Sacramental Services
Religious services performed by a priest or other spiritual leader.
Sacraments
Religious rites or ceremonies performed by a priest or minister during the funeral service.
- Mortuary Science: Last Rites vs. Extreme Unction (Sacramental Services)
- Understanding Funeral Mass vs. Memorial Service (Religious Considerations)
Safety precautions for embalmers
Safety precautions for embalmers – Precautions taken to protect embalmers from exposure to hazardous chemicals and infectious diseases.
Safety protocols
Safety protocols – Procedures and guidelines for ensuring the safety of morticians and funeral home staff.
- How Can I Ensure Compliance with Professional Standards in the Death Care Industry? (10 Important Questions Answered)
- What Strategies Should I Use to Ensure Proper Boundary Maintenance as a Mortician? (10 Important Questions Answered)
- What Safety Precautions Should Be Taken When Performing an Autopsy? (10 Important Questions Answered)
- How Can I Become a Certified Embalmer Through an Apprenticeship Program? (10 Important Questions Answered)
- What Types of Antimicrobial Agents Are Used in Mortuary Services? (9 Simple Questions Answered)
- How Can I Become a Licensed Funeral Director? (10 Important Questions Answered)
- What Are the Requirements of the State-Mandated Curriculum for Funeral Directors? (10 Important Questions Answered)
- How Can I Gain Professional Experience for Embalming Certification? (9 Simple Questions Answered)
- What Resources Are Available to Help Pass Professional Examinations for Embalming Certification? (10 Important Questions Answered)
- Mortuary Science: Exhumation vs. Disinterment (Grave Disturbance)
- What Types of Questions are on Funeral Director Licensing Exams? (10 Important Questions Answered)
- How Can I Learn Facial Reconstruction Techniques as a Mortician? (9 Simple Questions Answered)
- How Do I Obtain Embalming Certification? (10 Important Questions Answered)
- How Can I Establish a Positive Reputation as an Undertaker? (9 Simple Questions Answered)
- What Regulations Must Be Followed When Performing a Burial as a Funeral Director? (10 Important Questions Answered)
- How is Arterial Embalming Performed? (10 Important Questions Answered)
- What Do I Need to Know About Regulatory Compliance in the Death Care Industry? (10 Important Questions Answered)
- What Training Do I Need To Become A Mortician? (10 Important Questions Answered)
Sample collection protocols
Sample collection protocols – Procedures for collecting and handling samples for testing and analysis.
Sanitation/disinfection procedures
Sanitation/disinfection procedures – Procedures used to prevent the spread of infectious diseases during the embalming process.
Sanitation practices
- Mortuary Science: Requiem vs. Dirge (Music for Mourning)
- What Strategies Should I Use to Ensure Proper Boundary Maintenance as a Mortician? (10 Important Questions Answered)
Scattering
Scattering – The act of spreading cremated remains in a designated area or location.
- Interment vs. Inurnment in Mortuary Science (Final Resting Place)
- Understanding Direct Cremation vs. Traditional Cremation (Service Options)
- Mortuary Science: Eulogy vs. Obituary (Honoring the Deceased)
- Mortuary Science: Urn vs. Cremation Jewelry (Ashes Storage)
- Mortuary Science: Embalming vs. Cremation (Understanding Processes)
- Mortuary Science: Burial vs. Interment (Clarifying Terms)
- Mortuary Science: Grave vs. Tomb (Resting Place Terminology)
- How Does Interment Function? (10 Important Questions Answered)
- Mortuary Science: Decedent vs. Deceased (Terminology Explained)
- Mortuary Science: Funeral vs. Memorial Service (Event Timing)
- Mortuary Science: Pallbearer vs. Honorary Pallbearer (Roles Explained)
- Understanding Embalmer vs. Mortician (Job Specifications)
Scattering ashes at a meaningful location
Scattering ashes at a meaningful location – The act of scattering cremated remains in a location that holds significance to the deceased or their loved ones.
Scattering gardens
Scattering gardens – A designated area within a cemetery or memorial park for scattering cremated remains.
- Mortuary Science: Urn vs. Cremation Jewelry (Ashes Storage)
- Understanding Preneed vs. At-Need (Planning Ahead)
- Understanding Embalmer vs. Mortician (Job Specifications)
Scattering laws
Regulations governing the scattering of cremated remains in public or private spaces.
