Many people have misconceptions, superstitions or long held beliefs around death and dying. Why not test your knowledge here with our quick quiz that we ran on our stall at Kings Heath Artisan Market at the weekend.
1) When someone who is expected to die at home, then dies, how quickly do you need to call the funeral director?
a) Immediately
b) Within 4 hours of the death
c) When the medical person verifying the death tells you to
d) When you are ready to call them
2) What don’t you do when someone dies at home?
a) Call the relevant health professional / paramedics
b) Open all the windows
c) Close their mouth and eyes
d) Think about whether you would like an undertaker to help
3) What determines where you have to register a death (ie in which council area?)
a) Where the person has lived
b) Where the person has died
c) Where the person last went on holiday
d) Nothing – you can choose where to register a death
4) What is embalming?
a) A thorough washing of the body
b) A process needed so that family and friends can spend time with the person after death
c) A hygienic treatment
d) A process that replaces the body’s natural fluids with a preservative liquid
5) What is the best temperature to keep a person’s body at while waiting for the funeral to take place? (assuming the funeral is happening within a normal timeframe)
a) 0-3 degrees C
b) 3-5 degrees C
c) 5-10 degrees C
d) Below zero (frozen)
6) When someone is being cremated what can’t you put in the coffin?
a) Photographs and letters
b) Items with batteries, eg pacemakers or watches
c) Small teddy bears
d) The person’s favourite chocolate bar
7) Does a funeral venue have to be licensed like a wedding to hold a funeral ceremony?
a) No – you can hold a funeral ceremony anywhere where the owner of the property has agreed to do so.
b) You can only hold a funeral in a crematorium or church
c) Yes – all funeral venues have to be licensed
d) No – but you must seek permission from your parish priest first
8) What is not true about natural burial?
a) With natural burial, graves are usually shallower and therefore only used for one person
b) You can still be buried at a natural burial ground even if you have had cancer treatments
c) Natural burial is for all people, with or without faith or religion
d) At a natural burial ground all graves are unmarked
9) When it comes to the hearse …
a) You always have to have a black hearse
b) There are many options, from other colours, electric vehicles, campervans etc
c) You always have to have someone walking in front of it
d) The hearse always has to drive really slowly out of respect for
10) How much weight typically can most cardboard coffins hold?
a) Up to 15 stone (95kg)
b) Up to 20 stone (127kg)
c) Up to 25 stone (163kg)
d) Up to 30 stone (190kg)
