Finding out about the death of a loved one is never easy and it can be difficult carrying out the necessary funeral plans during such an emotional time. To help you out, we have created a checklist of what to do when someone dies.
Do You Find It Difficult Making Funeral Arrangements?
Loss can be emotionally tasking! Remember, you don’t have to handle everything yourself if you don’t want to. Whitsunday Funerals and Crematorium is a local family owned business with strong family values helping other local families in their time of need.
We can help you with every step in the planning process from our funeral homes in Bowen, Proserpine and Mackay. From the initial paperwork to helping you cope with the whole ordeal.
Immediate Steps When Someone Dies
1. Get an Official Notice of Death
Depending on where your loved one passed away, you may need an official pronouncement of death. If they died in a hospital or hospice, you would be given one by a doctor or your hospice nurse. However, if they passed away at home or some other location, you will need to call your doctor to sign the death certificate, which is needed before you make any funeral plans. Given that less than ten per cent of Australians die at home, the odds are not high that you will have to worry about this incidence.
If the death was unexpected or you’re unsure what to do, call an ambulance or the police who are trained to assist in this situation.
2. Arrange for Organ Donation
If the deceased is registered as an organ donor, like one in three Australians are, it is essential to let the medical staff know immediately as organs have a limited lifetime after death.
3. Contact Immediate Family
With an official notice of death, the next step is notifying immediate family members and close friends who have the right to know. This news can be shared in person or over the phone if distance is an issue. You can divide the task between several people if it becomes too difficult.
4. Call a Funeral Home
Your funeral director will help you arrange for taking possession of the body, arranging transportation and storing it before the funeral. They will also help you arrange for a cemetery plot or crematorium depending on the deceased wishes.
Whitsunday Funerals and Crematorium arguably offer the best and most cost effective funeral services in Bowen, Proserpine and Mackay. We have forged strong relationships with contractors, funeral supply stores and cemeteries in the area. We even have an in-house crematorium to help make your loved one’s funeral as stressfree as possible.
Things to Do Within a Few Days
5. See to Any Pets or Dependants
In the days after their death, it is crucial to see to those who depended on the deceased and ensure they are okay. Find someone who can care for their pets or dependants temporarily until a longterm plan is established.
6. Decide on Funeral Plans
If you’re working with a funeral home, your funeral director will help you plan out the funeral and ensure that everything goes according to plan. This includes organising a casket or urn, deciding on a date and time for the funeral, choosing an appropriate venue and organising transportation for the body.
7. Determine Whether You Need Financial Assistance
Funerals can be costly if you haven’t planned ahead, with the average Australian funeral costs ranging from $4000 to $15000. Depending on your financial circumstances, you may have to look into the various ways you can access financial assistance for the funeral.
8. Send Out Invitations
After deciding on the funeral plans, it is time to send out the funeral invitations. You can also list funeral notices online.
Things to Do After the Funeral
9. Start the Probate Process
After the funeral is done, the next step is to read the deceased’s will and settle the estate if they left anything behind. You may also have to file a tax return, cancel their insurance coverage, close their social media accounts and notify credit reporting agencies and Centrelink of their demise.
You’re not alone if you don’t really know what to do when someone dies. If you find yourself struggling emotionally and mentally with the loss of someone, please seek out the trusted services of BeyondBlue and GriefLine.
Let us take care of your funeral plans, so that is one less thing you have to worry about during this grieving time. We’re ready for your call.