Scattering of ashes
Scattering of ashes – The act of spreading cremated remains in a designated area or location.
- Columbarium vs. Mausoleum in Mortuary Science (Final Resting Options)
- Mortuary Science: Urn vs. Cremation Jewelry (Ashes Storage)
- What Skills Will I Learn During a Mortuary Apprenticeship Program? (10 Important Questions Answered)
- Interment vs. Inurnment in Mortuary Science (Final Resting Place)
- Mortuary Science: Grave vs. Tomb (Resting Place Terminology)
- Understanding Direct Cremation vs. Traditional Cremation (Service Options)
- Understanding Embalmer vs. Mortician (Job Specifications)
- Understanding Funeral Mass vs. Memorial Service (Religious Considerations)
Sealing techniques
Techniques used to seal burial containers to prevent water and air from entering.
Seasonal variations in flower availability
Security
Measures taken to ensure the safety of the funeral home, staff, and attendees.
- What Information is Required on a Death Certificate? (10 Important Questions Answered)
- What Regulations Must Be Followed When Performing a Burial as a Funeral Director? (10 Important Questions Answered)
- What Do I Need to Know About Regulatory Compliance in the Death Care Industry? (10 Important Questions Answered)
- How Can I Develop My Grief Counseling Skills Through Active Listening? (10 Important Questions Answered)
- What Are the Best Practices for Implementing a Chatbot in a Funeral Business? (9 Simple Questions Answered)
- How Can Morticians Ensure Accurate Documentation of Autopsies Results? (9 Simple Questions Answered)
- Interment vs. Inurnment in Mortuary Science (Final Resting Place)
- Mortuary Science: Death Certificate vs. Death Notice (Document Differences)
- Mortuary Science: Funeral Home vs. Mortuary (Facility Differences)
- Mortuary Science: Urn vs. Cremation Jewelry (Ashes Storage)
- What Types of Services Should I Outsource as a Funeral Director? (9 Simple Questions Answered)
- What Strategies Can Morticians Use to Facilitate Respectful Interactions? (9 Simple Questions Answered)
- What Strategies Should Morticians Use to Become Effective Organizational Leaders? (10 Important Questions Answered)
- Understanding Preneed vs. At-Need (Planning Ahead)
- What Does A Mortician Do? (10 Important Questions Answered)
Security measures
Precautions taken to ensure the safety of the deceased and funeral attendees.
- Understanding Thanatology vs. Mortuary Science (Study of Death)
- What Are the Best Practices for Implementing a Chatbot in a Funeral Business? (9 Simple Questions Answered)
- What Are The Best Career Paths For Morticians? (10 Important Questions Answered)
Selective attention
The ability to focus on specific stimuli while filtering out irrelevant information.
Self-awareness
The ability to recognize and understand one’s own thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
Self-care
The practice of taking care of oneself to maintain physical, emotional, and mental health.
- Understanding Grief Counseling vs. Bereavement Support (Help Available)
- Understanding Mourning vs. Grieving (Emotional Journey)
- Mortuary Science: Requiem vs. Dirge (Music for Mourning)
- Mortuary Science: Epitaph vs. Eulogy (Honoring the Deceased)
- Mortuary Science: Burial vs. Interment (Clarifying Terms)
- How Can I Develop My Grief Counseling Skills Through Active Listening? (10 Important Questions Answered)
- What Strategies Can Morticians Use to Facilitate Respectful Interactions? (9 Simple Questions Answered)
- Understanding Thanatology vs. Mortuary Science (Study of Death)
- What Training Do I Need To Become A Mortician? (10 Important Questions Answered)
Self-care for caregivers
Practices and activities that help caregivers maintain their own physical and emotional well-being.
Self-care practices
Activities and behaviors that promote physical, emotional, and mental well-being.
- Mortuary Science: Burial vs. Interment (Clarifying Terms)
- What Strategies Can Morticians Use to Facilitate Respectful Interactions? (9 Simple Questions Answered)
- What Are the Requirements of the State-Mandated Curriculum for Funeral Directors? (10 Important Questions Answered)
- Understanding Mourning vs. Grieving (Emotional Journey)
- What Are The Best Career Paths For Morticians? (10 Important Questions Answered)
Self-care techniques
Strategies for maintaining physical and emotional well-being while working in the funeral industry.
