 It’s no secret that consumers’ increasing preference for cremation is impacting the traditional funeral home business model. Because cremation services generally produce lower revenue, many funeral home owners are expanding their product and service offerings. Others are discovering ways to serve the needs of new groups within their communities. As reported in IBISWorld industry research and echoed in the NFDA’s 2023 Cremation & Burial Report, “It is predicted that funeral homes will continue to expand their array of extra services offered to families; increase their focus on niche markets to differentiate themselves; and draw attention to their value-added services, such as … serving groups with diverse cultural and religious preferences.” Cultural differences play a significant role in funeral practices and the better we understand the religious and cultural diversity of our communities, the greater our opportunity to serve those groups. Ask yourself three questions:
Celebrating the Day of the DeadFoundation Partners’ Valley Memorial Park team serves many Mexican families in the Portland suburb of Hillsboro, where nearly one-third of residents identify as Hispanic or Latino. Annual Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebrations, held in late October/early November, are extremely important to these families. Rooted in the rituals of the aboriginal American Indian cultures that evolved in Mexico and Central America and later adopted as All Souls Day in the Catholic Church, Dia de los Muertos is a Mexican holiday in which the spirits of the dead are believed to return home and spend time with their relatives. Families build alters and decorate them with yellow marigolds, candles, family photos and tissue-paper skulls to honor their deceased loved ones. Food and beverage offerings are a large part of the celebrations. During Valley Memorial’s Dia de los Muertos celebration, the community gathers to “revel in the spirit of those who live on in our hearts.” Residents are invited to bring photos or mementos of their deceased loved ones to contribute to a communal alter, share in stories, enjoy Mariachi music and dine at food trucks. A local Catholic priest conducts a brief service in Spanish at the altar, which is placed at the foot of the statue of Our Lady of Guadeloupe, who holds a special place in the religious life of Mexico. While the majority of Mexican Americans still choose traditional burial, cremation is increasingly popular among families of Mexican origin in the Portland Metro Area. Providing Cross-border Funeral ServicesIn a country where ancestors are honored and death is regarded as a constant presence, another Mexican tradition is the wish to be buried in one’s place of origin. At Mexico City International Airport, more than 300 bodies arrive each month and this is just one of many ports of entry for remains from the U.S. Our bilingual team at Samaritan Funeral & Cremation Services, with two locations in Phoenix, Arizona, is on the front lines of repatriation of remains for the area’s Mexican population. English is a second language for 30 to 40 percent of Samaritan’s clients. Our team works closely with the local Mexican consulate and has built a solid reputation for compassionately and professionally serving families who wish to ship their loved ones’ remains back to their native countries. “No other funeral home in Phoenix does as many ‘ship outs’ as Samaritan,” said Venitria Curtis, lead funeral director. “Traditional burial remains the most popular choice for Hispanic families in our area, but that is slowly changing with many more Mexican American families choosing cremation. In the past, we would not even discuss cremation with a Hispanic family, but today that conversation has become much more acceptable. The trend began about eight years ago, but the COVID-19 pandemic played a big part in accelerating acceptance of cremation among these families.” Understanding New Vatican Guidance on Handling CremainsAlthough the Vatican forbade cremation for centuries, the Church amended its Code of Canon Law in 1963 to lift the ban on cremation with several caveats, including: ashes must be placed in a proper vessel in a “sacred” place and may not be scattered or divided among family members. Cremation has been gaining popularity in American Catholic communities ever since. The Vatican provided further instruction on the disposition of cremated remains in 2016 and, today, nearly one-third of American Catholic families opt for cremation. Additional guidance from the Vatican on handling cremated remains was issued in December 2023 in response to the increasing numbers of Catholics who want to scatter the ashes of their loved ones in nature. The Vatican Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith upheld the rule mandating that the ashes of the deceased be preserved in a consecrated place, but also said family members could request "a minimal part of the ashes" be kept in a sacred place of "significance for the history of the deceased person." The dicastery also said a parish or diocese could establish "a defined and permanent sacred place" where the cremains of multiple people would be commingled and preserved together. While the new instructions may seem like good news for many Catholics, the practical application of these rules are not crystal clear. Steve Trevino, a 45-year funeral service veteran, founder and current funeral director at Ponderosa Valley Funeral Services in Parker, Colorado, said this issue has caused many discussions with families over the years. “As active members of the local Roman Catholic community, my wife, Nanci, and I serve a large number of Catholic families and they have been requesting options for memorializing their cremated loved ones for a long time,” Steve said. “We don’t represent the Church, but we share the rules as we know them, and this issue has caused many families to walk away from those discussions very disappointed. Many have opted to disregard church rules. The bottom line for funeral professionals is that our obligation is to each family we serve and it’s their decision. We always advise families to seek the advice of their priests.” Steve and Nanci reached out to several local priests following the dissemination of the new guidelines and received feedback contrary to the popular interpretation of the new rules. This is an area that will require further clarification from the Vatican and one that funeral professionals in Catholic communities will be wise to monitor. Cultural and Religious Diversity are Here to StayThe shift in ethnicities and increasingly diverse funeral traditions across the United States will only accelerate in the years ahead. As funeral professionals, it’s our job to learn about and appreciate the different cultures and religions present in our communities. We need to make ourselves seen in these communities and let families know we are available and ready to serve them in keeping with their unique customs and rituals surrounding death and mourning. Do your research, build relationships and provide support to all segments of your changing community. Differentiating your funeral home by understanding and accommodating all types of funerals will help you remain a trusted service leader for years to come. This post excerpted from an article by Holly Escudero published in The Cremationist volume 60, issue 1 in January 2024. You can find part one on honoring Buddhist traditions here. Members can read the full article by logging in to the CANA website. Not a member yet? See the full benefits of membership and join today!
Each year in the United States, National Hispanic Heritage Month is the time to celebrate the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America. From September 15 through October 15, this month encompasses many countries' independence celebrations as well as Día de la Raza, Día de los pueblos originarios y el diálogo intercultural, Día de las Américas, Pan American Day, or Indigenous Peoples' Day on October 12 (also recognized as Columbus Day).
