When someone passes, it's important to give yourself time to take in what has happened. When you're ready, you can call a family member, a friend or your regular clergy to let them know. After that, contact the deceased’s doctor. If it was the deceased’s wish to donate their organs then a hospital should also be advised as soon as possible.
Once you have spoken to the doctor, contact us to get the funeral arrangements started.
Obtain a cause of death certificate
You’ll need to obtain a cause of death certificate to confirm your loved one’s passing. This can be issued by their doctor if they pass at home. If they died in hospital or at a nursing home, the staff will typically take care of the formalities to issue the death certificate.
Book a meeting with a funeral director
Once your loved one is in our care, we’ll organise a meeting to decide the next steps. We’ll discuss your loved one’s wishes, their funeral and choose a location and date for the farewell.
Gather your loved one's documentation
There are some key documents that will help this process run smoothly. These include your loved one’s birth certificate, driver’s licence or donor card, prepaid funeral plans (if any), burial plot reservation (if any) and a list of their wishes (if they’ve been written down). Bring these to your first meeting with the funeral director. Meeting the funeral directo
If a death occurs at a public hospital, the hospital staff usually complete the formalities required for the issuing of the death certificate and other certificates. It will usually still be up to the family to contact a funeral home directly though. If a death occurs at a nursing home or private hospital and you are not already there, the staff will usually contact the next of kin once the death has been confirmed.
At some point, typically after the funeral, you’ll need to reach out to the following people to advise them of the death.
Whether you need us now or want to plan ahead, we're ready to support you 24/7.
