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 When the Time Comes
Many people are unaware of who they should contact when
someone dies. This is dependent on where the person has died
and the manner of death.
The following provides
a guide as to what the next step should be when the need arises.
When Some Dies
In A Hospital Or Nursing Home
As most people die in a hospital or nursing home, the Director
of Nursing, Sister or Nurse in Charge will be able to help you
with the formalities and will make arrangements for the Doctor
to issue the death certificate.
If the deceased
wished to be cremated, the hospital or nursing home Sister
should be notified immediately as additional papers are required
from the Doctor.
By contacting Turnbull
Family Funerals as soon as possible, we can begin liaising
with the nursing home or hospital.
When Someone
Dies At Home
If a relative or friend dies at home, the first person you
should contact is their Doctor. Provided that the Doctor has
treated the deceased in the past three months and can confirm
the cause of death, a death certificate will be issued.
The next step is
to contact Turnbull Family Funerals. We can arrange for the
deceased to be transferred to our funeral home and attend
to the other funeral arrangements on your behalf.
When Someone Dies Interstate or Overseas
As a large
number of people travel today, it is quite possible that the
death of a loved one may occur away from home. If this happens,
Turnbull Family Funerals should be notified immediately so
that arrangements can be made to transport the deceased home,
and attend to any statutory or customs requirements. Do not
contact another funeral director interstate or overseas, we
will do that for you.
Occasionally, Australians
who were born overseas may want to send the deceased back
to their homeland for burial. Again, contact us immediately,
as this can be an extensive process of liaising with the Consulate
General of the deceased's homeland and relevant Australian
government departments.
When Someone
Dies Suddenly
If the death is sudden or accidental, or the cause of
death cannot be confirmed, it is the Doctor's or ambulance
officer's responsibility to notify the police. It is important
that the deceased is not moved or disturbed in any way without
the authorisation of the Coroner. The police will contact
a government appointed ambulance to transfer the deceased
from the place of death to the Coroner's mortuary.
The Coroner will
then investigate and determine the cause of death, which may
involve a post mortem examination. This procedure may slightly
delay the funeral arrangements until the necessary clearance
is obtained.
In these circumstances,
it is still your right and responsibility to contact the funeral
director so that we can attend to the funeral arrangements
according to your wishes. Please be aware that you do not
have to wait until cause of death has been determined before
contacting Turnbull Family Funerals.
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