What happens when someone dies?
The death of a loved one is an emotional time. Having to deal with the many practical and legal aspects that come with a death in the family can cause extra stress at an already traumatic time.
Organising a funeral can be very difficult especially when family are coming to terms with the death of a loved one. Arranging a funeral and coordinating a service takes lots of time and energy. If the deceased has not made prior funeral plans you will need to find a funeral director.
What do funeral directors do?
Funeral directors help with the practical and legal aspects of a funeral as well as coordinating the funeral ceremony. It is important to find the right funeral director who will help you carry out a loved one's wishes.
Try talking to friends and family in the local community and get a recommendation. If you can, visit as many funeral directors as possible and find one you are comfortable with.
A good place to start is the Australian Funeral Directors Association. Funeral directors who are members of the association are bound by a code of ethics and have to comply with certain standards of service and practice. Funeral directors are also responsible for removing the body of the deceased from the place of death.
Funeral arrangements cannot be made without a signed death certificate. A death certificate is an official registration of death signed by a doctor.
What do I do when a loved one dies?
If a person dies in hospital or an aged care home they will take care of any paper work and procedures and you will have many people to support and help you.
If a person dies at home you need to call your doctor or palliative care team. They will tell you what to do.
Once a death certificate is issued the funeral directors can then be contacted and the deceased is taken into their care. The funeral director will arrange for the death certificate to be lodged with the relevant government authorities.
The funeral director should also arrange a copy of the death certificate for the next of kin. In some cases an autopsy or coronial inquiry is conducted and it may take longer for a death certificate to be issued.
What information will a funeral director need?
If you don't know the details of a funeral director or if the person has not made prior arrangements locate and check their will for any personal wishes regarding their death. You may need to ring a solicitor or the public trustee. You should also inform relatives and close friends, employer, insurance company and the family doctor of the death.
To register the death the funeral director will need information regarding the deceased and any supporting documents such as:
- Name, address and former occupation
- Birth certificates, Marriage certificate(s), Change of name certificate
- Names and occupations of parents, mother's maiden name
- Names and ages of children
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