A view into the life of an Embalmer

I am often asked when I tell people what I do for a living, “Oh My God, isn’t that a sad and depressing job? How can you do that?” Well, yes, my job has its sad moments; of course there are some days I go home exhausted, both emotionally and physically worn out, but most days I feel uplifted by the people I meet and the stories I am told. I feel privileged to be able to help families in this heartbreaking and sometimes confusing time in their lives.

Most people have not arranged a funeral before and things can be very overwhelming for them. This is where I and my fellow funeral directors can help enormously, by guiding families through the steps to organizing a memorable and personalized farewell for their loved one. I have been in the funeral industry for just over 3 years now and during this time I have discovered a passion for mortuary care; knowing that I am often the last person to care for someone is a very special task for me. During my time working in our mortuary care centre, I have decided to pursue further studies to become a qualified embalmer.

As a person who has not had to study or finish an assignment in the last thirty years this was a daunting decision for me. The course entails eighteen months of theory and assignments and a further eighteen months to complete the practical side of the course. I am currently six months into the course and am thoroughly enjoying it. For those of you who are not familiar with embalming, simply put it is the process of preserving, sanitizing and restoring a more natural appearance to someone who has passed away. In Australia we are not required to embalm every person that comes into our care, therefore we most commonly use the embalming process if the deceased is being repatriated to their home country for a funeral, or if they are being buried – interred – into an above ground vault or mausoleum.

Embalming helps to restore physical appearance which helps give a more natural look. We find that this can help if a family wish to spend time ‘viewing’ their loved one and will often provide the family with a more positive experience. When a person is bought into our care, we as morticians and funeral directors are very aware that we have in our care a precious member of your family and they are treated with all the dignity, care and respect that they deserve.

A lot of families feel ‘kept in the dark’ about what happens in the mortuary area. I feel very passionate about informing people (if they wish to know of course!) of exactly what I do to care for their loved ones. Firstly I wash the the deceased with a cleansing soap and warm water, I then wash their hair and if needed, give them a shave.

Once finished, I clean and set their facial features to give a natural appearance before drying and dressing them in either their own clothing or a shroud, this will depend on the family’s preferences. I then blow-dry and style their hair, applying make-up as required. Finally I clean and tidy fingernails and paint them if desired. Once I have completed the mortuary care, I then place them into the coffin that the family has chosen for them in preparation for a viewing, funeral service or both.

I find that a lot of families question whether they feel up to viewing their loved one, and really there isn’t a right answer to this question. I personally feel that a viewing is a very positive thing to do and often helps families accept the reality of their loved ones death. It also gives you some private time to say goodbye and place letters, photos or mementos, before the final journey.

Everyday in the funeral industry is different and every family I meet is different and has different needs, this is what makes my job an extremely rewarding one to do. Being able to arrange a loved ones funeral with their family and to know that I can carry on that care by personally looking after the deceased provides me a great sense of job satisfaction. So in conclusion, no, my job is not a depressing, morbid or sad job as some people might think but a rewarding and up-lifting one. I thank you for the opportunity to help and support you through your journey.