a glass of champagne. Her “set” included a bright feather boa, patterned outfit, decorative benches, and décor (ibid.). Other stories included a man who was an avid boxer during life, posed standing like a boxer in the ring, complete with a hood and boxing gloves (ibid.). Other examples showed a jazz musician standing with instruments at his funeral and a young man dressed in leather and posed riding his motorcycle. One embalmer told ABC that in doing these types of “extreme embalming,” as ABC put it, they would have to use different mixtures of fluid so the body would stay stiff in a more upright position (ibid.). This type of personalization in funeral presentation rejects the traditional way of displaying the body, peacefully resting in the casket, dressed in their Sunday best. Further investigation shows that these highly customized funeral presentations have been practiced for years in some sections of the country, but they are becoming more popular throughout the United States. There is an emerging field within the funeral industry that should be considered and explained a little better as part of the restorative art process. Mortuary cosmetology, referred to as desairology, is a growing specialty in the funeral profession. Noella C. Charest-Papagno and other cosmetology and funeral professionals recognized that many people spend a great deal of time and effort devoted to their appearance in life. They argued that the same quality of services should be available to them after death. Usually, the career of desairology begins with cosmetology school. Some programs teach only desairology, though cosmetology schools are adding training and certification programs for licensed graduates. There are also home school and distance learning programs available for education and certification. Desairology study includes the following areas: ● Shampooing of the deceased client’s hair. ● Haircutting in ergonomically challenging conditions. ● Color restoration. ● Wig care and hair replacements. ● Identifying hairstyles and parting. ● Anatomy and physiology of the deceased. ● Chemical makeup of hair, skin, and nails after death and the embalming process. ● HIV/AIDS. ● Universal precautions. ● Bacteriology. ● Sanitation and disposal of biohazardous waste. ● Observation of electrical safety. ● OSHA standards for the funeral home industry including required PPE. Assessing risk Nellie Brown, western regional director of the Chemical Hazard Information Program at Cornell University, discusses the chemical and disease exposure risks involved in working as a desairologist and provides the following guidelines (Brown & Platner, 2008): ● Exposure to disease should not be a threat. Make sure immunizations are up to date, particularly tetanus. Disease and decay organisms are not uncommon, so besides being immunized for tetanus, having a hepatitis B series of vaccinations and a tuberculosis vaccination is a good preventative measure.
the back yard,” says Mark Duffey, president and CEO of Everest Funeral, a national funeral planning and concierge service. “But that’s all changing. Now people want to be remembered. A funeral is their last major event, and they want to look good for it. I’ve even had people say, ‘I want you to get rid of my wrinkles and make me look younger’” (ibid.). Restorative artists and embalmers have always tried to restore a life-like appearance. The difference today is the number of people who are preplanning their final touches, which is a new phenomenon in the funeral industry. “I’ve had people mention that they want their breasts to look perky when they’re dead,” says David Temrowski, funeral director of Temrowski and Sons Funeral Home in Warren, Michigan. “Or they’ll say, ‘Can you get these wrinkles out?’ It’s all in humor, but I think people do think more about what they’re going to look like when they’re dead and lying in a casket” (ibid.). A 2014 ABC News report, Lifelike Embalming Positions a New Funeral Trend , noted that funeral plans are becoming more extravagant (ABC, 2014). The trend calls for individuals to be embalmed and presented for viewing in ways that are personalized and accurately celebrate their life. Rather than the traditional casket-viewing and burial, some choose to have loved ones posed in ways that show their hobbies and personalities. ABC News tells the story of an 83-year-old party girl who was embalmed to look as if she was sitting at a party with
Desairology Law and legal definition As defined by U.S. Legal:
“The art of desairology involves caring for the hair, skin, and nails of the deceased in a funeral home preparation room. The specialty is performed by a desairologist licensed in cosmetology under state law. State regulations typically require the funeral home preparation room be of approved size, properly equipped, and must provide a well-ventilated work environment for the personnel” (U.S. Legal, 2016). These professionals are state-licensed cosmetologists and barber stylists, with additional certification that qualifies them to perform specialized techniques for hair, nail, skin care, and make-up services in a funeral setting. They provide services upon request by the family or by prior arrangement with the deceased. Desairologists may work as full-time staff for one director, though most maintain a private practice and work as independent contractors on call to assist funeral directors or embalmers throughout the community. Desairologists must follow all OSHA, cosmetology, desairology, state, and local funeral laws and regulations, as well as adhere to the code of ethics for their licensing and certifying organizations. The Desairology Code of Ethics ● I will practice cosmetology-desairology on the deceased under a licensed funeral director, funeral home, or mortuary. ● I will continue to explore the developmental education of desairology. ● I will uphold the confidentiality of the business of the funeral home and the working environments concerning preparation, embalming, and desairology services for the deceased. ● I will uphold the laws and the board of cosmetology in the state in which I am practicing cosmetology- desairology. Source: Developmental Desairology, 2016
EliteLearning.com/Funeral
Book Code: FTX1625
Page 50
Powered by FlippingBook