When a Death Happens
When a death happens:
1. The body is transferred to the funeral home.
2. Next of Kin arranges with the funeral home
to plan funeral or cremation services.
3. The funeral home prepares and files the
Certificate of Death with the Department of
Vital Records(making the death "legal") and
obtains a Disposition Permit.
4. Final disposition takes place; Funeral, Burial, Cremation or Repatriation to another City, State or Country.
What should you do when a death occurs:
Death in a Hospital, Nursing Home or other Institution-The Nursing or Medical Staff should take care of all necessary medical and legal steps. Notify the facility that Alameda Family is the funeral home handling the arrangements so we can be called when it's time to transfer the decedent into our care.
Anticipated Death at Home-Someone who has a terminal illness may want to remain at home and will elect to have Hospice care. Let hospice know that Alameda Family is the funeral home handling the arrangements so we can be notified of the death. The family may want to make pre-arrangements with Alameda Family before the death so that they are not overwhelmed with the many important decisions at the time of death.
Unanticipated Death at Home or Elsewhere-Immediately call 911. The police and emergency medical personnel will determine the necessary procedures. Often the police can then release the decedent directly to our funeral home. In certain circumstances, the body may need to go to the Medical Examiner/Coroner's office so they can determine the exact cause of death.**An important note**If you have elderly family members who visit from other countries, it is a wise idea to have them bring their medical history from the attending doctor in their country of residence. Then have a wellness check-up done by a doctor in this country to establish a recent medical history.
Death Out of State or Country-If a death occurs out of California or in another Country call Alameda Family. We can coordinate with a local funeral director at the place of death.
For information on Funeral and Cremation, a link to our Preplanning Guide. Click on the link:
https://www.calameo.com/read/00662402814a0acc65ea2
For more information you may download the California State Cemetery and Funeral Bureau-Consumer Guide to Funeral and Cemetery Purchases. Click on the website link below:
Making Arrangements
At the Arrangement Conference we will obtain legal and vital information necessary for completing the death certificate and for finalizing the burial, cremation or shipping arrangements. You will need to bring the following items:
- Social Security Card
- Driver's License or other photo identification, such as a Passport or I.D. card
- Military Discharge Papers (Form DD214)
- Recent photograph-needed for preparation, newspaper obituary notices and for custom memorial folders
- Clothing-all normal items including undergarments. For women, an outfit that is closed at the neckline and long sleeves
Death Certificates
Death certificates are prepared by the funeral home, signed by the physician or medical examiner and then filed with the County Recorder, Office of Vital Records. This makes the death "legal" and a Permit for Disposition will be issued by the Office of Vital Records. The Disposition Permit is necessary for Burial, Cremation and for Transferring or Shipping of Human Remains.
Certified Copies of the Death Certificate may be necessary for:
- Life Insurance
- Pension, IRA or other retirement benefits
- Bank Accounts
- Stocks and Bonds
- Real Property
- Motor Vehicles
- Probate of Will
- Final Tax Return
- Personal Record of Death
For information on obtaining a death certificate; click on this link to Santa Clara County Clerk-Recorder:
http://www.sccgov.org/portal/site/rec/
Please allow 1-2 hours for the Arrangement Conference
For more information on Funeral or Cremation, a link to our Preplanning Guide:
Funeral Choices
At a Funeral the body is present, either in an open or closed casket. Typical choices for Funeral Arrangements:
- Traditional Full Service Funeral in Chapel, Church, Temple or Mosque with burial to follow.
- Viewing/Visitation Service followed by Graveside Service at a Cemetery
- Direct Burial-no services
- Shipping of Remains, either Domestic or International
Cost depends upon services selected. Prices are available on our General Price List. You may request a copy of the General Price List be sent to you or you may request prices quoted to you over the telephone.
