Next step after death
Q: What is the first thing I should do when a loved one passes away?
A: It depends on the circumstances of the death, whether the deceased passed away suddenly or had been unwell for some time.
If the deceased has been unwell for some time and the doctor has been making regular visits to your loved one then the first call you should make is to the funeral director. You will be asked a few questions during that initial phone call, one being the name of the doctor. After the initial call, we would immediately call the doctor and seek clearance to take over care of your loved one by bringing them to our funeral home. We are not permitted to take the deceased to our funeral home until we have the express permission from their doctor.
If you loved one has been under the care of their doctor and passes away before or during the time the ambulance staff are in attendance, ambulance staff will ask you which funeral director you would like to instruct. The reason for this being, if they have already passed away and are not required to be taken to the coroners, ambulance staff cannot transport a deceased loved one to a hospital.
Our experience tells us that ambulance staff in Taranaki are very friendly and compassionate and very willing to make the call to the funeral director if family members feel unable to do so.
Finally, we would once again seek confirmation from you or the ambulance staff that the doctor has been notified.
In case of a sudden death, the coroner may need to be involved. This is usually a very traumatic time for everyone and we would explain the process to you at the time.
If your loved one passes away in hospital or in a rest home then the hospital or rest home staff will call us on your behalf. They would already have notified the doctor and will give us the relevant information we need. Once we have received that initial call, either from yourself, ambulance staff, hospital or rest home staff we endeavour to get in contact with you as soon as possible and make arrangements with you for a time that suits you.
■ Pamela and Brian Darth of Brian Darth Funeral Services answer questions on funerals in this monthly column. Send questions, care of the Stratford Press. Questions will be answered in this column only. Private correspondence will not be entered into. They are the only funeral directors to live locally.
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