Yes. Picaluna is a business that offers a better way for family and friends to say goodbye to the people they love. We are a network of compassionate celebrants, professional directors and wonderful service providers such as florists, stationery providers, mortuaries, hearse and limousine companies, coffin suppliers, cemeteries and crematorium.
By choosing Picaluna, you have an unlimited choice of options available to create the most authentic and inspirational farewell possible. We tailor everything to suit you and your family’s needs. What’s more, the Picaluna process is underpinned by 100% price transparency, plus the donation of 5% of our service fee to your choice from one of our Picaluna Charity partners.
Due to the fact that we have lower overhead costs compared to typical industry businesses, our customers tell us that we’re about 20-30% more affordable than quotes they’ve received from other funeral directors. Our direct cremations start from around $2,600+gst. Picaluna’s business model is based on 100% price transparency, we have no hidden charges or markups, rather opting for a flat 35% service fee on top of the funeral costs.
Pick up the phone and call Picaluna on 02 9067 9537 or email us and we will connect you with one of our directors who will discuss all your options and guide you every step of the way. They will give you the comfort and reassurance you need in this difficult time.
When someone dies in a hospital, there is no rush to have them transferred into our care, as most hospitals have a morgue and don’t pressure families to do so. When you are ready, you just give us a call, and we will organise the transfer of your person into our care. You will be required to sign an ‘Authority to Collect’ form, giving us permission to collect your person from the hospital.
A majority of Australians have a wish to die at home, but there are some important things to note in this situation. You will need to be in contact with your person’s doctor, as once the death occurs, the doctor will need to visit the home to issue an Attending Practitioners Medical Certificate Cause of Death form in order for your person to be transferred into the care of the funeral director. If it is going to be a cremation, then you will need to instruct the doctor to issue an Attending Practitioner’s Cremation Certificate as well.
When the death occurs, you have time, so nothing needs to be rushed. Spend time with your person, and when you are ready, call the doctor. Once the doctor has been and issued the forms, call us and we will come and transfer your person into our care.
If your person dies unexpectedly or through self harm, then you will need to call 000, as the case will automatically go to the Coroner’s, and the Police will need to come and take statements. Once your person arrives at the Coroner’s, the case can take up to 2 weeks, depending on how busy they are, or if the case is a complex investigation. The Coroner will inform you once the investigation is complete, at which stage you call us and we will transfer your person into our care.
If your person dies in a nursing home, the staff will notify you of the death and ask if you have nominated a particular funeral director to conduct the funeral. Most nursing homes don’t have the facilities to keep your person for a long time, so require the funeral director to transfer your person into their care; typically within several hours of the death.
It is advantageous to research and select a funeral director when your person is first admitted to a nursing home, letting the nursing home know of your choice. This makes the process less stressful when the time comes.
There are so many options available to you when making end of life plans, it can be confusing. Our experienced directors would be happy to discuss the different choices available to you. We can also inform you of Advance Care Directives, Pre-paid Funerals and Funeral Bonds.
Have you been caring for a loved-one at home? Sometimes keeping their body at home on a cooling bed, to hold vigil, wash and dress or just share the space, can bring great comfort in bereavement. Talk to Picaluna about the processes around this sacred time.
Picaluna work with a number of experienced Death Doulas in the greater Sydney area. Many have access to, or can supply a cooling bed/plate for the purposes of keeping your loved one in a home environment for up to 5 days.
No, is the simple answer. There are no regulations that stipulate the funeral must be conducted within a particular timeframe after the death has occurred. However, in consultation with the funeral director, consideration should be given to the condition of the deceased, which may play a role in determining when the funeral should take place.
There are legal guidelines that have to be followed by the crematorium, independent or otherwise. There is only one body at a time allowed into the single-body cremator. All the ashes are required to be cleaned from the cremator after every cremation. A name plaque that is generally created at the mortuary, travels with your person’s body through every step of the cremation process.
Picaluna comes to you because we have locally based funeral arrangers living all around the greater Sydney Metropolitan area, including Newcastle, Wollongong and the Blue Mountains. This means we can use any of the funeral venues throughout Sydney and afar without being tied to any. This also allows us to offer a more personal service because we come to where you feel most comfortable. This can often be less confronting for many families as you step into the unknown of funeral planning.
