How To Transfer or Portion Cremated Remains
After you receive cremated remains or “ashes,” you may decide to move them to a display urn or take a portion for scattering or use in another small keepsake item or jewelry. For some people, it can be an emotional task, so consider asking a friend or family member to...
Alica Forneret on Grief, Racism and the Dead Moms Club
“There is no day that goes by where I’m sitting at my computer or doing my work that I don’t think about my mom’s death and I don’t want to have to stop thinking about my mom’s death at three in the afternoon or 10 in the morning … I think similarly, we are watching...
A Phone in the Forest Helps Grieving Talk with Loved Ones
In a back corner of an Olympia, Washington park, hangs a disconnected rotary phone. From it, people who need to talk to someone who is no longer there, can do so from the solitude of the wooded surroundings. The project was inspired by a phone booth set up in 2010 in...
Experts: How to Create a Meaningful Virtual Memorial
During the pandemic, “Zoom funerals” and other online memorials have become the norm. And many experts think they’ll be around to stay even after we “return to normal” to help those who can’t travel or attend in-person events. But because it can be tricky to create a...
There’s a Lot to Talk About, After All
At Solace Cremation, we’ve been designing a better kind of funeral business, one that puts people and families at the center, focused on transparency and ease, and raising a conversation about quality of care before, during and after death. In almost three years in...
How ‘The Pause’ Became a Resounding Call to Honor Life
Jonathan Bartels started in health care in 1986 and has worked as a registered nurse in trauma care, palliative care, oncology, medical/surgical care and post-op organ transplant. He’s currently working as a palliative care nurse liaison. He created “The Pause” in...
Cultivating Resilience with Hope on the Horizon
On Christmas Eve, I had the opportunity and privilege to volunteer in our hospital’s newly opened COVID vaccine clinic. First in order of priorities were the health care workers most at risk for COVID exposure themselves. They included nurses, doctors, cafeteria...
Mothers’ Stories of Love and Loss from End Well
End Well is an organization with a mission of “making the end of life part of life.” The nonprofit, founded by Dr. Shoshana Ungerleider, brings “well-known and emerging voices to drive a cultural shift around the end-of-life experience.” Solace is a proud sponsor of...
What’s Worth Keeping from 2020 to Bring into 2021
Though most of us would agree that 2020 was the worst year ever, there have been some moments of sweetness — time over a board game with family, silly Zoom calls with the grandparents and trading (socially-distant) treats with our neighbors. There are some of these...
5 People Changing the Death Business in L.A.
Los Angeles is the home to innovation in entertainment, aerospace and fashion, but probably not as well known is L.A.’s dynamic influence on the rapidly changing funeral industry. It is, after all, the birthplace of the “death positive” movement. There are dozens of...
Lessons Learned From Those We Lost in 2020
So many people have died in 2020, it is hard to know where to start to pay tribute to them. The country has lost more than 300,000 people to COVID this year. And many others died of other causes, but because of the pandemic, couldn’t be mourned in traditional ways....
Where to Scatter ‘Ashes’ on the West Coast
Though there are no health hazards associated with cremation “ashes” (officially cremated remains), there are a few things you should know before you plan your scattering. There are many popular options for scattering, as our colleagues at Better Place Forests have...
Startup Life in the Death Business
From the first day I met David Odusanya and Keith Crawford in a bustling coffeeshop, I knew working for a cremation startup was different. These guys were not the stodgy stereotype you might imagine with cold clammy hands and ill-fitting suits. They were young,...
Creative Rituals for Mourning at Home
There is never a convenient time to lose someone, but the current circumstances make a difficult situation even harder. During the holiday season, it can be even harder to cope with loss. Grief expert David Kessler says there is no tidy “cure” for grief, but there are...
A Doctor’s Quest to Change the End-of-Life Experience
Shoshana Ungerleider, M.D., is physician, founder, speaker, producer and writer. In 2017, she founded the End Well Foundation. End Well is a media platform and produces an annual, interdisciplinary gathering which focuses on transforming end-of-life care to make it a...
The Power of Gratitude in Life & Death
Though it sometimes may be hard to find, gratitude is a practice that’s at the heart of this season. It boosts health, improves mental health, reduces stress, makes us happier and helps us achieve success. As Michael J. Fox tells the New York Times, “with gratitude,...
Debunking an Urban Legend: Walt Disney Isn’t Frozen
Urban legends about Walt Disney have circulated since shortly after his death more than 50 years ago. The legend even sparked a recent quirky comedy film. The truth is, Disney was not frozen. He had a California cremation and his ashes were interred at Forest Lawn in...