As experts in service, expanding your cultural IQ not only helps you serve your whole community, but also helps them to know they can turn to you when in need. Take some time during Hispanic Heritage Month – and year-round – to learn something new about the people in your community.  Winter Park, Florida-based Foundation Partners Group is one of the industry's most innovative providers of funeral services and the second-largest funeral home group in the country based on the number of families served. Foundation Partners owns and operates a network of over 250 funeral homes, cremation centers and cemeteries across 21 states. Our deep understanding of technology and customer experience-centered approach allows us to deliver truly innovative and compassionate care to the families we serve. Visit www.foundationpartners.com to learn more.
 For tens of millions of kids around the world, the new school year has begun. But why should students have all the fun? CANA’s here with the 3Rs to start the (school) year off right for your business! Reading: Data Tells a StoryI had the opportunity recently to present to a small classroom of savvy cemetery and funeral home managers. They hailed from nine states and represented a mix of nonprofits, for-profits, and combo business models. It was a remarkably diverse group that had one common struggle – getting good data out of their businesses. And why is good data important? Our business data tells us our past, sets expectations for our present and, if we’re lucky, can help predict the future. For instance, CANA’s research has taught us that so-called “direct cremation” consumers opting for no service are actually just choosing not to plan an event with the cremation provider and are conducting services on their own. CANA’s statistics data has helped us plan for a future in which cremation is the preference for a majority of consumers. Time and again, data from CANA and others has proven that the #1 reason consumers choose cremation is no longer price but personal preference. Cremation is the new tradition. It’s here to stay. What does your business data say about that? By now, you should know exactly what it costs to cremate a body along with all of the attendant administrative expenses. If cremation is a cheaper option you offer, it validates the public’s decision to keep up their tradition. Hence, the question I put before the class: Will you make it financially sustainable? ‘Riting: Disruption and Profitability / dis·rup·tion and prof·it·a·bil·i·tyBusiness models change. We live in a world where disruption is a business model and a widespread career goal. Think about how frustrated you are with new employees constantly asking “Why?” They aren’t disrespecting you. They are genuinely interested in understanding and also finding efficiencies and new ways to serve. CANA members have figured out how to make cremation profitable – and it can require disrupting some long-held processes. It comes down to a few simple rules:
This is easier to write about than it is to actually do. This kind of change is hard and time consuming. But, since urn sales will never replace casket sales, it means you must focus on services. Cremation families definitely memorialize their loved ones. The question is whether they will choose to do so with or without your help: your planning skills, your chapel space, or your cemetery placement. There is a continuum of cremation providers serving families, and you may own businesses at every point of that continuum, from online arrangements and storefront branches to brick-and-mortar full-service funeral homes on cemetery property. Or perhaps you only own one or two along those lines and are considering opening more. Or you could be in the uncomfortable position where your business offers cremation subsidized by casketed burial. That is the worst-case scenario, but it’s not irreversible. In order to sustain your business and serve your community, you need to seek sustainability and one element of that is profitability. Regardless of the size and scope of your current business, profitability pays your employees, feeds your family, and seeds future growth. ‘Rithmatic: Get Out Your CalculatorsNow we’re back to our company data and your homework assignment. Fortunately, it’s open book and you can turn to your neighbor for help. In fact, I encourage you to talk about your data, your challenges, and your success with the colleagues you trust. Our classroom was a great spot for discussion and so is the upcoming CANA Convention – anywhere you can network with professionals with experience in what you’re working to achieve. The remainder of this post is a series of questions for you to ask your accountants or attempt to find among your spreadsheets and software. I propose this process:
Below is the worksheet I created for class discussion. Challenge yourself to answer as many of these questions that apply to your business as possible. Think about and discuss the questions with your advisors and staff you trust. Attend a CANA meeting and network with attendees to learn new strategies. Then repeat in future years. Homework for Funeral Home and Cemetery Owners and ManagersComplete the following worksheet to the best of your ability. Prepare to discuss with your leadership team, accountants, etc. Complete as much as you can based on your business operations. If you can’t complete a question, ask yourself why. If you aren’t currently tracking that information, consider starting to do so. NOTE: All questions are related to cremation cases only. Funeral Home
Cemetery
Questions for further discussion:
Coach Kemmis Closing RemarksIn my family’s experience, cremation was a form of disposition that initially solved a dilemma and quickly became a family tradition. We didn’t “believe in it” or think about it much at all, but when my family made the switch 30 years ago, we did spend money, time and other resources on the services surrounding the cremation… just not with the assistance of death care professionals. I think this dynamic is more common than ever but does not support business sustainability. The key to sustainability is changing that DIY dynamic and remaining relevant to cremation customers. Many of you are working in funeral homes and cemeteries with generations of experience and it must be maddening to provide the same services you have traditionally offered but with different results. Cremation has changed the equation for many death care businesses. Now that you know your numbers, break it down further to understand how cremation has specifically impacted you so that you may effectively respond. Demonstrate your cremation expertise and the value that accompanies the disposition services you provide. Our profession is not easy, but that isn’t the goal. The goal is to make the hard things – like, serving an ever-changing customer base while sustaining a business – possible. You make the hard things bearable for your families every day, and you deserve the same experience. Remember that you don’t have to face this change and these hard things alone. You can turn to your neighbor for support there, too. Looking for a bit of community? You can find it in a Convention, a peer support meeting, or on the other end of the phone. Looking for some inspiration on handling the hard things better? Duke University head coach Kara Lawson provides some words of encouragement. We can handle hard better together. With special thanks to my class at ICCFA U for being open-minded, asking questions that challenged, and engaging in thought-provoking discussion.  Barbara Kemmis is Executive Director of the Cremation Association of North America. After more than 20 years of experience in association leadership, Barbara knows that bringing people together to advance common goals is not only fun, but the most effective strategy to get things done. A Certified Association Executive (CAE), Barbara previously served as Director of Member Services at the American Theological Library Association and Vice President of Library & Nonprofit Services at the Donors Forum (now Forefront).