The body is usually prepared by embalming (temporary preservation of human tissue by use of chemicals), dressed and placed in a casket. Caskets are made of wood or metal. Caskets range in price from $17,995.00 to $295.00
Cremation Choices
Cremation is a process of reducing the human body to cremated remains. Many people chose cremation over full body burial but still want the Traditional Funeral service such as Buddhist, Hindu or Catholic rituals. The choices are the same as the Funeral Choices but instead of proceeding to the cemetery for burial, the body will be cremated in the casket. Families may Witness the cremation or have a Prayer Ceremony at the crematory.
A rental casket is available for use. Rental caskets have a separate interior receptacle to contain the decedent. After the Funeral Service the interior container is removed from the casket shell and the interior receptacle is cremated.
The simplest type of cremation is a Direct Cremation. A Direct Cremation does not include any viewing/visitation or funeral service, does not require embalming and requires only the minimum cardboard container. Many people choose to have a Memorial Service or Celebration of Life service after the cremation.
Options for Cremated Remains:
- Interment (Burial) in a Cemetery
- Placement of Urn in a Niche Columbarium in a Cemetery
- Scattered in a "Scattering Garden" in a Cemetery
- Retaining the Urn at the home of family or friend
- Scattered over land with written permission of the legal land owner
- Scattered at Sea, at least 500 yards from shore
- Retaining the Urn at church, temple or religious shrine
- Transported out of county, state or country with a Transit Permit
Alternative options:
- Interment (Burial) in a Cemetery
- Placement of Urn in a Niche Columbarium in a Cemetery
- Scattered in a "Scattering Garden" in a Cemetery
- Retaining the Urn at the home of family or friend
- Scattered over land with written permission of the legal land owner
- Scattered at Sea, at least 500 yards from shore
- Retaining the Urn at church, temple or religious shrine
- Transported out of county, state or country with a Transit Permit
Witness Cremation Center
Alameda Family Funeral & Cremation in Saratoga recently renovated to allow for a Cremation Center that offers families the opportunity to Witness the Cremation process and provides an area to Pray, Gather and Visit. With the ethnic diversity of Silicon Valley, society grows increasingly multicultural. Asian religions such as Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism and Buddhism all mandate cremation. We felt it was important to offer all of our families end of life services as dictated by their religion, ethnic, economic or personal choices. Alameda Family Funeral & Cremation is the only funeral home in Santa Clara County to offer a witness cremation center that provides an area for ceremony.
Cemetery
We highly recommend the following cemeteries:
Madronia Cemetery 14766 Oak St. Saratoga 1.408.867.3717
http://www.madroniacemetery.com/
Cemeteries owned by the Diocese of San Jose:
Gate of Heaven Cemetery 22555 Cristo Rey Drive Los Altos 1.408.738.2121
Calvary Cemetery 2655 Madden Ave. San Jose 1.408.258.2940
http://www.catholiccemeteriesdsj.org/
Santa Clara Mission Cemetery 490 Lincoln St. Santa Clara 1.408.296.4656
What else?
For information on Funeral and Cremation services, link to our Preplanning Guide: Click on the link:
https://www.calameo.com/read/00662402814a0acc65ea2
The funeral, cremation or memorial service is the FINAL event of a life lived. There are many things to consider. Here is a list of services, merchandise and items that many families chose when planning the FINAL EVENT:
- Obituary or Funeral Notice- is a notice of the death of a person, usually published in a newspaper, written or commissioned by the newspaper or by the family, and usually includes a short biography along with information about funeral or memorial service. Notices may also be placed in Trade Journals, Magazines, Church Bulletins, Club or Association Newsletters. A photograph may be submitted with the obituary; size, format and deadlines vary.
Click on this link for obituary notices in local papers:
http://www.legacy.com/Obituaries.asp
- Music-Live music, such as church choir, vocalist, organist, harpist, bagpipes, guitar, bugle, school band, etc. or C.D.'s of favorite songs to be played at the service.
- Eulogy
- Limousine
- Funeral motorcycle escort service
- Flowers
- Video Tribute-slide show or video pictures
- Picture/Photograph display
- Military Honors service
- Reception to follow service at home, church, reception hall or restaurant
- Register Book-to record names of guests
- Memorial or Prayer Cards-to give as aremembrance
- Acknowledge/Thank You Cards
Death of a Pet
Pets are special companions, friends, and members of the family. People love their pets, celebrate their birthdays, and confide in them; animals provide companionship, acceptance, emotional support and unconditional love. It is not unusual to feel overwhelmed by sorrow and grief when your beloved pet dies.
