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SAGINAW, Mich. (AP) Only a couple of families have taken advantage of a new service available at a Saginaw funeral home.
Drive-thru viewings.
Paradise Funeral Chapel recently started offering the option, which allows mourners to pay their last respects on the go. It was designed in part to cater to those with physical limitations.
The funeral home's president, Ivan (EYE'-vuhn) Phillips, says he expects more customers to opt for the drive-thru once they learn it's not a gimmick and is safe to use.
Curtains covering the window open when sensors underneath the pavement recognize the presence of a car. Mourners then get three minutes to view the body as music plays.
Phillips says drive-thru viewings are set up so they don't conflict with traditional indoor viewings.
http://news.yahoo.com/michigan-funeral-home-provides-drive-thru-option-064247396.html
Phillips drive-thru service is not the first in the country, but it's the first in the Midwest. The drive-thru service was partly created to accommodate the elderly or those with physical disabilities, but Phillips is hoping others will willingly choose the drive-thru service as an option, when they find out it's not a gimmick.
Of course, you'll have a hard time convincing others a drive-thru viewing is not a gimmick. Using common sense, you have to assume others will think of a drive-thru viewing as "disgusting" or "disrespectful." Still, you can't rule out the possibility of more funeral homes choosing the drive-thru service to give their customers another option, or to change with the times, if drive-thru viewings catch on.
On one hand, I can understand having an accessible service for the elderly and people with physical disabilities. Also, you have to consider those, who just can't handle the sight of a dead body up close, especially a family member or a close friend. There's a chance the drive-thru offers a protected safe zone for those, who can't handle the experience mentally and emotionally.
Although, after watching the video, I asked myself one question: will a car and a window really make big difference, when you're still looking at the body? If you're putting in the time and effort to pay your respects, and you're actually looking at the body, I have a hard time believing in a car and a window providing a more calming experience, or taking the emotional sting out of the viewing, when you're still looking at the body.
Personally, I can't imagine myself choosing the drive-thru option. After watching the video, and actually seeing each step in the process, the whole process strikes me as a horribly awkward experience. Sitting in the car, the music, and the three minute time limit? When I think about a drive-thru, Wendy's, Burger King, McDonlad's, and the bank are the first set of thoughts that pop into my mind, so I can't imagine putting the viewing of a deceased family member or a close friend in the same ballpark.
All thoughts and discussion regarding this article are welcome.