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Laying out
What is a laying out? Is there always a laying out?
The word is not known to all people. Lying in state means in the classical sense that the deceased person is laid out in a coffin in the cemetery and in some places in the church. The person can be visited in the coffin, for example, in a burial room in a cemetery.
The burial is then until the time of cremation or burial in the ground.
Decades ago, burial took place exclusively in the home. The family then said goodbye to the deceased, held a wake and received guests who also said goodbye. Even nowadays this is still possible.
Very often, an in-bed committal takes place in a nursing home, hospital, or other place of death.
It may also be that no laying out is desired. Then the coffin with the deceased person is no longer accessible. A member of the Schweiz. Association of Funeral Services in your area on.
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The Swiss funeral portal.
Is it permissible to place personal items in the casket of a deceased person?
Coffin gifts are something very individual and personal. It can be things like flowers, a favorite book, a photo of loved ones or a walking stick. There are no limits to creativity. Only in the case of cremation, care must be taken to ensure that it is combustible. A smaller hand carving is not a problem, a larger stone will not work.
What is done to a deceased person before they are placed in the coffin?
If you wish, ask your funeral service if you may be present during all of these acts and/or assist yourself.
As a rule, the deceased are newly dressed. These can be favorite or everyday clothes, or even clothes with a special meaning. If someone does not want personal garments or none are available, a burial gown will be dressed for the deceased. Before this can be done, it is usually necessary to release the muscle rigidity in the arms by stretching. Depending on the body is still washed with a wet cloth beforehand. Intimate washing is also done when necessary. The face and hands can be rubbed with a moisturizing cream. The hair is trimmed and the hands are clasped on the belly.
May a deceased person be laid out at home?
Yes. As long as the hygienic condition of the body allows it and the people living at home go along with it. Depending on the season, it is enough to open the window and close the windows from penetrating sunlight and animals. The heating should also be turned off. At high temperatures, the installation of cooling is recommended. The upper body should be bedded elevated. If you feel unsure, it is best to have a funeral director come to your home to assist you.
Is it allowed to photograph a corpse?
In principle, there is nothing wrong with this, as long as the relatives agree and no abuse is committed. It may be that you want to capture one last image of a loved one and that feels natural to you. However, you may wish to keep the deceased alive in your memory. Both are fine and must ultimately be right for the person(s) involved.
Is there corpse poison?
No, there is no corpse poison. There may be unpleasant odors and bacteria from decomposition in the body; however, skin contact or inhalation is harmless.
Am I not allowed to lay out?
Some cantons have regulations according to which a place of burial must be hygienically impeccable. Otherwise, there are no specifications in this regard and should take place within this framework, as it is right for you. See laying out.
Is it allowed to make up a deceased person?
Cosmetics are used when the natural state should be restored, for example, when covering hematomas after an accident. It is helpful if the deceased person’s makeup items are available so that the correct colors can be used. A picture can also help. Keep in mind that the result will not be the same as when you were alive due to the change in skin color.
How is a deceased person prepared during embalming?
An embalming means that the blood is exchanged with chemicals (formalin) and the body orifices are closed in order to achieve a short-term preservation of the body. This is very rarely done in Switzerland. However, this technique is used, for example, when a deceased person is transferred abroad for burial.
Do I have to do a laying out?
No, here too, the wishes of the deceased as well as the relatives must be respected. For legitimate reasons, one may opt for an inaccessible interment, which will then take place with the coffin closed in the cemetery or crematory.
What do deceased people smell like?
Basically, a deceased person does not smell any different at the beginning than he did when he was alive. Only the gases that escape the body even after death can be a bit unpleasant. These are additionally released when the body is moved. Only after a long time or when it is very warm and the body is not cooled, a smell of decomposition begins to spread. This is not comparable with any other smell.
How long may a deceased person be laid out?
As long as you need time to say goodbye and the hygienic condition of the body allows it. We assume a feasibility of 3 to 5 days under optimal conditions. If the coffin is laid out, daily checks must be made to decide whether to close the coffin earlier. In about 2% of all deaths, burial is not possible or only possible for a short time because the body decomposes very quickly. This is usually indicated by the history of the disease.
What is a laying out?
A burial describes the place, or time between the time of death and the burial, be it a burial or cremation. An interment may or may not be made accessible, may take place with an open or closed casket, may be plain or elaborately decorated, may be public or private, may take place in a cemetery, crematory, or home, etc.