 Building a pet aftercare business presents a unique opportunity to have a meaningful impact on a family during a time of loss and transition. That’s why pet aftercare professionals must uphold the highest level of dignity, compassion, and professionalism in their work. The journey of becoming a pet aftercare professional is not just a career choice; it's a deeply emotional path. It's about forming a strong connection with pet families and showing unwavering dedication. This role requires not only technical expertise but also deep empathy. My family's venture into the pet aftercare profession stemmed from a strong desire to offer comfort and respect to grieving pet parents. As a third-generation deathcare family, we are dedicated to carrying on the legacy that my father, Doyle L. Shugart, began in 1972. Providing support to pet parents and the pet aftercare professional community continues to bring fulfillment and purpose to our family today. According to the Pew Research Center, 97% of U.S. pet owners say their pets are part of their family. About half (51%) say they are as much a part of their family as a human member. Given those statistics, it is imperative that pet aftercare professionals provide services and experiences that don’t just meet the needs of pet parents seeking aftercare but exceed their expectations. The role of pet aftercare professionals is not just about providing a service, but about being a supportive guide through the journey of grief. To maintain the highest standards when delivering these sensitive services, the International Association of Pet Cemeteries and Crematories (IAOPCC) develops professional certification programs that address the unique aspects of pet loss and aftercare. Our work with CANA has been essential in bringing those programs to our industry, raising the standard for pet aftercare professionals. Understanding the specific benefits of certifications in the pet aftercare industry and how they contribute to better care for pets and their grieving families is vital when exploring the pet aftercare sector. Acquiring those certifications can significantly improve the quality of your pet services, help you grow your business, and unlock the full potential of your staff. Why Do Professional Certifications Matter in Pet Aftercare?1. Ensuring Quality and Consistency
2. Building Trust with Pet Parents
3. Demonstrating Expertise
4. Promoting Ethical Practices
5. Supporting Professional Development
As the Executive Director of the IAOPCC for 14 years and a pet aftercare professional for more than 36 years, I have seen our industry undergo many changes and evolve. In a largely self-regulated industry, I have been privileged to work with and learn from pioneers in pet aftercare. The development of the IAOPCC’s Accreditation Program is the industry’s only approved program with published and recommended standards and best practices for pet aftercare. These Accreditation standards, processes, and inspection programs are followed and recognized worldwide as a symbol of care and service to families in grief. The IAOPCC Certification programs offer best practices and ethical considerations unique to the pet aftercare industry. Through our many levels of Pet Bereavement and Pet Funeral Director Programs, participants are introduced to strategies for working with grieving pet families, responding to difficult situations, preparing a pet for witness viewing and cremation service, answering the tough questions about pet death, and responding to ethical dilemmas common to the pet aftercare world. Professional certifications in the pet aftercare industry are more than just credentials; they represent a commitment to high standards, ethical practices, and compassionate care directly related to pet families. For pet aftercare professionals, these certifications validate their expertise and dedication. By upholding these high standards, certified pet aftercare professionals contribute to a respectful and supportive community, making a meaningful difference in the lives of those who have lost a cherished furry member of their family. Because most people see their pets as members of their family, they are often willing to care for their death care as well. Thus, pet cremation and memorialization is one of the fastest growing death care markets in the United States and Canada. Many CANA members are considering or have added pet services to their existing businesses.
CANA and IAOPCC have developed a variety of online education courses for today's pet funeral professionals. With interactions, case studies and scenarios, these courses engage you with the experience you need to take your practice forward and raise your level of service.  Donna Shugart-Bethune is part of the Shugart Family operations of Pet Angel Memorial Centers in Georgia. The Shugart Family has been in the pet aftercare profession for over 53 years. Pet Angel Memorial Centers operates four locations and two pet cemeteries specializing in pet and equine cremation services and burial. Considered one of the nation's premier pet funeral homes, the Pet Angel Memorial Center, located in Atlanta, features three counseling rooms, two chapels, and the largest showroom in the nation, offering more than 450 pet memorial products. Offering same-day services, viewings, and visitations, along with superior client care, Pet Angel Memorial Center has led the way in establishing excellence in pet aftercare. Donna, who grew up in the Shugart family business, pursued her Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) from Georgia State University. With 36 years of experience in the pet aftercare industry, she has been the Executive Director of the International Association Of Pet Cemeteries & Crematories (IAOPCC) for over 13 years. Donna played a crucial role in developing the IAOPCC's online certification programs, which are available today. She also introduced digital badging certification programs for IAOPCC members and implemented the Accreditation Mobile App Program, providing worldwide access to Accreditation.
