What To Do When A Loved One Dies At Home

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Well, this really is the question, isn’t it? Losing a loved one at home can be devastating and leave you reeling and wondering what to do next. Of course, everyone’s experience of grief is unique to them, as is their healing journey, but some things can be universally helpful both practically and emotionally. Read on to find out what they are. 

Get a legal pronouncement of death

When a loved one dies at home it’s important to get a legal pronouncement of death. This means you will need to call 911 as soon as possible after your loved one has passed. The ambulance service will then arrive and take them to an emergency room where their death can legally be declared by a qualified doctor and later be moved to a funeral home. 

Remember you cannot plan a funeral or deal with the affairs of the deceased unless there is a legal declaration of their death. 

Hire a professional cleaner 

Depending on how the deceased passes, there may be significant cleanup in the home to be done. Often the most compassionate (as well as hygienic) choice is to find a provider that offers after death cleaning services locally. In this way those that are grieving will not have to deal with the often very distressing aftermath of a death, making it emotionally less taxing in an already taxing time. 

Make funeral arrangements 

Another thing that needs to be done relatively quickly after the passing of a loved one at home is to have funeral arrangements made.  If the death of your loved one was expected they may have already made arrangements for you to follow. Although, if the death was unexpected you may benefit from allowing the funeral director to guide you through the options and costs available to you. 

Journal your grief 

While there are always things to be done right after a loved one passes away at home, it may feel like you have little time to process your emotions. Indeed, many people report feeling numb during this time. 

Picture sourced at Pexels – Licence CC0 

One method that can be helpful here is to journal your feelings concerning the passing and the events after it. In this way, you can provide yourself with a compassionate space to express your experience. It also allows you to go back later on and reprocess anything you have missed. 

Another benefit of journaling your grief is that you can take it with you when you get grief counselling and it can provide you with a clear starting point from which to work. 

Get together to remember the good times 

While funerals can often be sad, it can be very healing for loved ones and family members to get together and reminisce on the good memories and times they have shared with a loved one. 

Indeed, as the level of support from those outside of the family can sharply drop off after the funeral, scheduling in regular get-togethers and meet-ups can be incredibly helpful for those who are left behind. 


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