Funeral Homes Overwhelmed by Covid-19 Cases

To date, there have been a staggering 317k Covid deaths in the United States, and that figure is only going to increase over the next few months. This is causing a huge problem, not just for frontline healthcare services, but also for funeral homes and crematoriums.

A Huge Surge of Covid Cases During the Second Wave

Many states have reported a huge surge in cases in the last month, with Ohio seeing more than 2,000 deaths related to the coronavirus. In Ohio, more than 75% of morgues are at 50% occupancy and 68% of crematoriums are almost full. This situation is being repeated all over the US.

The biggest problem many funeral homes have is a lack of adequate storage for deceased persons. Bodies can’t be stacked up in a parking lot; caskets must be stored safely in an appropriate space. Many funeral homes are having to turn away cases because they have nowhere to store caskets, and with the backlog building in crematoria facilities, the problem is getting worse by the day.

Staffing Problems in the Funeral Sector

The problems are not only caused by a lack of storage space – many funeral homes and crematoriums are working with reduced numbers of staff. Some employees are refusing to work with Covid cases because they have health issues; others are dealing with sick and self-isolating staff. In one New York funeral home, there were no embalmers available at all, which meant the home had to close its doors temporarily.

Social Distancing Measures

As well as problems dealing with the unprecedented number of deaths, funeral homes are also having to cope with social distancing measures. During the initial wave of the pandemic, many states implemented ‘Stay Home’ orders, and gatherings at funerals were banned. This has since been lifted, but only immediate family members are allowed at funerals and social distancing rules must be abided by.

This is creating a lot of additional anxiety and stress, both for family members and funeral home staff. Many homes are struggling to keep up with the recommended guidelines issued by the CDC. While staff in funeral homes are used to protecting themselves, grieving family members are often too upset to pay attention to social distancing. This puts them at odds with staff who are forced to ask them to socially distance at a most sensitive time.

Not Enough PPE

Another problem being felt in the funeral sector is a lack of PPE. Funeral homes and mortuaries have had problems securing personal protective equipment for staff, as regular supply chains were diverted to frontline staff in hospitals or dried up completely.

Funeral Homes & Cremation Services in every state are seeing record demand for their services. Homes such as this one - lucasfuneralhomes.com – are struggling to cope with the increase in deceased persons, but they are slowly adapting. Despite the pressures, Lucas Funeral Homes can still serve families and are happy to discuss individual requirements so extended family members can attend and offer extra support.

The problems within the funeral home sector are affecting everyone. Many homes are overwhelmed by the demand for their services, but they must carry on because everyone deserves a chance to say good-bye to their loved one.