What To Do In A Sudden Death Situation
If there had been a sudden death in your family yesterday … what would you do today?
The truth is no wants to think about a funeral, let alone plan one. But working things out in advance can ease the stresses you naturally feel. Being prepared does, after all, bring peace of mind.
According to McCrindle Research, 86% of Australians over 50 are not thinking about their funeral. And only 6% have made detailed arrangements.
So you are fully informed, here are some key points of the process:
- If a death was unexpected or you are not sure if the person has passed away, call 000 immediately and ask for an ambulance. Once the ambulance crew arrive, they will contact the person’s GP or police.
- Once a report of death is recorded (usually from police, doctors or hospital authorities) the Coroner has legal control over the body of the deceased person.
- The deceased person is transported to the Coroner by a funeral company determined by a contract with the Coroner, but the final choice of the funeral company to conduct the service is the choice of the family.
- If you are arranging the funeral, the first thing to do is to check the will as the deceased’s executor is required to arrange the funeral.