Vet’s Benefits Help Families Honor Their Service
Veterans and their families may not be aware of the benefits available to them to honor their service to our country after they pass away. These benefits are for all veterans with an honorable discharge, their spouse and any dependent children. They can help give...
10 Final Wishes Fulfilled in Hospice
November is National Home Care and Hospice Month, a time to pay tribute to the millions of hard working nurses, home care aides, therapists, social workers and others making a difference in the lives of the families they serve. Hospice workers are everyday heroes who...
Dia de los Muertos Goes Virtual
We’ve all been thinking about our mortality a lot more than usual as we make our way through the pandemic, but an ancient festival has been celebrating our relationship with the dead for as many as 3,000 years. Whether you consider it cultural appropriation or...
6 Seattleites Changing the Death Business
Solace Cremation is thrilled to work in the midst of a sea change in the funeral business. Here we introduce you to some of our colleagues in Seattle who are reinventing the death care industry. Lashanna Williams is a massage therapist, a death doula, deathcare...
Cremation Costs Lowest on the West Coast
The cost of cremation on the West Coast is significantly lower than other areas of the country, according to data from the National Funeral Directors Association. So if you are shopping for affordable cremation in Portland, Seattle or Los Angeles, you will face lower...
9 Ways To Shop Smart for Direct Cremation
More families are turning to cremation than ever before, due in part to the growing expense of traditional burial and funerals. In 20 years, 80 percent of Americans will choose cremation, experts say. Oregon and Washington are already growing close to that level,...
Why Celebrity Deaths Affect Us
We certainly don’t have to tell you, 2020 has been a tough year. For those who follow celebrities in sports, politics and entertainment, it has been a time of tremendous loss. From Kobe Bryant to Chadwick Boseman and Naya Rivera, we remember those we lost this year...
Ask Malisa: An Honest Look at Cremated Remains
Malisa Riceci is Solace’s lead funeral director. Malisa is a licensed director and embalmer with over 15 years experience serving families. This is part of an occasional series we call “Ask Malisa.” Read our first “Ask Malisa” blog here. What are cremated remains?...
Study: Memorial Diamonds Can Help Grief Process
There are many ways to remember a loved one. Some people keep cremated remains in an urn or scatter them someplace meaningful. A relatively new concept is to turn a portion of cremated remains into a diamond or other jewelry. As our friends Eterneva explain, the death...
How Solace is Keeping Families Safe Through the COVID crisis
In these uncertain times, we wanted to reassure you about Solace Cremation’s health and safety practices. Since March, Solace is proud to have served hundreds of families safely and with minimal in-person contact. Keeping everyone safe At Solace, we are committed to...
Trees Not Tombstones: Remembering Loved Ones Outside
While fewer people are choosing traditional burial in cemeteries, families often still want a place to visit — or the feeling of pride that comes with stewardship — as a reminder of their loved one. For many, nature provides the perfect setting. Public green spaces...
California Leads in Transparency, But Loopholes Remain
California is the only state to require funeral homes to post prices online. It became the first and only state to do so seven years ago in 2013. The Funeral Rule requires all funeral homes nationwide to supply families with general price lists, but the law was...
Seattle a Trendsetter in Death Care
Cremation is growing in popularity and is chosen now by more than half of Americans, but it is even more popular in Northwest markets served by Solace. According to the Cremation Association of North America, Washington and Oregon are among the states with the biggest...
Disruption by Design
Innovation is in our DNA. Design is our passion. And disruption is our mission. You may wonder how designers got into the funeral business, but it is really quite simple. We were motivated to create Solace by Design Thinking, a philosophy that brings empathy and...
Why Funding is Elusive for Black Founders
Young companies need money to grow. But Black tech entrepreneurs say they’ve been left out of the “elusive, secretive and chummy” world of venture capital which isn’t governed by the same civil rights laws that apply elsewhere, the Washington Post reports. Of the...
Help Us Reinvent the Funeral Business
We’ve shared our unique origin story with you many times. Two good friends, formerly design executives at Nike, came together with a new idea. Inspired by design thinking and the our not-so-great experiences after the death of Keith's father and David's mum, we knew...
Lessons from The Big Lebowski
We can’t get enough of a beloved scene in the cult classic movie, The Big Lebowski. You know the one. John Goodman as Walter, and his friend (Jeff Bridges) “The Dude,” scatter the ashes of his bowling teammate, Donny, returning his “mortal remains to the bosom of the...
What You Need to Know About Death Certificates
The death certificate is perhaps the most important legal document in existence. It is an official legal record of a person’s death and is used by families as they deal with banks, insurance companies, government agencies and other financial institutions to close...