 As a deathcare practitioner, you play a crucial role in supporting families during one of the most challenging times of their lives. Grief is messy and unpredictable, and knowing how to offer compassionate and thoughtful support can make a significant difference. Here are five strategies to help you support grieving families effectively. 1. Forget the Five Stages of GriefElizabeth Kübler-Ross's five stages of grief—denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance—were based on observations of terminally ill patients. These stages are not universal or linear. Grief is deeply personal and unpredictable, more like a Choose Your Own Adventure book than a roadmap. Your role is to help families begin to navigate their unique journey through grief, and help them take care not to prescribe to a specific path or pattern. 2. Be Awkward, Be VulnerableIt’s normal to feel uncomfortable when supporting someone who is grieving. Avoid using clichés or making unhelpful remarks like, "He's in a better place," or "At least you can have more children." These comments can inadvertently diminish their grief. Instead, acknowledge your discomfort and offer sincere support: "Sometimes it’s hard to know what to say, but I want you to know I’m here for you.” This honesty shows grieving individuals that they are not alone and that their feelings are valid. 3. Offer Grief Support Resources in Your Aftercare ProgramGrief can linger for weeks, months, or even years. As a deathcare practitioner, you can help families find the additional support they need. Keep a list of local resources, such as group counseling or therapy, that may benefit them. Websites like ForGrief.com connect grieving individuals with a range of support options, including downloadable resources, Grief Chats™ with professionals, community support, and online courses tailored to their needs. Share these resources on your website, via your social media outlets, or as part of your aftercare program. Providing these resources shows that you care about their long-term well-being. 4. Encourage Grief BreaksGrieving is emotionally and physically exhausting, and people may feel guilty about taking breaks from their grief. Encourage them to take "grief breaks” during the funerary activities. Similar to recess for kids, activities like a brief walk or simply few moments away from the events can help a person who is grieving to recharge. Remind your families that taking time to rest does not minimize their grief nor encourage denial. Instead, it helps them maintain their strength to continue their grieving process. 5. Take Care of YourselfWorking with grieving families daily can lead to death and grief overload. To be at your best for your families, it's crucial to care for yourself. Use resources to assess your own burnout level and ensure you’re getting the support you need. Taking vacations, exploring hobbies outside the deathcare and grief space, and making time for exercise are all beneficial. During working hours, check in with your staff after particularly challenging arrangements, encourage regular breaks, and set reminders to stay hydrated. These practices will help maintain your well-being and effectiveness, and help you help those who are grieving. ConclusionRemember, grief has no timeline. In your role, your support means offering compassion and respect, walking the path with those who are grieving, and letting them know they are not alone. You don’t need to have all the answers—your presence and willingness to help are often enough. By employing these strategies, you can make a meaningful difference in the lives of grieving families, providing them with the support and understanding they need during such a difficult time. A deeper dive into how people grieve and aftercare support take the stage at the 106th Annual Cremation Innovation Convention this September 11-13, 2024 in Chicago. In Kelly Manion’s dynamic session, The Power of Human Connection: Elevating Your Grief Support & Aftercare Programs, attendees will learn valuable insights into the diverse way people (including yourself) experience grief, and how you can support them. You’ll also learn how to take your brand to the next level by integrating grief support into your aftercare program to help position your firm as a pillar of support in your community.
See what else we have planned and register for CANA's 106th Convention today!
 Learn about the common cyber threats that target small businesses that handle sensitive information and what you can do to prevent them. Suppose you run a small business that handles personal health information (PHI), personally identifiable information (PII), or payment card information (PCI). In that case, you need to be aware of the cybersecurity risks that you face. Cybercriminals are constantly looking for ways to steal, compromise, or destroy your data, and they often target small businesses that have fewer resources and security measures than larger organizations. The cost of a data breach for a small to midsize business (SMB) can be substantial. On average, a data breach costs an SMB around $217,000 per incident per the Garter® Top Trends in Cybersecurity for 2024. This figure includes immediate financial impacts such as legal fees, fines, and remediation costs. However, the hidden costs can be even more significant. For example, the average cost of lost business due to a data breach is $1.52 million. This loss stems from eroded customer trust and the potential exodus of clients, which can be catastrophic for businesses that rely on a loyal customer base. Additionally, operational disruptions, productivity losses, and data restoration costs add to the financial burden. For instance, downtime can cost SMBs an average of $8,000 per hour. Given these high stakes, investing in comprehensive cybersecurity measures is crucial for protecting against the costs and disruptions of a cyberattack. Common ThreatsSome of the most common cyber threats that small businesses face are:
Best PracticesTo reduce the cybersecurity risk for your small business, you should follow these best practices:
In today's digital age, the threat of a personal or business cyberattack looms over all of us. Take a proactive stance against cyber threats and learn how to identify phishing attacks and malware schemes so you will be better prepared to safeguard your data with Lee Hovermale this September.
At CANA’s 106th Annual Cremation Innovation Convention, Lee will present on Cybersecurity Awareness: Recognizing a Threat, and Protecting Your Data. This session will empower you with information you can use to navigate the online world securely and protect yourself and your company. See what else we have planned and register to join Lee in Chicago this September: cremationassociation.org/CANA24
 One of the greatest challenges to surviving a suicide death loss and moving forward in one’s grief is the prevalent and damaging stigma that continues to be associated with this cause of death. This stigma is complicated by public misunderstanding of suicide, long-held myths about suicide, and the problematic language used to talk about suicide and the deceased. Moving forward with a suicide death loss is one of the most difficult experiences we may face in our lives, but if we can begin to unpack and understand the roots of the stigma that clings to suicide in our culture, we may become more empowered to challenge them and attain some healing in our personal bereavement. In my own scholarly work on suicide, I have identified what are perhaps the four most common cultural myths that are imposed on survivors of suicide loss, which reinforce stigmas and harm our individual grieving processes. Exposing these attitudes for the myths they are may allow us to better honor our loved ones’ lives while also reinforcing facts over fiction to others who are also affected by suicide. Myth 1: Suicide is always the result of clinical depression.Not all suicide deaths are resultant of what we clinically term “depression.” It is also important to remember that while everyone may feel depressed from time to time, perhaps following the loss of a loved one, the loss of a job, the end to a romantic relationship, or other losses, clinical depression is not the same as situational depressed feelings, nor does one necessarily grow out of the other. Today, we must recognize that not all suicide deaths are