September 2018

Page A30 SEPTEMBER 2018 FUNERAL HOME & CEMETERY NEWS S ec t i on A www.funeralradio.com UNCUT ANDUNCENSORED ANALYSIS FORYOUR FUNERAL HOME News Association ContinueD Embalming & Restorative Art: Keep Your Skills Sharp With NFDA BROOKFIELD,WI— On the heels of a successful Embalming and Restorative Art Seminar, held in May at the Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science, the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) is offering funeral professionals even more opportunities to hone their technical skills during the second half of 2018. The association is also making plans to host the Embalming and Restorative Art Seminar in 2019. During the 2018 seminar, both novice and seasoned em- balmers gained advanced skills, ideas and knowledge that could be applied when they returned to their funeral homes. Participants in the seminar described it using superlatives such as, “fantastic,” “amazing,” “totally exceeding my expec- tations” and “the best presentation I ever attended in my 54 years as a licensed funeral director and embalmer.” The seminar was led by some of the country’s most respect- ed authorities on embalming and restorative art: Dominick J. Astorino, CFSP, MBIE; Jzyk Ennis, Ph.D.; T. Scott Gil- ligan; and Wallace Hooker, CFSP, MBIE. Sessions at the conference included: embalming procedures and techniques for all experience levels, including a live demonstration; ad- vanced restorative art tech- niques to help make the most difficult cases present- able; embalming standards of care; and how to manage risk and reduce liability ex- posure. Information about the 2019 Embalming & Restorative Art Seminar will be available on the NFDA website, www. nfda.org/embalmingseminar , in the months to come. Bringing Education to You For many funeral direc- tors, traveling to a confer- ence may not fit with the demands of their business. NFDA will host a live we- binar, Meet the Embalming Experts (1 CE hour), with presenters Melissa Johnson and Wallace Hooker, on September 6 at 1 p.m. CT. NFDA also offers several online learning courses focused on technical skills that enable funeral professionals to boost their skills wherever and whenever they have internet access. Courses include: Embalming Risk Management (3 CE hours) present- ed by Scott Gilligan and Jzyk Ennis, Ph.D; Embalming Per- spectives and Paradigms Challenged (6 CE hours) presented by John S. “Jay” Rhodes III, CFSP; and Embalming the Obese Case (3 CE hours) presented by Vernie Fountain, CFSP. Later this year, NFDA will be adding a new online learning course based on the live embalming demonstration that took place during the 2018 Embalming & Restorative Art Seminar. Technical Skills at the NFDA Convention Embalming and restorative art topics are on the agen- da of the 2018 NFDA International Convention & Expo, taking place October 14-17 in Salt Lake City. Noted ex- perts will present education sessions on a variety of topics. Kick things off with a preconvention seminar on Sunday October 14, The Vernie Fountain Files: Embalming, Restora- tion and Death Investigation presented by Vernie Fountain. Workshops covering technical skills include: Treating Dif- ficult Institutionalized Medical Cases presented by Karl Wenzel, CFSP, MBIE, Sunday, October 14; The Relevance of Restorative Art presented by Dominick Astorino, CFSP, MBIE, Monday, October 15; Creating Lasting Memories: Perfecting the Final Touch presented by Wallace Hooker, CFSP, MBIE, Tuesday, October 16; and Restoration and Repair of Trauma Cases presented by Amanda McElreath and Melissa Johnson, Wednesday, October 17. Advice from Your Peers Embalmers who have questions about how to approach a challenge they face in the prep room or want to share a tip that has helped them in the past can visit the new on- line “Embalmers’ Community.” Exclusively for NFDA members, the online community is a place to meet, share ideas and collaborate with peers. The “Embalmers’ Community” can be found on the NFDAweb- site, www.nfda.org (click on the “Resources” link at the top of the page; choose “Online Communities” from the menu). Educate Your Families NFDA has developed a consumer brochure, “Embalming: Answers to Your Questions.” This brochure gently explains the embalming process, describes the value of viewings and visita- tions as part of end-of-life rituals, and answers common ques- tions that families may have. The brochure can be ordered through the NFDA Resource Store, www.nfda.org/store, or by calling 800-228-6332. Funeral directors may also want to encourage families to visit NFDA’s new consumer- facing website Remember- ingALife.com, which serves as a guide to honoring a life well-lived, from planning a tribute to mourning a loved one. The site offers guidance on how to start the plan- ning process, the kinds of decisions families will make, and the many options avail- able to make a tribute per- sonal and meaningful. The site highlights information on service options (including embalming and the value of viewing), details about cre- mation and burial, and pre- funding options. NFDA is the world’s lead- ing and largest funeral ser- vice association, serving more than 20,000 individ- ual members who represent nearly 11,000 funeral homes in the United States and 49 countries around the world. NFDA is the trusted lead- er, beacon for ethics and the strongest advocate for the profession. NFDA is head- quartered in Brookfield, WI and has an office in Wash- ington, DC. For more infor- mation, visit www.nfda.org. www.nomispublications.com News Funeral Home & Cemetery online