Funeral home ethics are of supreme importance wherever you live. At Stillinger Family Funeral Home in Greenfield, Indiana, we take funeral home ethics very seriously. That’s why we are proud to be member of IFDA, the Indiana Funeral Directors Association. And we’re especially proud that part of IFDA’s Code of Ethics focuses on service to families. As you can tell from the name of our funeral home, that’s important to us, too. So, what exactly does IFDA say about funeral home ethics and the family?
What is the IFDA Code of Ethics?
The IFDA Code of Ethics sets forth obligations of the funeral professional. It is binding upon IFDA members; and violations may subject the member to disciplinary action. Every member funeral home and funeral professional is duty-bound to know and strictly adhere to the Code requirements. According to the IFDA, this is “for the protection of the families we serve, the decedents we care for, the profession we dedicate ourselves to, the communities in which we live, and the Association that represents us.”
Service to the Families
According to the Code of Ethics, IFDA members “have an ethical obligation to serve each family in a professional and caring manner, being respectful of their wishes and confidences, being honest and fair in all dealings with them.” Among the principles within the “Service to the Families” portion of the code are these:
- Members shall provide funeral services to families without regard to religion, race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation or disability.
- Members shall comply with all applicable federal or state laws or regulations relating to the prearrangement, prepayment or pre-financing of funeral services or merchandise.
- Members shall release the remains of deceased persons or the cremated remains of deceased persons to the custody of the person or entity who has the legal right to affect a release without requiring payment prior to the release.
- Members shall comply with the Federal Trade Commission’s Funeral Industry Practices Regulation (the “Funeral Rule”) and all applicable Indiana state consumer disclosure requirements.
- Members shall protect confidential information pertaining to the deceased or the family of the deceased from disclosure, except as required or authorized by law.
- Members shall carry out all aspects of the funeral service in a competent and respectful manner.
- Members shall properly account for and remit any monies, documents, or personal property of the client family.
- Members shall not engage in any unprofessional conduct of a character likely to deceive, defraud or harm the families they serve in the course of providing professional services.
At Stillinger Family Funeral Home, families are at the heart of our business. And because these ethical standards are vitally important to families, they are equally important to us. We take pride in our IFDA membership, in our shared dedication to funeral home ethics, and of course, in our commitment to serving the needs of families of all kinds. To learn more, contact us at (317) 462-5536.
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