According to Oregon Funeral Resources and Education,

“In Oregon, no one is required to purchase the services of a funeral director or funeral home. Families may conduct any or all tasks commonly performed by a funeral home (except embalming which is not required by Oregon law), and may bury on their own property if certain provisions are met. Sometimes called “family-led after-death care” or “home funerals” this may include:

• bathing and dressing the deceased; 
• sheltering the deceased at home;
• spending time with the deceased (sometimes called a wake, vigil, or viewing);
• filing the death certificate and obtaining a burial/transit permit;
• making arrangements for final disposition (generally burial or cremation);
• transporting the body home (or to another location) for care and viewing, and to place of final disposition;
• making arrangements for any ceremony. ​​”

In other words, Oregon families have the right to pursue a home funeral, work with a funeral home, or create a blended funeral in which they only pay a funeral home for what they feel is beneficial or necessary while handling the rest themselves. I have starting points for working with funeral homes, as well as for home funerals, on my resource page.

Why might you want a home funeral?

From the National Home Funeral Alliance:

• because you can; it’s your legal right!
• allows time to slow down and creates space for those who are grieving.
• allows the community to follow the wishes of the dying and grieving.
• having access to more time, privacy, and/or hands-on engagement may result in a more meaningful experience, which may also benefit the grieving process.
• ​may cost less money if you aren’t paying for the services of a funeral home.

So, where do I fit into all this?

I educate families on how to care for a body after death and hold a home funeral, or consult for a family who is in the process of a home funeral and needs some assistance in the moment. In some cases, my after death care services happen exclusively over the phone or a video platform rather than in-person. I help families understand their options and guide them through the process of a home or blended funeral if that’s the right choice for them.

To be clear: I am not a licensed funeral director. That means that, legally, I am not allowed to charge for any service that involves me touching a body after death. I also cannot transport the body.

What does after death care education involve?

That depends on the needs and wants of the family, including the person whose funeral it will be if they education starts before the death has occurred. The general categories of service are:

• Education: Includes teaching/demonstrating how to care for a body after death
• Consultation: Includes consulting with interested clients or families about home death care, planning details of a home vigil, and video or phone coaching during the home funeral itself.
• Celebration: Includes helping the family coordinate any ceremonies or celebrations that will take place in the home or in a community space.

Is this service the same as a death doula?

Technically, no. Not all death doulas are trained to offer after death care education, and not all after death care educators are trained as death doulas. However, many death doulas, including myself, decide to train in both. For me, helping people care for their dead is something I’m called to do. It also feels like a natural extension of working as a death doula, in that conversations about vigil, funeral or disposition wants, and after-death logistics are likely to come up in conversations with clients and their families before a death occurs, and I want to be sure I am equipped to help clients through those conversations.

If you bring me on as a death doula and decide you would also like my help with after death care education services, we can discuss how that fits into your overall contract with me. If you’re solely interested in after death care education, it will be a flat fee for education or consultation sessions.

Interested in after death care education? Already know you want some form of home or blended funeral and want to talk more about how I can help? Text or call 925-212-2865 or email morningstar.deathdoula@gmail.com so we can chat!