Honest, Gentle & Informative
What Happens When Someone Dies
No matter how prepared you are, the loss of a loved one makes us feel emotional and overwhelmed. No amount of preparation can fully prepare you for the loss. When you are in a heightened emotional state, even the most basic decisions can seem staggering. The following is an outline of what is required within the first 24 hours after death.
When death occurs at a hospital/nursing home/hospice
The staff of the care facility will notify you and the necessary authorities immediately after a death has occurred. The appointing of a funeral director will be the choice of the family. In the event of a sudden death, where the coroner is involved, any funeral director employed by the coroner is not necessarily the one you have to choose to carry out your loved one’s final journey.
When death occurs at home
If the person was not under the care of a GP or had not seen the GP over the previous 28 days, the Gardai will have to be notified immediately. The Gardai will attend, as representatives of the coroner’s office, at the location of the deceased and arrange the removal of the remains to the coroner/medical examiners mortuary. (The funeral director involved in removing the remains after a sudden death, does not have to be the funeral director who organises the arrangements consequently. Families are free to choose a different funeral director if they wish). From there, the coroner/medical examiner will determine whether further action is necessary. They must release the body before a funeral director can do anything further.
Informing a funeral director
Once everything has been cleared with the proper authorities, the next call you place should be to a funeral director. Funeral directors can advise you on obtaining a death certificate. They will transport the deceased, and in the event that pre-planning was not done, help you select a coffin and arrange the funeral/memorial service. Our staff are here to help and advise you and will work very hard to relieve the stress and logistics involved in funeral planning.
Meeting a funeral director
You should meet with us within 24 hours of a death to begin to make final arrangements for your loved one. Deciding on these final arrangements may seem like a very daunting task, especially when you are in a heightened emotional state, but our staff are trained and have years of experience dealing with these issues.
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