There’s no correct way to cope when losing a loved one. Everyone grieves differently, and it’s important to take that time to feel everything you need.
Sometimes, you’ll need to complete a long list of tasks while grieving, and that can feel overwhelming. We can help you get situated to make the process easier. Here are some things you need to handle when a loved one dies.
Legal pronouncement of death
If your loved one passes away in a hospital or nursing home, the doctors will handle this task for you. The doctor or hospice nurse can legally declare death and arrange for the body to be transported.
If your loved one was not in a medical facility at the time of their passing, you’ll need to call 911. Once the paramedics arrive, they will start resuscitation unless the person has an order saying otherwise, such as a DNR (do no resuscitate).
Arrange for transportation
Next, you’ll need to arrange for the transportation of the body. Doctors and hospice nurses can do this for you if the person passed away in a medical facility.
Otherwise, you’ll need to make the call and find a funeral home to hold the body.
There might be established burial plans, so search for any documentation with directions. If no autopsy is required, you can immediately transport the body to a funeral home, mortuary, or crematorium.
Contact family and friends
Making the rounds and calling friends and family will not be easy. Make sure you have a good support system surrounding you when doing so, even if it’s just one person. One is better than none.
Go through the deceased’s email and phone contacts to find the primary people to contact. From there, others will get the word around.
Secure property
As you prepare the funeral arrangements, you’ll need to handle other tasks behind the scenes. Securing the property of the deceased is one of them. You don’t need to handle these before the funeral, but it would be wise to start sooner rather than later.
At some point, you’ll need to clean out your loved one’s home, and there are proper steps to take for that task. Try and do everything one step at a time. Lock up the home and any vehicles. Collect the mail and start throwing away food.
Locate documents
Finally, you’ll need to locate and secure all legal documents. Find financial documents like the will, records of accounts, copies of all insurance policies, records of debts, identification documents, tax returns, recent credit reports, and marriage or birth certificates.
Once you’ve placed these in a secure location — preferably a safety deposit box — you’ll need to notify the proper institution so they can update their records for the deceased.
Contact social security, insurance companies, credit bureaus, the post office, the DMV, and creditors.
Losing a loved one is never easy, and handling these things once they’ve died is even harder. Make sure you have a solid support system to help you.