linked so easily to clinical depression or, even for persons suffering from clinical depression, to that depression alone. Leading to a suicide attempt, there are a multitude of pressures at work on an individual, both social (including cultural, environmental, and interpersonal) as well as psychological (including one’s personal and familial mental health history, one’s losses, and one’s coping mechanisms for responding to suffering and trauma), and often biological (including chronic or life-threatening medical conditions, chemical imbalances, and effects of medications). If your loved one died of suicide, it is natural for you to try to trace the components of their life that may have impacted their suicidality and led to their death. We want answers, and we may think that we need those answers to move on with our lives. Coming to terms with the impossibility of fully answering the question of “why?” is a hard realization, but it can begin to allow you to accept that you will never know fully exactly why the death occurred. Myth 2: The suicide death was a “quick fix” for problems that could easily have been solved.Because suicide continues to be an act surrounded by attempts to place blame, whether on the deceased, his or her family or romantic partner, or the medical community, if we seek less to find an outlet for blame and more to identify contributory forces on the individual, we may recognize that someone who has died of suicide was trapped in their pain and unable to see any other way out of their pain. Suicidal people do not want to die; they want to end their suffering. To treat suicide as a “quick fix” or “easy way out,” as is often done, is a failure to recognize the pain from which our loved one suffered. While we all experience pain, loss, and obstacles in our lives, individuals who die of suicide were not able to respond to their pain in healthy ways – often due to the same biopsychosocial forces that led to their suicidality. After a suicide loss, we might become frustrated by all the options we believe that our loved one had to receive help. We might become angry at them or others for not getting the help that we think could have kept them alive. Recognizing that suicide is the product of a mind that isn’t working right can help us understand that while we can identify objective sources of assistance, in late-stage suicidality, our loved one’s mind genuinely could not see those possibilities anymore. Myth 3: If we talk about suicide, or about our loved one who died of suicide, we may risk becoming suicidal or causing another person to become suicidal.Historically, it was believed that if one spoke openly about the suicide death of a family or community member, they would risk “infecting” themselves or others by presenting suicide as an option. We still see effects of this misguided theory today; for example, we rarely, if ever, see the word “suicide” in an obituary or hear it at a memorial service for one who has died of suicide. Similarly, school communities are divided between communicating effectively with their students about the loss of a student to suicide and remaining fearful of romanticizing the death and presenting it as a possible “way out” for other students. Although this theory has been reexamined over the last decade and the idea that suicide is “infectious” is well on its way to being disproven, the idea that one can contract suicide from another person, as one would a virus or bacterial infection, still circulates in our contemporary culture. We need to resist remaining silent about suicide and our own suicide losses. It is not contagious, and without open and accurate conversations about it, including in memorialization, silence will continue to function as a way of shaming survivors and cultivating more silence around these deaths. The suicide death of your loved one was the endpoint of their unique and extraordinary life, not the totality of their life. They deserve that their pain be acknowledged along with their accomplishments. Additionally, other people living with suicidality need to know that they can break silences about their suffering. Talking about suicide is more likely to lead to those people seeking help rather than suffering in silence. Myth 4: Suicide is an act of cowardice or personal weakness; while everyone feels badly sometimes, suicide is “wrong,” “selfish,” or “weak.”One of the most dangerous ways in which we bar understanding of those who have died of suicide is to treat their means of death as a personal failure. Historically-inherited cultural norms teach members of our society that a person who died of suicide was weak, cowardly, and uncaring about their loved ones. In reality, as the result of many social, psychological, and biological factors that have nothing to do with “giving up” or “choosing death,” suicide is not about cowardice; it isn’t about weakness. Representations of people who die of suicide as being less strong or less caring of others are not only false but harmful to their survivors and to their own legacy. No one asks to become suicidal; no one hopes that suicidality will develop in them, just as no one wishes for a cancer to develop in them. Persons who attempt and die of suicide often report beforehand feeling ambivalent toward life and death, due to their suffering. Many cannot see or understand the impact their death will have on their loved ones, much in the same way that they cannot see options other than suicide in ending their pain. Anyone who lives for any length of time with exacerbating suicidality in a culture that shames suicidality is anything but a coward. The Role of LanguageWhile the above myths are but a few of the many that suicide loss survivors face, sometimes on a daily basis, we also need to confront the ways in which our culture reinforces stigma through the language used to refer to suicide and those who suffer from it. Let’s consider conventional terminology: people say that “John killed himself” or “John committed suicide”; both of these statements show nothing but ignorance for the complexity and devastation of suicidal pain, rendering someone who died of a life-threatening condition a virtual criminal. Within our cultural context, we “commit” crimes – murder, theft, robbery. If we “kill,” our cultural values demand that we ought to be punished. Criminalizing suicide through language is a barrier to understanding the pain of the suicidal individual. Your loved one did not commit a crime; they do not deserve cultural or interpersonal degradation in language. They died of suicide, which is a cause of death that can be acute, chronic, or life-threatening, like many other causes of death. Their death was not an act of free will produced by a healthy mind but a tragic result of complex pain. November 23, 2024 is International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day. To find events and additional resources, or to read and share stories of suicide losses, I encourage you to visit the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s website at www.afsp.org. 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org. Veterans, press 1 when calling. There may be no cause of death more silenced, stigmatized, and misunderstood than a death of suicide. Back by popular demand, Sara Murphy, PhD, FT, takes the stage at CANA's 106th Annual Cremation Innovation Convention this September 11-13, 2024. Dr. Murphy's invaluable session will teach how to differentiate between myths and realities of suicidality, recognize the signs for suicide risk and develop responses to prevent suicide death loss within the profession to better care for ourselves and our colleagues.. See what else we have planned and register to attend: cremationassociation.org/CANA24
Plus, Dr. Sara Murphy and Aaron Pelchat, LCSW, lead an interactive workshop to bring professional education and support of mental health in funeral service professionals. In The Silent Problem: Talking about Mental Health and Funeral Service, attendees will learn about common mental health issues like compassion fatigue and burnout, how to unpack challenges to self-care, and gain tools for improving mental health in themselves and their colleagues. Register for this special pre-Convention workshop alone or add it to your CANA Convention registration.
This post was originally published in the Remembering A Life blog on November 18, 2020.
