RICHMOND, VA (WWBT) - Now there really is an app for everything. There's a new one that could be very helpful, though you may not use it very often.
You name it, there's an app for that. Finding directions, news and weather reports, even Angry Birds. And now, the Cremation Society of Virginia is offering a free cell phone app, too.
"Say for example at a nursing home or at a hospital, they may not have access to a computer. They can download the app to their phone and get the information they need for cremation services," explained Sally Briggs, Manager of the Cremation Society of Virginia.
That's right, you, hospice nurses, or clergy, can arrange a cremation, the incineration of someone's remains, with just your fingertips. Interest in cremation as an alternative to burial is growing.
"Statewide cremation is at 27% and it's still rising. In some communities, retirement communities and the college community, the cremation rate is at 50%," said Briggs.
You can choose from keeping ashes in an urn, or get a scattering tube to scatter them over say a mountain or ocean.
"It's a perforated hole there," a society representative showed us a scattering tube. "They can punch that out and they can scatter the ashes."
The Society says it's the first cremation group in the country to launch an app. It hopes to lead the industry.
For those who like to read obituaries, or make sure they're not in them, the app offers obits through an RSS feed.
Most people download apps because they'll use them frequently. The Cremation Society of Virginia knows you might not need its app too often, but it's there for you when you do.
"If a death has occurred, lets say its at one o'clock in the morning, and they can't remember what to do, they can click on the icon that says 'A Death has Occurred,'" Briggs said.
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