- Understanding Thanatology vs. Mortuary Science (Study of Death)
- What Skills Will I Learn During a Mortuary Apprenticeship Program? (10 Important Questions Answered)
Sensations
Physical experiences that are perceived through the senses, such as pain, pleasure, and temperature.
- Understanding Grief Counseling vs. Bereavement Support (Help Available)
- Understanding Wake vs. Viewing (Event Definitions)
Sensory experience
The overall sensory impression created by a funeral service, including sights, sounds, smells, and tactile sensations.
Sensory experience contrast
The use of contrasting sensory experiences to create a more meaningful and memorable funeral service.
Sensory input
Information received through the senses, such as sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell.
Sensory integration
The ability to process and interpret sensory information from the environment.
Separate property states
States where property acquired during a marriage is considered separate rather than marital property.
Sepulchre
A small room or monument used for burial or entombment.
Serology
The study of blood serum and other bodily fluids for diagnostic and forensic purposes.
Service Options
The various options available for funeral and memorial services.
Shape
The physical shape and design of a casket or urn.
- Casket vs. Coffin in Mortuary Science (Shape Matters)
- Understanding Funeral Sprays vs. Wreaths (Floral Choices)
- Understanding Direct Cremation vs. Traditional Cremation (Service Options)
- Cenotaph vs. Tombstone in Mortuary Science (Monument Types)
- Columbarium vs. Mausoleum in Mortuary Science (Final Resting Options)
- What Are Some Unique Ways to Personalize a Coffin? (10 Important Questions Answered)
Sharing memories and stories
Reminiscing about the deceased’s life and personality during the funeral service or reception.
Shipping or transporting ashes with an urn or cremation jewelry
Moving cremated remains to a different location using a container or jewelry designed for this purpose.
Shiva observances
Jewish mourning rituals observed for seven days after the funeral.
Shrinkage prevention techniques
Techniques used to prevent the shrinkage of funeral fabrics.
Shroud vs Pall
The difference between a shroud and a pall used in funerals.
Sikhism
Six-sided coffins
Coffins designed in a hexagonal shape to accommodate the natural shape of the human body.
Skeletonization
The process of removing flesh and tissue from bones for forensic or educational purposes.
Social isolation and withdrawal
A common response to grief that involves withdrawing from social interactions and activities.
Social norms
Accepted behaviors and customs surrounding funeral practices.
- Mortuary Science: Shroud vs. Pall (Funeral Fabrics)
- Open Casket vs. Closed Casket (Viewing Decisions)
Soil degradation
Solemnity
Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT)
A type of therapy that focuses on finding solutions to problems rather than dwelling on the problem itself.
Somatic experiencing
A type of therapy that focuses on physical sensations and helps individuals release trauma stored in the body.
Space burial
Spiritual and emotional impact of funeral tributes
Spiritual beliefs
Personal convictions or faith that guide funeral arrangements and services.
- Understanding Funeral Pyre vs. Cremation (Fire-Based Practices)
- Understanding Funeral Mass vs. Memorial Service (Religious Considerations)
- Open Casket vs. Closed Casket (Viewing Decisions)
Spiritual beliefs about the soul’s journey beyond life
Beliefs about what happens to the soul after death, including reincarnation and an afterlife.
Spiritual practices
Religious or personal rituals and beliefs related to death and the afterlife.
- Understanding Mourning vs. Grieving (Emotional Journey)
- Understanding Grief Counseling vs. Bereavement Support (Help Available)
- Mortuary Science: Requiem vs. Dirge (Music for Mourning)
Spiritual support
Assistance and guidance from religious or spiritual leaders to help individuals cope with grief and loss.
- Mortuary Science: Last Rites vs. Extreme Unction (Sacramental Services)
- Understanding Grief Counseling vs. Bereavement Support (Help Available)
- How Does Interment Function? (10 Important Questions Answered)
Stages-of-grief model
A psychological framework that outlines the common emotional stages experienced after a loss.
Stainless steel
A type of steel that is resistant to corrosion and often used in the construction of caskets and other funeral products.
Stain removal techniques
Techniques used to remove stains from funeral fabrics.
Standing display
Standing sprays
Floral arrangements designed to stand upright and typically displayed at the funeral service.
State and federal laws
Laws and regulations that govern the funeral industry at the state and federal level.
State laws on burial containers
Laws regulating the type of burial containers allowed in each state.
State registrar
An official responsible for maintaining records of births, deaths, and other vital statistics within a state.