 The national cremation rate has grown steadily and predictably for the last 50 years. Nothing has interrupted this pattern, neither recessions nor a pandemic, at least on the national level. CANA has tracked this national data for more than a century but has collected state level data just for the past 25 years. As we first reported in 2017, cremation growth rates follow a similar pattern that varies by region of the country and some demographic factors. These patterns emerge as S-curves, a common framework in statistics, representing growth in cremation over time. CANA’s consultant, Arvind Singhal, took this research further and created a model that projects cremation rate growth by state through the end of the century. Cremation and death numbers will vary and that's important to track for business planning: case volume influences staffing and capital investments. However, these projected cremation rates – percentages of the total – describe long-term trends. Besides being an interesting intellectual exercise, these predictions can also be useful in business planning. Though, if it seems like science fiction, you would be right. Projecting out further than 5-20 years introduces many demographic and other variables that make the projections less reliable, but still fascinating. CANA's Milestone Report, originally published in 2021, suggests a picture of continued cremation growth in a predictable shape. The Cremation S-CurveS-curves are a line on a graph that starts off rising pretty slowly and then ramps up quickly before eventually leveling off. This shape appears everywhere, often representing an innovation or adoption of new technology. Picture the invention of cars, televisions, or smart phones: just a few early adopters, it catches on and everyone starts using it, then the population that will adopt it does and there’s nowhere to grow. The S-curve looks more like a lazy, stretched S, but is distinct from other growth shapes such as straight-line or stair step. There are five phases to a trend that is depicted as an S-curve:
 State Cremation Rate GrowthS-curves describe adoption of a trend or technology. When did cremation stop being a curiosity and start becoming a trend? In 1972. When did cremation become the majority of consumers’ preference? Nationally, the rate topped 50% in 2016—but, of course, it varies state by state. Some states hit the mark even earlier, before 2000, when CANA wasn’t yet collecting state-level data. Our first chart shows when individual states reach 50% cremation rate – reporting existing data or projecting forward. Since this report was first published in 2021, the cremation rate in Arkansas, Virginia and West Virginia have each surpassed 50% as predicted by the chart. By 2033, cremation is predicted to be the preferred form of disposition in every state.  For 2023, CANA added a new color to the national heat maps to highlight the six states where the cremation rate is now above 80% – these states also predicted in the chart from 2021. The farther out a projection is, the more room error there is – we can’t account for world events, demographic change, culture shifts, etc. However, CANA statistics predict that more than half of the country will join these early-adopter states and surpass 80% before 2040 – less than 20 years from now. This CANA research shows each state’s projected cremation growth patterns as they reach two milestones: 50% (top) and 80% (bottom) cremation rates.  Disposition DisruptionAs we conducted research for this article, we learned that trends are borne from trends. For example, the adoption of personal computers led naturally to smart phones as the next improvement of the technology. Personal computers plateaued when they were integrated into nearly all types of business, personal, and education use. Then smart phones somewhat leapfrogged over computer use in some areas of the world and in some professions. Turning to death care, it will be interesting to observe how new and existing forms of disposition may grow out of the adoption of cremation. Is alkaline hydrolysis an S-curve building on top of cremation? What about natural organic reduction? Only time will tell. For now, these new forms of disposition are difficult to track. That’s because half of the states offering alkaline hydrolysis do not differentiate between AH and flame cremation. If the legalization trend continues to redefine cremation to include AH and NOR, it will continue to be difficult to track these dispositions separately from flame cremation. Are You Ready?Are you persuaded? Now’s the time to embrace cremation. CANA has the tools to support your own growth as the cremation rate grows around you. Further ReadingThese blogposts are just skimming the surface of all the knowledge that the CANA network has to offer, the decades of research and reports, and generations of expertise in cremation success.
EducationReady to get to work? CANA’s Online Education Courses are on-demand and filled with practical takeaways you can put to work right away. Here are a few to consider.
This original research from CANA was first published in 2021 in Volume 57, Issue 4 of The Cremationist. Access to CANA research and magazine and archives are resources available exclusively to members. Not a member yet? Your firm can join for just $495 and gain the benefit of more than a century of cremation expertise.
CANA Research takes the stage at the 106th Annual Cremation Innovation Convention this September 11-13, 2024 in Chicago. CANA President Robert Hunsaker will share how The Answer is in the Numbers and identify strategies to remain profitable in today's market. See what else we have planned and register to attend the CANA Convention!
Like the CANA's Annual Cremation Statistics Report, the statistical analysis and projections in this post were conducted by Arvind Singhal of Singhal LLC. Arvind earned his Bachelor of Engineering from IIT, Roorkee, Master of Science in Engineering from Western Michigan University, and an MBA from Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University.  In February, I attended CANA’s 2024 Symposium focusing on green practices. There were several presenters and vendors who provided information and products covering embalming, green burial, alkaline hydrolysis, and natural organic reduction. Everyone brought their best attitudes and willingness to learn about new ways to consider how we serve our families. As the presentations continued, it was clear that many people in the room had strong preferences and could argue clearly on behalf of the methods they preferred. It occurred to me while listening to these discussions that we have to have something to be against in order to have something that we support. Now, isn’t that the truth for humanity throughout our collective experience? In every story there is a bad guy and a good guy. A right way and a wrong way. This is how countries, political parties, religious denominations, cults, and, even, sports teams gain their followers. We’re number one and everyone else is a loser. Enemies in Funeral ServiceIn the 60’s Jessica Mitford was the objective of our collective anger. In her book The American Way of Death, she pulled the curtain back on the practices of the day. Some of her assumptions and accusations were inflated and unfair. Some of her statements were correct and on point. This exposé that outlined many problematic business practices drew the attention of the FTC and funeral service was put on notice that someone was watching. So, then we had a second point of pain and an enemy that we could all agree on. That meddling FTC that makes our lives so difficult. And then, along came cremation. Now this was something threatening that we could all rally against. What do you mean that you do not want to embalm the body, buy a casket and a vault and a burial plot? This is what we do. This is our entire business model. This is how we survive. So, for another two decades (and, for some much longer) many funeral professionals were less than engaged with the cremation family. The famous professional shrug and eye roll as we referred to the request as “just a cremation.” We hid the urns in a closet and only brought them out when we had to. As cremation continued to increase and it became clear that it was going nowhere, many funeral professionals learned to embrace and adapt and have successful businesses serving the cremation customer. But, if you listen closely when a group of funeral directors get together, there is still that collective sigh as they remember the good ol’ days. Just