Step-By-Step Guide: When A Loved One Dies At Home

Death happens to everyone. It is one of life’s inevitable truths. Do you know what to do when a loved one dies at home?

This comprehensive step-by-step checklist should guide you through the steps to take during this upsetting time. Bookmark this post, or put this in a safe place.

#1 If a person dies at home expectedly, immediately call 911 emergency services. You need to call the authorities to have police involvement to ensure that the medical examiner legally pronounces the death.

#2 If the deceased was under the regular care of a doctor or under hospice care, call that doctor or hospice nurse.

#3 If the deceased had a do-not-resuscitate (DNR) document, make sure you have it in hand. Otherwise, the paramedics will start emergency procedures and take the person to the emergency room and police may insist on investigating as a potential crime.

#4 Once death is pronounced and the necessary paperwork is completed, you should contact the funeral home to arrange for the transportation of the body.

#5 As this was unexpected, finding a funeral home in your neighborhood is appropriate unless your family has previous experience with one.

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