What is the purpose of a viewing?

A viewing allows mourners the opportunity to share their grief, support one another, and say goodbye on a personal level. This is also considered an important event for showing your respects to the family. The viewing has had many name changes over the years.

What is it called when you see a dead loved one?

While her remarks prompted ridicule in some quarters, seeing, hearing or sensing the presence of a deceased loved one is nothing to be ashamed of. Sensing a deceased spouse is remarkably common. Between 30 and 60\% of elderly widowed people experience so-called bereavement hallucinations.

Should bereaved relatives be encouraged to view the body after death?

Objective Whether bereaved relatives should be encouraged to view the body after a traumatic death is uncertain. This analysis of narrative interviews interprets people’s accounts of why and how they decided whether to view the body and their emotional reactions to this, immediately and at a later stage.

Why is seeing the body of a dead person important?

Worden suggests that a sudden death in particular, leaves the survivor with a sense of unreality, and that seeing the body can help bring home the reality of the loss. He argues that “letting go” of the deceased is an important part of the grieving process and necessary to the client’s wellbeing.

Why do people want to touch the body after a funeral?

Others felt that the body had not lost its social identity, so wanted to make sure the loved one was “being cared for” or to say goodbye. Some people wanted to touch the body, in privacy, but the coroner sometimes allowed this only after the postmortem examination, which made relatives feel that the body had become police property.

What should a family member do after a traumatic death?

Conclusions Even after a traumatic death, relatives should have the opportunity to view the body, and time to decide which family member, if any, should identify remains. Officials should prepare relatives for what they might see, and explain any legal reasons why the body cannot be touched.