Surfers ‘Paddle Out’ in Ritual of Mourning, Support
In Southern California and around the globe, there’s been a growing movement by surfers to honor George Floyd and others killed by racism and fear. Activists have been holding “Paddle Outs,” a traditional Hawaiian memorial ceremony, to show unity with the Black Lives...
Fireworks Offer Unique Send Off for Cremation Ashes
For those whose loved one’s favorite holiday was the Fourth of July, was a veteran or just wanted to “go out with a bang,” cremation fireworks may be something to explore. In perhaps its most famous use, “gonzo journalist” Hunter S. Thompson’s ashes were blown into...
Working Toward Equality in Life & Death
After my mum died, my seven siblings and I went to the local pub to celebrate mum. We were telling stories about her and sharing our collective grief over a pint or two when a drunk skinhead started to make fun, as they enjoyed a meal, of my brother and his wife....
Remembering the Father Who Inspired Our Business
Shortly after my father died in 2013 after a long illness, I volunteered to go with my mother to the local funeral home. My father was a planner at heart and we knew he’d made his own arrangements and pre-paid for everything. After all, he was an architect for 45...
Death Care Disruptors Share Common Goal
A few months ago, dozens of tech-powered companies in the death care space began collaborating on a variety of projects to help families during this challenging time. These companies, like others in this “space,” were inspired to meet the needs of families unmet by...
Reviews Shed Light on Family Stories
When we look back over our first year in business, we are so humbled by knowing we’ve helped hundreds of families. After all, we are just two guys retired from the sneaker business trying our hand at something completely different. When we started, our plan was to...
Why You May Not Want to Pre-Pay for Your Funeral
Insurance companies and funeral homes often tout the benefits of the pre-paid funeral plans they sell. The idea is that you will save your family money and anguish when the time comes. The nation’s largest funeral providers made $226 million in pre-need sales last...
Landscape Shifting in Funeral Home Industry
It would seem that a pandemic might help the big deathcare businesses. The nation’s largest provider averaged $10,000 in revenue for each of its more than 300,000 cases last year, according to Forbes. But without the ability to “upsell” families and to sell “pre-need”...
Remembering Mom in the ‘New Normal’
There is no getting around it, Mother’s Day is different this year. Brunches in crowded restaurants are out, online playlists are in. Hugs are out, Zoom or Google Hangout video calls are in. Public health experts say staying away is the greatest gift you can give your...
Behind the Scenes at Solace HQ
We created Solace Cremation to be different. And like everything that’s new or different, sometimes folks have questions. In today’s blog, Jeremy Frank, COO of Solace, answers frequently asked questions about Solace’s price, plans and processes. Transparency is one of...
Navigating the ‘New Normal’
We’ve all been adjusting to changes brought by COVID-19. If you don’t know what day it is and your pajamas are the latest in “business casual,” you are not alone. The “new normal” is changing the way we live and how we die. Our lives may never be the same, experts...
Digital Companies Step Up in Crisis
As families cope with challenging restrictions during the COVID-19 crisis, a number of digital end-of-life and death care companies are stepping up and collaborating to serve them. Solace is proud to be among those businesses providing digital solutions, but today...
How COVID-19 is Reminding Us to Plan
Around the globe, Covid-19 is reminding us all of our own mortality. The virus has brought both this stark reminder and the gift of a lot of free time to check things off our collective “to-do” lists. Surveys show that though most of us agree it is important to...
Every Solace Cremation is Carbon Neutral
As we approach the 50th anniversary of Earth Day — the day that marked the beginning of the environmental movement, we thought it would be a good time to talk about Solace’s commitment to the environment. Last year, Solace Cremation partnered with 3 Degrees to offset...
Happy Birthday, Solace
Admittedly, this is a strange time to have a birthday. People are getting creative with Zoom, leaving cakes on porches and holding drive-by birthday parties. As one nurse practitioner told the New York Times, “celebrations are really, truly just about love.” Love is...
Understanding ‘Direct Cremation’
Direct cremation is an option that many families may consider because it is quick, affordable and there is no funeral needed — so gatherings can be held at a later time when family members can come together, or loved ones can grieve together online. So just what is a...
We’re Here, We’re Open & Caring For Families
This unprecedented time has been heartbreaking in so many ways. Our favorite restaurants, stores, barber shops and bookstores are shutting their doors and we don’t know when — or if — they’ll reopen. But those losses pale in comparison to the grief of those losing a...
