If a loved one is reaching the end of their life, knowing what to do when they die can help you prepare for when the time comes.
Whether it’s expected or not, the passing of a loved one is always a challenging experience. It can be hard to know what to do first, but we’re here to make it simple.
The checklist below can guide you through the initial steps after losing a loved one. And if it all feels overwhelming, we’re only a phone call away. Our caring team can guide you through this process, giving you the confidence to make thoughtful decisions after someone dies.
We’re available 24/7 on (03) 8587 5775.
There are a few important steps to take after someone dies.
Some of these are legally required in Australia to initiate things like the funeral of your loved one or the execution of their will. Others will vary based on cultural and religious customs.
Here’s what to do when someone dies.
Call a family member or close friend, so you’re not in this alone
Contact your loved one’s doctor to let them know they’ve passed
If they’re an organ donor, let their local hospital know as soon as possible
Contact a funeral home to arrange the transfer into their care
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.
At some point, typically after the funeral, you’ll need to reach out to the following people to advise them of the death.
We can organise repatriation to bring your loved one home for the funeral. This typically requires quite a lot of paperwork and logistical challenges. However, our experienced team can handle the details, working with our extended network of funeral directors, here in Australia and overseas.
A cause of death certificate is issued by a doctor or medical professional immediately after someone dies. It will include their date, time and cause of death. This serves as a formal notification that death has occured. Your funeral director needs this in order to initiate the next steps.
A death certificate is a state government-issued document that acts as an official identification document when someone passes away. It’s crucial for carrying out legal and financial affairs. Our funeral director will collect the information required and complete the registration application.
Your funeral director will ask you for certain details in order to formally register the death. They’ll need information such as full name, date of birth, place of death and residential address. In addition, they’ll ask for their occupation, place of birth, marital status, parents and children’s names and your relationship to them.
You should get in touch with us as soon as possible. This will allow us to bring your loved one into our care and begin to guide you through the process of saying goodbye. Some religious customs require a funeral to occur within a few days of death, while others may have more time to get their plans in place.
Speak to a Le Pine funeral specialist today. We’re here to help you navigate the next step.
