Although it has become rare for families to choose to take on the care of the body of a loved one in the days after death, this option remains open for those who desire a more personal and meaningful engagement with the process.

Residents of the Crestone area have for many years been exploring options for home funerals, and in recent years the Crestone End of Life Project has worked to develop and spread awareness of these possibilities.  A wealth of knowledge pertaining to this area exists in our community.

There are a variety of options for people to deal with part or all of the process of caring for their loved one’s body after death.

Home Funeral Information

• To take terminally ill individuals who so desire out of medical facilities in order to die at home
• To transport the deceased home rather than to a mortuary
• To refuse to have the deceased embalmed
• To have friends and family prepare the body and create a beautiful and peaceful home environment for visitors wishing to be with the deceased (for up to 72 hours)
• To privately transport the deceased to:

• • A mortuary for cremation
  • A mortuary or cemetery for traditional burial
  • A legal open-air site for cremation
  • A chosen site for green burial

Importance of Personalized Ritual

One function of the Crestone End of Life Project is to assist the families and friends of the deceased in planning meaningful, personalized rituals to mark the death of their loved one, and to assist, if necessary, in bringing those rituals to fruition.

Ritual can be a profoundly meaningful act for the bereaved, whether while caring for the body or enacting a burial or cremation.  Our experience is that conceiving and performing personalized ritual often serves as a deeply nourishing activity for those experiencing the grief of loss.

In addition, the process of discussing the wishes of a terminally ill loved one for the care and disposition of their body - and the celebration of their life - can be healing for all involved.