At the time of death, make the right call.
For deaths that occur at home, it's important to know who to call. If your loved one is a hospice patient, call the hospice agency to report the death. A hospice nurse will come to the home and pronounce the death. The nurse may also call a mortuary for you and arrange for pick up of the body.
If your loved one is not a hospice patient, then you must call Emergency Services to notify the local police or sheriff of the death. A coroner or medical examiner may be required at the scene if the death was sudden.
Contact the funeral home.
Whether a hospice nurse makes the call or you call yourself, a funeral home must be contacted to arrange for pick-up of the deceased's body. If funeral arrangements have already been made all you will need to do is confirm the arrangements with the Funeral Director. If no funeral arrangement have been made in advance, you will need to begin planning a funeral.
Review funeral plans or begin making them.
Determine if your loved one had made any arrangements for a memorial service. If they haven't made any advance arrangements, begin to plan the memorial service. You may want to call on relatives or close friends to assist in making the arrangements.For tips on planning a funeral, see "How to Plan a Funeral".