as we thought that we had figured out how to sleep with that enemy, along came green burial. “What? What kind of hippy dippy, tree hugging stuff is this? ”And, of course, Jewish and Islamic families all over the country gently reminded us that they have been honoring their dead in this manner for 2000 years. And this is when the enemies became divided. For those who were promoting and encouraging the natural disposition choices, formaldehyde and caskets and fuel-based cremation became the enemy. Bad for the environment. Bad for practitioners. Bad for the land. For those whose business practices relied on embalming or cremation, green burial became a threat to their established models and frustrating in the limitations of offering options. “Sure, I am happy to support a family’s wishes, but how do I find a cemetery that accepts natural burial? Or dealing with green-identified cemeteries that won’t allow burial of an embalmed body which means that families cannot be buried together? And what does green burial mean? A wicker casket? A shroud? Formaldehyde-free embalming? So confusing. Perhaps we can just ignore it and hope it goes away.” In the last decade, the landscape has gotten even more crowded with the introduction of alkaline hydrolysis focusing on the enemy: flame-based cremation. So much better to utilize water and sodium hydroxide and not pollute the air or use large quantities of fuel. At this writing, twenty states have legalized it, indicating a lag in professional support and urgency for making this available for families who would like to have that choice. Why create yet something else that we must deal with? And then, in 2019, natural organic reduction came on the scene. You could feel the collective gasp all over the country. “What? Another option? Turning bodies into soil? A truck load of remains? Are you kidding me?" At this writing, nine states have legalized this process and much of the pushback has come from religious and funeral professionals. “We’ve never done it this way before and it just doesn’t feel right. ”The best way to bring folks together is to give them a really good enemy. Are we the enemy?Personally, I am a fan of all of the above. I have had the privilege of working with such talented and dedicated professionals in all of these fields – embalming, cremation, green/natural, alkaline hydrolysis, and natural organic reduction. I am completely convinced that their life’s work has been focused on serving families in dignified and honoring ways and of supporting a funeral practice that serves the community. My question is – Why does anything have to be the enemy? Why have we been so resistant to accepting and enthusiastically embracing ALL of the options? Why must one thing be bad in order for our preference to be good? Clearly each method has pros and cons that must be considered, but there is no one method that owns all the pros nor one that is inherently bad. Why can’t we open up those doors and become proficient and conversant in every option that is allowed in our states? Why are we not having full and informative conversations with professionals, law makers, religious and lay communities as we consider what it means to take care of a person’s final disposition and honoring those wishes? What message are we sending to families who are seeking the best alternative that fits them and their lifestyles and convictions when we refuse to be the professional experts in all the ways we take care of bodies? Perhaps it is time to put down our We’re Number One foam finger and consider ourselves part of the death care team with everyone pulling in the same direction. Perhaps the best way to bring everyone together is not to create an enemy but to create a vision of progressive inclusion and expansive imagination. In that scenario, no one has to be the enemy. Everyone can be the good guy. Glenda Stansbury takes the stage at CANA's 106th Annual Cremation Innovation Convention this September 11-13, 2024. She'll talk about the value of listening and being open to all perspectives and responding to the needs of our communities. See what else we have planned and register to attend: cremationassociation.org/CANA24
This post excerpted from an article of the same name, originally appearing in Dodge Magazine Spring 2024 Volume 116 No. 2.
 The loss of talent is one of the biggest challenges organizations face. In a competitive job market, managers can help ensure stability by intentionally creating a culture that people will be more likely to stay in. And, contrary to what is often assumed, it does not have to cost a lot of money. Here are 10 ways managers can create a culture people will want to join and thrive in:
Denise Reid and Martha Webb-Jones provide consultation on Human Resources policies and processes through Raven Plume Consulting. The mission of Raven Plume is to change the way people think about funeral service by sharing knowledge and expertise with funeral home and crematory professionals, clients, and the public. With Cremation Strategies & Consulting, part of Raven Plume Consulting, you can get a discount in developing your SOP Manual and reduce liability, improve employee training, and ensure operations are done correctly, efficiently, and consistently. Available free to CANA Members, the Crematory Management Program provides step-by-step instructions to build a Standard Operating Procedures Manual with the help of experts. Not a member? Learn more about why CANA keeps growing!
 On Leap Day 2024, CANA joined Wake Forest Law Review for an opportunity that comes around even more rarely than February 29: this gathering of thought leaders from across the death care spectrum — practitioners, reformers, lawyers, advocates, and more--to talk about the biggest legal and regulatory topics in the profession. While the Law Review hosts similar events annually, the topic varies and this happened to be a banner year to talk about changes to death care. The goal was to develop scholarly content and discussion on legal and regulatory topics in death care. This was a law symposium after all, and there are myriad legal questions related to disposition, licensure and the Funeral Rule that are in the news--and sometimes in dispute--right now. If you were unable to attend in person or via livestream, recordings are available. Additionally, the Symposium will be covered in an issue of the Wake Forest School of Law Review to be published in fall 2024. This post will be updated with a link at that time. The result of our day together was discussion that covered familiar, progressive ideas from the profession and new takeaways from reformers. Panelists were passionate about their topics and outright disagreements surfaced around licensure and the Funeral Rule, but arguments were thoughtfully presented and everyone walked away with new ideas to consider. When I reflect on my involvement in planning, implementing and presenting during the Symposium, I have identified a number of takeaways and questions that remain. Let this post capture some of those thoughts and questions and serve as fodder for future conversation. New Ideas with Roots in Funeral HistoryCaitlin Doughty served as keynote for the day and delivered a thoughtful, researched and provocative assessment the historical influences on the modern funeral profession and death-curious community. I won’t attempt to summarize her talk in this post, but invite you to listen to the recording. Funeral service as a profession has been stubbornly gendered since its inception in the mid-19th century. It was a gentleman’s profession that embraced embalming and developed many of the customs and traditions that endure today. There are parallels to this trend within cremation and in cemeteries. Women have always been involved in caring for the dead but, until the last decade, were not well represented among licensed funeral directors and embalmers or cemeterians. Professional funeral service is now proving attractive to women, and 80% of new mortuary school and funeral service graduates are female in 2024. When other professions, such as teaching, nursing, librarianship, have shifted from largely male to female, it has resulted in lower pay or a diminished reputation for its workers. There is such a shortage of licensed funeral directors currently that this seems unlikely, but the danger remains. While many women enter traditional mortuary science and funeral service programs as students, many others are carving out their own studies and career paths to become death doulas, death educators and consumer advocates. Both