LAWRENCE DOUGLAS COUNTY ADVOCACY COUNCIL ON AGING
Arbor Court, 1510 St Andrews Drive, Lawrence, KS 66047
Minutes of January 15, 2019
Attending: Mary Johnson, Tracy Harmon (Arbor Court), Kathy Petty (Arbor Court), Susan Harris (JAAA), Michele Dillon (JAAA), Katie Whitenight (CVL), Shannon Hodges (Project Lively), Karen Heintzen, Ellen Paulsen, Bob Russell (Vintage Park),
Guest speaker: Shannon Hodges
Mary welcomed all attendees to the meeting. While everyone was gathering, we had a brief discussion on the CARE Act and how LMH is not following procedures.
She then introduced the speaker for the day:
Shannon Hodges (Project Lively)
· She worked for Grace Hospice and learned about home funerals and family directed death care.
· Home funeral – family vs professional. There is a funeral director or anyone acting as one.
· There is a National Home Funeral Alliance to learn more about this topic.
· Green burials – no chemicals or embalming. A biodegradable container is used for the body. Prior to the Civil War, all were green burials with home services.
· The first embalming was done to take soldiers home. Embalming stations were set up in the Civil War battlefields. In fact, when Lincoln died, his body was taken on tour.
· 1900 – 1920 – funeral parlors started. Green burials are now back to traditional. Funeral homes have gone from family owned businesses to corporate-owned.
· Embalming just slows the decomp process. The chemicals leach out of the body. The caskets are put in a vault (cemeteries require the vault).
· Oak Hill cemetery has a green burial section. Others are the Heartland Prairie Cemetery is between Salina and Junction City. A plot there for green burial is $1200, with $800 for opening and closing of the plot. Cost is $400 more for regular burial.
· Funeral Consumers Alliance of Kansas City.
· Various rules pertaining to burials not in regular cemetery.
o In rural areas, you can burry on your own land. Must be 150 feet from a water source. Have to register with the state.
o Home funerals are legal and are chosen because they are personal. No, they are not “gross”.
o State law – 24 hours after death, body must be embalmed or refrigerated or In a sealed casket.
o Designated funeral agent (someone who plans and oversees the services).
o Hardest part is getting a death certificate.
· Suggestion – set up a “payable upon death account”, but not a prepaid funeral with a funeral home (too many changes in ownership)
· Check the Medicaid rules on death plans.
· Note: cremation – takes about 3000 miles of fossil fuel to take care of the body.
The next meeting will be February 19th at 11:30 for eat and greet so bring your lunch and visit.
NOTE: we will be meeting at ARBOR COURT located at 15th and Kasold Drive.
February speaker: Tamara Baker,
Director of Gerontology at KU
Respectfully submitted, Mary Johnson, Secretary