Necessary Steps to Take in the Hours and Days After a Death
When a loved one passes away, it’s likely that the last thing on your mind is thinking about who you need to call and what documents you need to obtain. Unfortunately, these are things that will need to be considered in the hours and days to come. It can help to have an idea of what needs to be done before something happens, so that in the moment, you are able to process and function a little better. Whether your loved one will be buried or undergo cremation services near Celebration, FL, these tasks must be undertaken in the hours and days after their passing.
If your loved one dies at home with you or someone else present, the first thing that must be done is to call either their primary care provider, or emergency medical services. This must be done to obtain an official declaration of death, which is necessary for a death certificate. If they passed at home alone, you will need to call the proper authorities so that they can investigate the circumstances. If they passed away within the care of a hospital or medical facility, you won’t need to worry about contacting anyone, as the staff there will take care of it all.
The next thing you’ll need to think about doing is to begin contacting family members to inform them of your loved one’s passing. You may want to directly call immediate family members and let them know personally. If this task feels too difficult for you, you might want to enlist the help of another trusted family member or friend. Beyond immediate family, you might choose to send out a group text to let others know. You can also make a post on social media, which will help save you the effort and difficulty of contacting so many people.
Another thing you’ll need to think about is what your loved one’s final arrangements will be. You’ll need to call the funeral home to arrange for the transport of the body to the funeral home or crematory. If they made pre-arrangements, you can ask for these to help with planning the services. If not, you and your family will need to make some decisions when it comes to disposition and services. You may decide to have a traditional funeral, or you might choose to have a memorial service in their honor at a later date.
Something else that will need to be done is to secure the property of the deceased. Make sure that their pets are moved and cared for, have their mail forwarded to your address, and be sure that the home is locked up and secured.
These are just a few of the main things to consider after the death of a loved one. Don’t hesitate to ask your funeral home and provider of cremation services near Celebration, FL, for help with making arrangements. They can give you guidance and support every step of the way, so that everything goes smoothly during you and your family’s time of need.
