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有人認為，紅白二事是人生最重要的事，我們知道很多時髦的老友記，已經預早為自己的身後事打點，所以這一節「長者法網智多聲」，就跟大家說一下安排身後事。
在舉行任何安葬儀式之前，死者的家屬或朋友，必須要先為死者領取死亡登記記項核證副本，亦即死亡證。
在香港，現時最普遍的遺體處理方式，就是火葬。政府轄下有六個火葬場，食物環境衛生署的火葬預約聯合辦事處會處理火葬申請。
安置靈灰方面，市民一般都會選擇放在骨灰龕位。所有靈灰安置所都必須得到食環署批准才可以經營。如果您選擇的私人靈灰安置所沒有獲食環署發牌，就要留意了。因為靈灰安置所如果不符合法例或租賃條件，政府可以不批准它們再運作。如果您已經向這些無牌安置所付錢，法律上會視為是訂立了普通合約協議，要打官司才可以追討賠償。為了保障公眾利益，政府正制訂《私營骨灰龕條例》新法例，而在新法例實施之前，選擇靈灰安置所時，要留意它們是否符合所有法律和政府要求，簽約或付錢之前，最好跟負責人搞清楚，安置所一旦結業，會如何賠償。
相比火葬，土葬要花費的錢就比較多。食環署轄下有四個公眾墳場，香港一些宗教和其他團體，亦有經營私營墳場。公眾墳場的骨殖，必須在埋葬六年之後撿拾。
近年政府提倡一些新的處理靈灰方式，其中一種是將骨灰撒在政府管理的八個紀念花園。另一種被視為較環保的方式，就是海上撒灰。公眾可以將靈灰撒在本港三個指定海域之內。有關所有殮葬儀式的詳細資料，大家可以參考長者社區法網文字版，或到食環署網頁看看。
如果想將遺體運到香港以外的地方殮葬也可以的，只要先在死亡登記處申請許可證，以及獲得該地點的大使館或領事館批准，就可以自費安排運走遺體。
不要以為過身以後，只剩下一副臭皮囊，其實死後也可以做善事的。香港有不少病人都在等待器官移植，捐贈器官就可以為他們帶來重生的希望。大家可以到衛生署設立的器官捐贈登記網站，或填寫器官捐贈卡，登記捐贈器官，同時告訴家人您的意願，因為過身之後，還要獲得家屬同意，醫護人員才可以取走器官。器官捐贈並沒有絕對的年齡限制，好像是眼角膜，80歲以下的都可以使用，皮膚捐贈就更是多少歲也可以。
除了我們的網頁，食環署的網頁也備有「辦理身後事須知」小冊子，可以讓大家多點了解如何辦理身後事。希望這一節的資訊可以幫到大家吧。拜拜。
PrintBody donation
Body donation options
Currently, two universities in Hong Kong accept body donations, mainly for medical education, research, and training purposes. These are the “Silent Teacher” Body Donation Programme of the Chinese University of Hong Kong and the “Great Body Teacher” Body Donation Programme of the University of Hong Kong. The bodies of body donors are generally used for the following purposes in medical schools:
- Human anatomy teaching for medical students
- Medical research, surgery, or healthcare training
- Specimen teaching, digital education, and research
Understanding the details of body donation at medical schools
Both medical schools have websites explaining the details of their body donation programmes. They have similar purposes in medical education and research, but their implementation details differ. Body donors and their families can inquire by phone or email to understand and choose the most suitable programme for them.
Chinese University of Hong Kong “Silent Teacher” Body Donation Programme
https://bodydonation.sbs.cuhk.edu.hk/
University of Hong Kong “Great Body Teacher” Body Donation Programme
Considerations for choosing a body donation programme
Those who intend to donate their body can register for the body donation programmes of both medical schools and even register for the Centralized Organ Donation Register (CODR) at the same time. They should inform their immediate family members or the main contact person for their funeral arrangements about their donation preferences, so that their body can be donated to the most suitable medical school at the time. General considerations include:
- Understanding the measures taken by medical schools to respect the deceased and their families;
- The level of detail in handling inquiries and follow-up donation procedures;
- The duration of the body’s stay in the medical school for teaching purposes;
- The option to choose the teaching mode for donation registration and post-mortem donation;
- The level of family involvement in the transportation of the body and during cremation; and
- Arrangements for ashes after teaching and cremation
Arrangements by family members after the donor’s death
After the body donor’s death, the family members (or main contact person) need to proactively notify the medical school. The medical school will promptly respond to the notification upon learning the cause of death as indicated in the Medical Certificate of the Cause of Death (Form 18) and understanding whether the body condition is suitable or if the mortuary space is saturated. This allows the deceased’s funeral arrangements to be made according to the situation.