Creative Ways to Connect During the COVID Crisis
Amid the COVID crisis, there are positive stories of families and communities doing what they can to keep up morale. Some are holding birthday parades, online dance parties and drawing chalk rainbows. The crisis has brought a return to phone calls and letter writing....
Your COVID-19 Questions Answered
The COVID-19 crisis has brought about so many questions as we all try to stay well and keep others safe. Like many businesses, the death care industry is adjusting to the changes COVID-19 has brought. We know you have questions and asked our Funeral Director, Malisa...
Death in the Time of COVID-19
Guidance about gatherings in the wake of COVID-19 have been changing rapidly, but guidelines recommending that Americans avoid groups of over 10 people have touched every aspect of life, from schools to restaurants and bars, weddings and even funerals. Religious...
How Design Thinking Motivated Us
As designers, we were inspired to reimagine the deathcare space after having mediocre experiences with the deaths of our father and mother, respectively. We knew there was a better way. We used Design Thinking to blaze a path. So what is design thinking? Here’s a...
5 Facts About Hospice Care
Just what is hospice care? Though the number of people receiving care in hospice has been on the rise (1.49 Medicare million patients received hospice care in 2017), there are still many misconceptions that linger about just what it is and who could benefit from it....
Why Price Transparency Matters
As a report by two nonprofit, consumer advocacy groups makes clear, giving consumers transparent pricing for funeral and cremation costs will save them money. Funeral Consumers Alliance and the Consumer Federation of America looked into prices in California where...
What is a ‘Death Doula’?
You may have heard the term “death doula” in recent years and intuitively understood that it was a growing profession of dedicated people who wanted to help the dying and their families with their end-of-life care. When women began to use birth doulas and midwives,...
Your ‘Loved & Lost’ Letters
This month, we’ve been inviting you to share letters to people in your life who have passed away. As we shared in our last blog, the act of writing can be healing and sharing those letters can help others. If you’d like to share your letters with us, you can email us...
Letters to Loved & Lost
With Valentine’s Day around the corner, it is the time of year to think about the people we love, even — or perhaps especially — the people who have passed away. If you’d like to join us in celebrating that love, there is more information on how to participate at the...
Study: More People Dying at Home
For the first time since the early 20th century, more people are dying at home than in hospitals. And about half of those who die at home receive hospice help from home health aides, hospice and palliative care workers and nurses. Death doulas are also increasingly...
How to Write an Obituary
Writing your own obituary is a great way to help shape your personal life story after you die. There is no right or wrong way to do it, and there are many alternatives to publishing it when the time comes. A recent article in the Seattle Times explained how the act of...
When is it Time for Hospice Care?
There comes a point when families and patients must decide whether it is time to enter hospice care. There are a number of factors to consider, including whether treatment is no longer effective. It is a difficult decision, but experts agree that choosing to enter...
What We Learned At End Well 19
Just about eight short months after we launched our start-up, we headed south to San Francisco to one of the largest end-of-life symposiums in the country, End Well 19. We knew we would learn a lot about this rapidly-changing field, but we were blown away by the...
Resolve to Make an After-Life Plan in 2020
With the coming of a new year, many resolve to get in shape or end bad habits. But creating an after-life plan might be the best resolution you’ve ever made because it will take the weight off family members in the future and give you peace of mind right now. Here are...
Words of Comfort for the Grieving
When someone is grieving, it can be difficult to know what to say. But experts have advice to keep you from either rambling on or saying nothing, both of which could leave you feeling both awkward and guilty. The New York Time’s Crowdwise column has excellent advice...
8 Things You Can Do With Cremation Ashes
As more people choose cremation for their loved ones (nearly 90 percent of Northwest residents are expected to opt for cremation by 2030), new markets are popping up with creative options for their “ashes.” A side note: cremated remains, sometimes called “cremains,”...
10 Rituals That Can Get You Through the Holidays
After losing a loved one during the year, facing the holidays can be tough. But there are small rituals that can help you remember them and give yourself a meaningful, active way to grieve alone or with family and friends. These 10 ideas are just a small fraction of...
Talk Death Over Turkey
As you pull your turkey out of the oven and gather friends and family around the table, why not make room for an often uninvited guest — death. According to “Death over Dinner” founder, Michael Hebb, dinner is the perfect opportunity to discuss a topic that’s been...
Why We Founded Solace
By now, you’ve probably heard our story. Two “Nike guys” leave the sneaker giant in 2017 and launch our own creative agency, CO-Lab. Then about a year ago, we start exploring a new business idea. We discover that people want an alternative to the traditional funeral...
