A DEATH HAS OCCURRED, NOW WHAT DO I DO? Where to Start When you Don't Know How to Start: The Basics So, you've never planned a funeral before? You might be daunted by the choices, intimidated by the commercial funeral industry, unsure of the "right" thing to do. Like many, you might not even know where to begin, or what questions to ask. We, at the Dimiceli & Sons, Inc. Funeral Home, are compassionate and understanding professionals who will guide you through the arrangement process. It's your choice whether to have a very simple disposition or a more elaborate funeral. Your taste, beliefs, and budget should dictate the type of funeral you arrange. You have no obligation to satisfy anyone else's idea of what's right or proper. Frequently Asked Question's Q. What should I do if the death occurs in the middle of the night or on the weekend? A. We are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Please contact us immediately and we can assist you during this difficult time. (212) 683-1798. Q. What is the purpose of embalming? A. Embalming sanitizes and preserves the body, retards the decomposition process, and enhances the appearance of a body disfigured by traumatic death or illness. Q. Is embalming required by law? A. In the State of New York, embalming is not required by law. However a funeral home may require that embalming be performed because of certain funeral services selected. These reasons may include a funeral with a viewing or an extended period of time between death and final disposition. Q. What is the first step in starting the funeral process after a death has occurred? A. Call the funeral home to notify them of the death and set up a time to meet to discuss the funeral arrangements.
Q: You handled my father's funeral 12 years ago, we no longer live in Manhattan, we live on Staten Island, can I contact you and can you arrange to have my mother's funeral on Staten Island? A. Absolutely! We have the capability of providing our services in your neighborhood. You asked for Staten Island, we have been funeral director to many families using Staten Island Funeral Homes; we have used many funeral homes in different areas of the Bronx; in Flushing, College Point, Astoria, Bayside we have used many funeral homes in Brooklyn as well as Nassau County. Q. We are coming in from out of town, can you assist us with reservations at a local hotel? A. Absolutely! We are familiar with the hotels in the area and their pricing, we would be happy to either recommend a hotel or give you all the information for you to book directly or through your travel agent. Q. Can you assist us in setting up the repast luncheon? A. We can not only assist you in planning the repast luncheon, but we can also provide you with area restaurants for a bite to eat during the days/evening of the visitation. If you live locally and would like to have the luncheon in your home, we can recommend caterers that will handle everything from a brunch to a sit down lunch/dinner. Q. Can you ship my father's remains back to Italy? A. Yes, we can, not only Italy, but Ireland, Germany, India, Bahamas, England, Peru, and Chile (just to name a few countries). We are quite familiar with the consulates in New York and their requirements for repatriation of human remains. We can also ship human remains anywhere in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. Q. We had a simple cremation for my husband, now we want to honor his wishes and scatter his ashes at sea. My husband didn't want people viewing his body he wanted them to celebrate his life, we wanted to scatter his ashes at sea and have a celebration at the same time, can you assist us with this? A. Yes, we have worked with several yachting companies that provide everything from a simple cruise to scatter the ashes to a lavish cocktail reception which includes scattering the ashes into New York Harbor, a cruise and brunch, cocktails, lunch or dinner. Social Security Benefits -- ELIGIBILITY The deceased worker must have credit for work covered by Social Security, ranging from 1 1/2 to 10 years depending on his or her age at death. WHO MAY RECEIVE MONTHLY BENEFITS A widow or widower age 60 or older (50 if disabled), or at any age if caring for an entitled child who is under 16 or disabled. A divorced widow or widower age 60 or older (50 if disabled) if the marriage lasted 10 years, or if caring for an entitled child who is under 16 or disabled. Unmarried children up to 18 (19 if they are attending a primary or secondary school full time.) Children who were disabled before reaching 22, as long as they remained disabled. Dependent parent or parents 62 or older. LUMP SUM DEATH PAYMENT A one time payment of $255 is paid in addition to the monthly cash benefits described above. The lump sum death payment is paid in the following priority order: A surviving spouse who lived in the same household as the deceased person at the time of death. A surviving spouse eligible for or entitled to benefits for the month of death. A child or children eligible for or entitled to benefit from the month of death. APPLYING FOR BENEFITS You must apply in order to receive benefits. You may apply at any Social Security office, or, if you wish, you may apply by telephone. Just dial the toll free number 1-800-772-1213 and the operator will schedule an appointment for you or arrange for the local Social Security office to take your claim by phone. FLORISTS: Superior Florist - 828 6th Avenue, New York, NY -- Telephone: 212-679-4065 http://www.superiorflorist.com Irene Hayes Smythe Florists - 30 East 30th Street, New York, NY 10016 -- Telephone (212) 247-0051 http://www.irenehayes.com HOUSES OF WORSHIP Roman Catholic Churches: Church of Our Saviour 59 Park Avenue 212-679-8166 (Rev. George W. Rutler, S.T.D., Pastor) ----------------------------------------------------------------- St. Agnes Church 143 East 43rd Street http://parishesonline.com/scripts/HostedSites/org.asp?p=10&ID=10089 212- 682-5722 (Rev. Richard Adams, Pastor) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Our Lady of Scapular/St. Stephens Church 143 East 28th Street 212-683-1675 (Msgr. Lawrence Connaughton, Pastor) Protestant Transfiguration Church (The Little Church Around The Corner) 1 East 29th Street, NYC 212-684-6770 St. Bartholomew's w Church of the Good Shepherd 109 East 50th Street, NYC w 240 East 31st Street, NYC 212-378-0200 w 212-689-1595 Protestant Marble Collegiate Church 5th Avenue & 29th Street, NYC 212-686-2770 Synogogues and Temples Metropolitant Syngogue w East End Temple 10 Park Avenue, NYC w 245 East 17th Street, NYC 212-679-8580 w 212-477-6444 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- East Fifty Fifth Conservative Syngogue 308 East 55th Street, NYC 212-752-1200 |