve been identified. Says who? Do you have information about the grieving process being easier if you don't view?
- chrisseaton 7y ago
  > Do you have information about the grieving process being easier if you don't view? I never claimed that - you've imagined that - so why would I have information on it?
vageli 7y ago
> Surely it doesn’t take more than 24 hours to find someone to identify most dead bodies? They don’t need to be viewed after they’ve been identified. Bodies don't need to be viewed just as a sunset does not need to be admired. But people choose to do both activities all the same.

SmellyGeekBoy 7y ago

I have to admit that I don't "get" the concept of the viewing (in most cases, apart from identification of course). My grandma died a few years back and the body was available for viewings. Unlike most of my family I didn't go. My last memory of grandma was us all together as a family at my aunt's house on Christmas day, her sitting there in an armchair beaming at how proud she was of her family and giving out hugs and kisses to her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She died a few weeks afterwards of heart failure. It's one of my fondest memories and I'm sure she'd rather be remembered that way than as a cold, lifeless body on a stainless steel slab.

vageli 7y ago
> I have to admit that I don't "get" the concept of the viewing (in most cases, apart from identification of course). My grandma died a few years back and the body was available for viewings. Unlike most of my family I didn't go. > My last memory of grandma was us all together as a family at my aunt's house on Christmas day, her sitting there in an armchair beaming at how proud she was of her family and giving out hugs and kisses to her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She died a few weeks afterwards of heart failure. > It's one of my fondest memories and I'm sure she'd rather be remembered that way than as a cold, lifeless body on a stainless steel slab. For some, the memories are not enough, and to touch the skin of a loved one one last time (even if there is no warmth behind it) before their body if forever removed from the world, is a special moment.