Embalming the elderly can be straight foward or very complicated depending on the medical conditions and severity of these conditions the decedent suffered from throughout life. Medications can pose their own problems in the prep room and physical conditions such as Kyphosis or arthritic conditions cause create a problem in the dressing room. I would begin by cleaning and disinfecting the decedent, first by using a topical disinfectant spray then by using a germicidal soap. I would then begin setting features starting with the closure of the mouth, I would use a needle injector if the decedent still had natural teeth and no signs of bone density loss, if the decedent has no natural teeth or displays signs of bone density loss then I would recommend use of mandibular or muscular suture to avoid damaging the mandable or maxillae. I would then use cotton or a mouth former and mortuary putty to begin smoothing any sunken areas in the face. Moving to the eyes I would most likely use a eye cap to create the curvature of the eye and to properly close the eye for embalming. …show more content…
In many elderly cases the femoral artery can be sclerotic but the common carotid may never show any signs of arteriosclerosis. In the event the femoral artery is sclerotic it must not be used do to the risk of clots being sent into the common carotid and axillary