Vet’s Benefits Help Families Celebrate Their Service
Families of veterans may not be aware of the many benefits due to them to honor their loved one’s service to the country after they pass away. These benefits can help defray the cost of arrangements as well as give special meaning to their service, even if they served...
Pacific Northwest Embracing Dia de los Muertos
Among the usual pumpkins, ghosts and goblins on neighborhood porches in celebration of Halloween, you may have seen a growing number of Dia de los Muertos-themed decorations and traditions popping up -- altars to relatives who have passed away, brightly-colored, folk...
Understanding the Difference Between Palliative and Hospice Care
Learning the difference between palliative care and hospice can be confusing, since both are centered on giving the patient comfort for their symptoms. But palliative care and hospice care, though related, are not the same. Comfort for Symptoms According to the...
Why Washington is an Exciting New Market for Solace
Solace Cremation is Bringing Innovative Death Care Services to Seattle Seattle has long been a trend-setting city. The home of Boeing, Microsoft, Starbucks and Amazon, the Emerald City is often on the cutting edge of social trends and inventions. From evaporated milk...
Who is the Next of Kin?
The next of kin is a deceased person’s closest living relative over the age of 18. A surviving spouse or domestic partner is the first to be defined as next of kin, followed by the deceased’s children. The next of kin has the legal ability to authorize cremation or burial.
Meet Malisa Riceci, Solace Cremation’s Funeral Director
Get to know Solace’s funeral director Malisa Riceci. For over 15 years, Malisa has been providing compassionate care to Portland area families in their time of need.
Is Cremation More Affordable than Burial?
The most affordable method of disposition is direct cremation, which takes place in the days following the death without a traditional funeral service beforehand.
How to Thank Your Hospice Care Provider
Hospice workers offer exemplary care to patients and their families by lessening the burden on families and putting the patient first. Here’s how to show them some appreciation for their hard work and the compassion that they provide.
What Does Solace’s Direct Cremation Service Include?
Solace’s direct cremation service and price is different from other funeral homes because it includes everything someone would want or need from a direct cremation service for one all-inclusive price.
Why Inclusive Pricing Matters for Cost of Cremation
Most people find out the real cost of cremation at the absolute worst time—when a loved one has died and they’re in the midst of their own grief. It’s a time when regular life can feel turned upside down. You navigate a process that may be completely new. We know...
How Different Religions View Cremation
While cremation is widely accepted, there are some religions that prohibit the practice and prefer burial or traditional funeral services. Others see cremation services as acceptable but have specific guidelines to be followed.
What Should I Know About Social Security Benefits?
We often receive questions about Social Security benefits – whether families are eligible to receive benefits or how to return benefits that were received. Solace always notifies social security when someone has passed away.
6 Things to Know About Hospice Care
If your loved one has a late-stage illness, including Alzheimers and Dementia, they may be asked about beginning hospice care. Hospice care provides a holistic level of care that includes medical, emotional, spiritual and grief support for both a patient and their families.
How to Hold a Home Viewing Before Cremation or Burial
In Oregon, home funerals and home viewings before burial or cremation services are both legal and safe. The number of people embracing Do-It-Yourself funerals is growing. Home funerals can save money and also create bonding opportunities for people and their loved ones.
How to Help a Grieving Friend
When a friend is grieving, it’s hard to know the right things to say or do. Sometimes you may not want to talk about it at all with them to avoid saying the wrong thing. Even small acts in empathy, comfort and support go a long way in helping someone who is grieving.
What is a Celebration of Life?
Celebrations of life can incorporate religious or cultural customs or family traditions. Celebrations may involve music and performance, readings and the sharing of memories. They can take place anywhere – a special restaurant, a park or place or worship.
How to Talk to Your Parents About Death
Having a conversation when your parents are still in good health and in control of their decisions can be an empowering and therapeutic experience. When we talk to our parents about after-life plans, we can honor their wishes after they pass.
6 Questions to Ask Your Loved One About After-Life Planning
It’s not easy to talk to loved ones about making an after-life plan. When you’re ready to have “the talk,” create an outline with your goals and what you plan to ask. Here are 6 questions to kick off your conversation.
What is Direct Cremation?
Direct cremation means the body of your loved one is cremated in the days immediately following the death, without a funeral service beforehand. Read to learn more about the cremation process.
6 Things To Do When My Loved One Dies
If you know your loved one may pass soon, it helps to be prepared and have a plan of action to take when the time comes. Here are some important things to do when a loved one dies.
What is a Death Certificate?
A death certificate is a legal document that creates a demographic snapshot of your loved one when they leave this world. Death certificates include statistics and medical information pertaining to your loved one, including whether they were cremated or buried.