The Humane Society of the United States has information on their website about Coping with the Death of Your Pet.
Click on their website below:
http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/coping_with_pet_death.html
Local Pet Cremation Services:
Animal Memorial Service in Gilroy 1.408.847.1002
Pet's Rest Cemetery & Crematory 1.650.755.2201
West Coast Pet Memorial Sacramento 1.916.348.4000
Bubbling Well in Napa 1.707.255.3456
Pet Remembrance Products by Kelco
click on their website below:
http://www.kelcosupply.com/pets.html
Kelco Products may be ordered directly from Alameda Family. We carry the full catalog and can help you with your selection.
Shipping Human Remains
Human remains may be transported to another state or another country by AIR.
Requirements:
- The remains are prepared by the procedure of Embalming, placed in a Casket and an Airtray or Shipping Box and taken to the airport for scheduled transportation by air.
Domestic Shipping:
- Transit Disposition Permit
- Name, address, telephone number, fax number and confirmation of Funeral Home or Mortuary receiving the remains
Worldwide/International Shipping:
- Permission from the Country's Consulate
- Transit Disposition Permit
- Letter of Non-Contagious Disease from County Health Department-County of Death
- Notarized Affidavit of Embalming
- Consulate Documents
- Name, address, telephone number, fax number and confirmation of persons receiving the remains
- Confirmation from the airlines
- Metal Sealer Casket
Shipping of Cremated Remains:
- Transit Disposition Permit
- Hand carried by Next of Kin or Next of Kin's agent on the airplane
- Sent via United States Postal Service
- Some Countries require permission from their Consulate
Community Service
Alameda Family proudly serves the community in three distinct ways:
Every 15-Minute Program
The "Every 15-Minute Program" is a nationwide program of public and corporate-sponsored agencies whose mission is to prevent impaired driving tragedies and to save lives by building and supporting a national network of organization with similar missions. Presented to teenagers every year, this 2-day program includes a mock demonstration of an alcohol related automobile crash caused by a drunken driver and a funeral service for all the "living dead" that were involved. Alameda Family participates with the Saratoga, Monte Vista, Fremont, San Jose, Campbell, Los Gatos and Cupertino High School Districts by providing two of our counselors to serve as staff for the demonstration and discussions which comprise the yearly program.
"Dear Mom and Dad, every fifteen minutes someone in the United States dies from an alcohol related traffic collision, and today I died. I never had the chance to tell you......."
For more information click this link:
http://www.every15minutes.com/enter.html
Deaths of Children
Alameda Family is compassionate to those families who experience the loss of their child. Therefore, Alameda Family does not charge for any professional funeral services. Our charges for the funeral of a child include only the cost of merchandise (e.g. cost of casket), if any is chosen, the cost of cremation, and the cost, charged by the state, for a disposition permit and death certificate, if applicable. Cemetery costs for burial, entombment, or inurnment are a separate cost.
Hospice of the Valley Volunteer Training
Partnering with the not-for-profit Hospice of the Valley, we provide in-service training for their volunteers acquainting them with procedures to follow when death occurs. Our training program includes an introduction to the funeral industry, a tour of our facility, an overview of funeral options, and care of the body following death.
Personal Choices
Here are a few ways to personalize:
Eternal Reefs-creating a memorial reef from cremated remains
http://www.eternalreefs.com/?gclid=CMrgreGKoLUCFSmCQgodYEUAAA
LifeGem-high quality diamond created from hair or cremated remains
Celestis-memorial space flight with cremated remains
Angels Flight-cremated remains scattered in firework display
Spirit Pieces- Beautiful Cremation Jewelry and Glass Art
Holy Smoke-Cremated remains loaded into live ammunition
Alameda Family Funeral & Cremation, Inc.
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