A DeAth in Your FAmilY - City of Prince George

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Contents 1. What to Do First..................................2 What are the Immediate Details Around a Death?..................................................... 2 What is a Medical Certificate of Death?........ 4 When Might a Coroner be Involved?............ 4 What Information Does the Funeral Home Need Right Away?.......................... 6 What is Involved in the Death Registration?.............................................. 6 What Do I Need to Know about Death Certificates?................................................ 6 How Can I Get Information about the Cause of Death?......................................... 7 What is a Disposition Permit?....................... 7 Whom Do I Need to Notify of the Death?.... 7 What if the Loved One Wished to Donate Organs and Tissue?.................................... 8 2. Making the Funeral Arrangements...9 What if I Need More Information or Have a Complaint?............................................ 11 3. What to Do about Your Loved One’s Daily Affairs.............................12 What Do I Need to Know about Benefits for Survivors?........................................... 13 What Do I Need to Know about Re-Arranging My Own Legal Affairs?.... 14 4. Where to Find Support During Bereavement......................................14 5. Resources............................................16 Information about Legal and Medical Matters..................................................... 16 Information about Benefits......................... 17 Information about Burial and Cremation... 19 1. What to Do First What are the Immediate Details Around a Death? A Death at Home • Expected Death If this is an expected death and the family member dies at home, it is likely that you are already in regular contact with your family doctor and home care nurse. Your loved one may have discussed his or her wishes with the doctor or the nurse. In cases where the forms have been signed for “No CPR” (No Cardiovascular Resuscitation), there is no need to call an ambulance. Immediately after the death, you may choose to spend some time with your loved one and participate in the rituals that are in keeping with your spiritual beliefs. You can take the time you need before calling the family doctor or the nurse. If it is late at night, you may wish to wait until morning before calling or you can call right away. The family doctor may come to pronounce the death or give the attending nurse permission to pronounce the death. Often done to provide assurance and support to the family and verify that this was an expected, natural death, a pronouncement can add dignity to the end of a person’s life. If the doctor has already signed the form called Notification of Expected Death, a pronouncement will not be necessary. Removal of the Body There is no legal requirement about the timing for the removal of the body from your home, although there is a legal requirement
about who can authorize the transportation of your loved one’s body. The funeral home is legally required to obtain verbal or written authorization from the executor or the next-of-kin before removing the body. The funeral home can take your loved one’s body directly from your home • once the doctor or nurse has pronounced the death, or • after 1 hour, in cases where a Notification of Expected Death form has already been completed. There is no urgency to transfer the body right away. You can take time for your goodbyes before you call the funeral home. The Funeral Service Association of BC recommends, however, that the family not wait more than 4 to 6 hours after the death has occurred to call the funeral home. In an urban area, it takes about half an hour for the funeral director to arrive. It may take longer in a rural location. For more information, go to the Website of BC Funeral Association: “When a Death Occurs.” See the Resources section of this booklet for contact details. • Unexpected Death If an unexpected death occurs at home, call 911 immediately. You should also call your family doctor. The coroner may come at the request of the police or the doctor. An autopsy is not usually performed unless the doctor or coroner asks for one, or if the death was unusual or accidental. A Death in Hospital • Expected Death If this is an expected death and your family member was in hospital, it is likely that you are in regular contact with hospital palliative care staff. If you knew your loved one was in his or her final days, you likely will have given hospital staff instructions about when to call you. Or you may have been staying full-time at the hospital. At the death, a family physician or nurse will call you according to your instructions. You can spend some time in the room with your loved one. Sometimes he or she will be moved to another room where you can be together in private. In general, the hospital will wait for the family members to say their goodbyes. If you wish to dress your loved one, the staff likely will allow you to do this. When it comes time for you to leave, hospital staff will cover the deceased with a sheet and take the body down to the hospital morgue. In some Hospice Palliative Care Wards, the deceased may be taken directly to the funeral home. Discuss this option with hospital staff beforehand so you are aware of the way things will proceed upon the death of your loved one. Organ Donation Hospital staff may ask if you wish to donate your loved one’s organs, especially eyes. Your family member may have left instructions or, as next-of-kin, you can give your consent when they ask. For more information, see “What if the Family Member Wished to Donate Organs and Tissue?” on page 8 of this guide.
Page 1: A Death in January 2007 1st edition
Page 5 and 6: Before you give consent, make sure
Page 7 and 8: Almost all funeral homes in BC now
Page 9 and 10: 2. Making the Funeral Arrangements
Page 11 and 12: The Funeral Service Association of
Page 13 and 14: What Do I Need to Know about Benefi
Page 15 and 16: British Columbia Hospice Palliative
Page 17 and 18: BC Transplant Society www.transplan
Page 19 and 20: Information about Burial and Cremat

A DeAth in Your FAmilY - City of Prince George

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