Home-based viewing (el velorio) after death: a cost-effective alternative for some families

Abstract

After the death of a loved one, giving an opportunity to view the body helps bring families and friends together to celebrate the life and mourn the passing of a person. This gathering, known as a Wake or a Viewing, precedes the burial and usually lasts from 1 to several days. In the United States, the viewing now takes place in funeral parlors, away from the decedent's home. However, there are still several countries and people who keep the body at home where the family and friends are invited to say their goodbyes. We present here 2 cases for which our Hospice assisted the families with a home viewing. These were indigent people who could not afford embalming or the additional cost of a viewing in a parlor and who, without this opportunity, would have not had time to get together and mourn and celebrate life as friends, family, and community.