groups cite leaders like Caitlin as inspiration to embrace caring for the dead. Can we, the death care profession, provide a career path for new workers to satisfy their impulse to serve? Irreconcilable Differences?It may seem counterintuitive that funeral reformers and practitioners could find common ground, but we managed to agree on some of the elements of the most controversial topics in death care today. LicensureIf the more than 700 registered attendees at Wake Forest, in the overflow room, and on the livestream are any indication, interest in death care is high. But for those uninterested or unwilling to pursue licensure as a funeral director, a career path is unclear. The profession is experiencing a workforce crisis. The number of new licensed funeral directors has held steady in recent years, but that is not sufficient to offset the higher rate of baby boomer retirees and, eventually, baby boomer deaths. Discussions during the Symposium continued to come back to this topic and raised questions without easy answers: Do licensure requirements accommodate and support new dispositions and prevent scandals? The assertion from reformers and some practitioners is that the current licensure system is somehow insufficient. That is true in the sense that criminals will ignore laws and regulations and will be stopped by enforcement. Licensure and regulations are designed to create barriers to entry and establish minimum levels of competency to promote public safety. This is a good thing, but also up for interpretation as to the nature of those barriers and definitions of competency. The path to legalization of new forms of disposition is not without barriers, but our elected officials and the funeral profession are responding positively to consumer interest in greener technologies. End-of-life care is evolving, are current laws and regulations keeping up? Why is it important for a funeral director to also be an embalmer? Roughly half the states allow one license for a funeral director and another for embalmers, while the other half require a funeral director to do both to be licensed. There was much discussion about “ready to embalm” requirements, including licensure and specific equipment at establishments, that raise costs for businesses and barriers for entry into the profession for new professionals and companies. For businesses that offer embalming, it is logical to have trained professionals, equipment and facilities to offer embalming. But for an increasing number of establishments that offer direct cremation, arrangements only, or new forms of disposition, a requirement to be “ready to embalm” runs counter to their business practice. Is discussing funeral arrangements a matter of free speech or consumer protection? A recent lawsuit in California and an ongoing lawsuit in Indiana raise this question in relation to the work of death doulas. The answer will impact the future of licensure for funeral professionals as well as career paths for death doulas and educators. Can we find a way to meet in the middle and identify a path to employment for death curious people, as well as future funeral directors, embalmers and cemeterians? MoneyThe Funeral Consumers Alliance is dedicated to lowering costs for consumers and is promoting revision of the Funeral Rule to require online price posting to accomplish this goal. Funeral professionals remember that the original Funeral Rule implementation did not result in lower prices overall and any new Rule provisions or revisions are unlikely to do so. More regulation increases costs for businesses that are passed on to consumers. Funeral poverty is a real concern and any funeral home owner knows it as they scan through their accounts receivable. What the public does not see is the common practice of discounting services for veterans, children or victims of crimes. There is a larger societal pattern of lower savings and insufficient financial planning for retirement or common emergencies. If the average American does not have enough savings or credit to pay for a flat tire, will they be able to afford an unexpected death? This reality was on full display during the pandemic and resulted in discussions about potential solutions. Dr. Victoria Haneman shared the strongest argument for preplanning and preneed that I have ever heard from industry insurance and trust professionals. Dr. Haneman then laid out her proposed solutions, centered around income tax and savings incentives. These ideas are fascinating and likely to proceed as expansions of HSA or 529 plans. The NFDA has sponsored a bill that has attracted bipartisan support and would represent progress toward addressing saving for end of life expenses. Public TrustThe Funeral Consumers Alliance asserts that the funeral profession is routinely harming consumers via high prices and confusing practices; however, there is little evidence of harm as measured by complaint volume at federal or state level or via consumer ratings and feedback. Funeral practitioners have high online ratings and positive customer feedback survey results. The FTC identified funeral related complaints to be #29 in their rankings. This disparity in experiences is hard to reconcile, but we must continue to communicate the value of funeral service. Posting pricing online is a current practice for many practitioners, and may soon be required by the Federal Trade Commission. No one likes to be told what to do or how to run their businesses, hence the opposition to this requirement. Practitioners also know that price posting alone will not increase consumer knowledge about end-of-life planning or make it easier. Price is only part of the equation. When choosing an end-of-life provider (death doula or funeral director), trust is more important than price for most people. Scandals also undermine public trust. Caitlin Doughty asserted that additional regulation and licensure may not be the solution to avoid scandals as we have seen in recent headlines. She suggested instead that inspections and enforcement of existing laws could have a major impact. This dynamic is playing out in Colorado right now with a bill to require individual licensure under consideration as well as debate around funding enforcement of existing laws. What did we leave out?Whether intentionally or not, we lacked the time to cover every death care topic of interest to participants. We didn’t convene a panel about green burial or burial conservation trusts. These are established dispositions with fewer outstanding legal questions. But are they viable dispositions in the future of death care? Absolutely! We hoped that the Symposium would bring together passionate people who don’t often interact and we succeeded. The following is a quote one participant shared in the post-event evaluation: I appreciate that the symposium included views from the legal community and what I would consider funeral-adjacent professions and organizations. We don't often get outside of ourselves at funeral association classes/meetings/conventions, and at times risk becoming echo chambers. But there is so much to learn from other professional communities. I would love to hear more from professionals in the hospitality industry (which I consider funeral-adjacent, as we're all just creating experiences) that have been transformative in their businesses and industries. Thank you, for creating the opportunity to hear new--and sometimes uncomfortable--perspectives through this symposium. I share this hope that these conversations continue and we satisfy our mutual interests to advance death and end of life care. The Wake Forest Law Review is a student-run organization that publishes five issues annually. The Law Review also sponsors symposia. In 2024, the Symposium arranged their Spring Symposium on The Future of Death Care in America. Through the publication of articles, notes, comments, and empirical legal studies, the Law Review provides the profession with timely evaluations of current problems in the law and serves students as a valuable educational tool. The Spring Symposium was livestreamed and recordings can be watched here with students' publications on the topics to be published soon. When planning the Symposium, we knew that Professor Terry Brock’s research and work on abandoned cemeteries did not fit neatly in the theme, however we recognized that if we don’t study our history, we are destined to repeat it. Look for a future post to CANA's Cremation Logs blog on this interesting and important research.
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