State-specific regulations
Laws and guidelines that vary by state and govern the funeral industry and mortician practices.
Steel
A strong and durable metal commonly used in the construction of caskets and other funeral products.
- Casket vs. Coffin in Mortuary Science (Shape Matters)
- Mortuary Science: Vault vs. Liner (Casket Protection)
Steel casket
A coffin made of steel, often used in modern funerals.
Step-up in basis
The adjustment of the value of an asset for tax purposes upon the death of the owner.
Stimuli
Any external factors that can elicit a response or reaction from an individual.
- Understanding Wake vs. Viewing (Event Definitions)
- Understanding Grief Counseling vs. Bereavement Support (Help Available)
Stone
A material commonly used for headstones and grave markers.
- Cenotaph vs. Tombstone in Mortuary Science (Monument Types)
- Mortuary Science: Urn vs. Cremation Jewelry (Ashes Storage)
Storage capacity
The amount of space available for storing cremated remains.
Storage options for ashes
Options for storing cremated remains, including urns and scattering.
Storage options for unused portions of ashes after filling an urn or making a piece of cremation jewelry
Options for storing remaining ashes after using a portion for an urn or jewelry.
Storage requirements
The specific conditions and regulations for storing human remains.
- Casket vs. Coffin in Mortuary Science (Shape Matters)
- Understanding Direct Cremation vs. Traditional Cremation (Service Options)
Subjective experience
An individual’s personal and unique perception of an event or situation.
Successor trustee
A person designated to take over as trustee of a trust after the original trustee’s death or incapacity.
Superstitions related to death and funerals
Beliefs or practices that are considered to bring good or bad luck in relation to death and funerals.
Support groups
Groups of individuals who come together to provide mutual support and encouragement.
- Understanding Grief Counseling vs. Bereavement Support (Help Available)
- Mortuary Science: Epitaph vs. Eulogy (Honoring the Deceased)
- Mortuary Science: Eulogy vs. Obituary (Honoring the Deceased)
- Understanding Mortician vs. Funeral Director (Roles Defined)
- Understanding Mourning vs. Grieving (Emotional Journey)
- Understanding Thanatology vs. Mortuary Science (Study of Death)
- How Does Interment Function? (10 Important Questions Answered)
- Mortuary Science: Grave vs. Tomb (Resting Place Terminology)
- Mortuary Science: Requiem vs. Dirge (Music for Mourning)
- Mortuary Science: Decedent vs. Deceased (Terminology Explained)
- Mortuary Science: Pallbearer vs. Honorary Pallbearer (Roles Explained)
- What Types of Services Should I Outsource as a Funeral Director? (9 Simple Questions Answered)
- What Strategies Can Morticians Use to Facilitate Respectful Interactions? (9 Simple Questions Answered)
- Understanding Embalmer vs. Mortician (Job Specifications)
Support system
A network of people who provide emotional, physical, and/or financial support to an individual.
- Understanding Mourning vs. Grieving (Emotional Journey)
- Mortuary Science: Requiem vs. Dirge (Music for Mourning)
- How Can I Develop My Grief Counseling Skills Through Active Listening? (10 Important Questions Answered)
Surviving family members
The family members who are left behind after the death of a loved one.
- Mortuary Science: Eulogy vs. Obituary (Honoring the Deceased)
- Mortuary Science: Death Certificate vs. Death Notice (Document Differences)
- Understanding Preneed vs. At-Need (Planning Ahead)
Sustainable alternatives
Sustainable materials
Materials that are environmentally friendly and have a minimal impact on the planet.
- Understanding Embalmer vs. Mortician (Job Specifications)
- Wake vs Funeral in Mortuary Science (Event Order)
Sustained attention
The ability to maintain focus on a task or activity for an extended period of time.
Symbolic gesture
An action or object that represents a deeper meaning or sentiment.
- Mortuary Science: Pallbearer vs. Honorary Pallbearer (Roles Explained)
- Mortuary Science: Eulogy vs. Obituary (Honoring the Deceased)
- How Does Interment Function? (10 Important Questions Answered)
Symbolic imagery or text
Images or words used to represent the deceased or their life.
Symbolic meaning
Symbolism in death portraits
The use of symbols and imagery in portraits of deceased individuals.
Sympathy tokens
Small gifts or gestures of sympathy given to the family of a deceased individual.
Synthetic fibers
Man-made fibers used in funeral fabrics.