Most people do not know what to do if someone dies at home.
This straight-forward guide provides practical advice on what to do if this happens – who to call, what tasks to prioritize, and how to work effectively with a funeral home.
We’ve also created a helpful infographic summarizing 12 practical things you need to do after a death has occurred.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- What to Do if Somone Dies at Home Unexpectedly
- What to Do if Someone Dies at Home After an Illness
- Calling a Funeral Home
- What a Funeral Home Does
- How a Funeral Home Eases Your Burden
- What to Do if Someone Dies at Home Infographic Summary
- How Love Lives On Can Help
What to Do if Someone Dies at Home Unexpectedly
Immediate Steps
- Ensure safety – make sure there is no danger to you or others.
- Call emergency services if the death was sudden, unattended, suspicious, or the person was not under hospice care – USA (911); Canada (911); UK (999); Australia (000); and New Zealand (111).
- If you live in a rural area and there are no emergency services, contact the local coroner’s office. Search for contact details on the website of the relevant local authority.
- Do not disturb the scene if police or the coroner may need to attend.
If Emergency Services Confirm the Death
- Contact the coroner or medical examiner (often arranged by police or paramedics).
- Locate identification and any medical information if available.
Notify Key People
- Call close family members or next of kin. You can also ask someone to take care of this task for you.
- Contact the person’s doctor if advised by authorities.
- Notify hospice or home-care providers if applicable.
Arrange Care of the Deceased
- Check if the deceased had a final wishes document or pre-arranged funeral plan that indicates the funeral home of his or her choice. If yes, call that particular funeral home. Funeral directors are usually on call 24-hours a day.
- If a funeral home hasn’t been nominated, visit Love Lives On’s Business Directory to find a local funeral home.
- Choose a funeral home or cremation provider – they will coordinate transportation.
- Share any known final wishes (burial, cremation, religious considerations) with the funeral home.
- Contact an appropriate spiritual or cultural leader to help you perform the necessary rituals and customs, if applicable.
- Consider whether or not you want to be present when the the funeral directors remove your loved one from the home. You can stay with your loved one when this occurs, or you can go to another room if you wish.
Secure Important Items
- Lock the home and safeguard valuables.
- Locate important documents, such as – identification; legal will or final wishes document; insurance policies and pre-arranged funeral plan.
Contact the Deceased’s Employer
- Notify his or her employer, if he or she was employed at the time of death
- Ask the employer about any company benefits the deceased was entitled to (e.g. outstanding wages; life-insurance)
Care for Others
- Arrange care for any dependents of the deceased (either with family, friends, or social services)
- Arrange care for any pets of the deceased (either with family, friends, or animal shelters)
Care for Yourself
- Accept support from family or friends.
- Take breaks and rest — shock and grief can be overwhelming.
- Peruse Love Lives On’s articles on coping with grief, starting with understanding the 5 Stages of Grief.
What to Do if Someone Dies at Home After an Illness
Immediate Steps
- Take a moment to be with your loved one and acknowledge the death.
- Call the hospice nurse or palliative care provider if the person was under hospice care.
- Do not call 911 unless instructed, as hospice will handle the pronouncement of death.
- If not enrolled in hospice, contact the person’s physician or local medical authority for guidance.
Spending Time With Your Loved One
- Remember that you do not have to contact anyone immediately after your loved one has passed. You may wish to first spend some time with him or her first.
- If you do wish to spend more time, you may close their eyelids.
- You should also move your loved one onto his or her back because it may be difficult to change his or her position at a later time because of physical changes that occur in the body after death has occurred.
Pronouncement of Death
- A nurse or physician will officially pronounce the death and complete required documentation.
- Cause of death is usually recorded based on the terminal diagnosis, avoiding unnecessary investigation or autopsy.
Arrange Care of the Deceased
- Check if the deceased had a final wishes document or pre-arranged funeral plan that indicates the funeral home of his or her choice. If yes, call that particular funeral home. Funeral directors are usually on call 24-hours a day.
- If a funeral home hasn’t been nominated, visit Love Lives On’s Business Directory to find a local funeral home.
- Choose a funeral home or cremation provider – they will coordinate transportation when you are ready.
- Share any known final wishes (burial, cremation, religious considerations) with the funeral home.
- Contact an appropriate spiritual or cultural leader to help you perform the necessary rituals and customs, if applicable.
- Consider whether or not you want to be present when the the funeral directors remove your loved one from the home. You can stay with your loved one when this occurs, or you can go to another room if you wish.
Notify Others
- Call close family members, next of kin, or caregivers. You can also ask someone to take care of this task for you.
- Begin a list of people and organizations to notify later.
Secure Important Items
- Lock the home and safeguard valuables.
- Locate important documents, such as – identification; advance directives or DNR orders; legal will or final wishes document; insurance policies and pre-arranged funeral plan.
Contact the Deceased’s Employer
- Notify his or her employer, if he or she was employed at the time of death
- Ask the employer about any company benefits the deceased was entitled to (e.g. outstanding wages; life-insurance)
Care for Others
- Arrange care for any dependents of the deceased (either with family, friends, or social services)
- Arrange care for any pets of the deceased (either with family, friends, or animal shelters)
Care for Yourself
- Accept help from hospice staff, family, or friends.
- Be gentle with yourself — grief and exhaustion are normal.
- Peruse Love Lives On’s articles on coping with grief, starting with understanding the 5 Stages of Grief.
Related Articles
Calling a Funeral Home
When it comes to what to do if someone dies at home, you will need to check the deceased’s files to see if he or she had a pre-arrangement with particular funeral home.
If he or she did, you should honour the deceased’s wishes and contact the funeral home he or she had chosen.
If your loved one did not have a pre-existing arrangement with any funeral home, you will have to contact one.
Love Lives On is here to make that task a little easier. We host a Business Directory where you can find an excellent funeral home in your local area.
Our Business Directory is dedicated to helping you find the very best end-of-life professionals at a time when you’re grieving and perhaps feeling overwhelmed.
We connect you with exceptional funeral homes, monuments makers, florists, celebrants, estate lawyers, grief counsellors, and so much more.
Businesses with Featured Listings in our directory – the comprehensive listings that appear at the top of search results with photos, reviews, and map directions – have all been carefully vetted by our team so that you don’t have to take on this laborious task.
Unlike other directories, joining Love Lives On is by invitation only. We work with an exclusive list of businesses.
You can trust that businesses with Featured Listings meet the highest standards for quality, professionalism and reliability.
What a Funeral Home Does
When it comes to what to do if someone dies at home, after the authorities and doctors have been notified, the funeral home is contacted
A trained transfer team from the funeral home arrives, typically in a discreet vehicle, and takes the deceased’s body into their care.
They first verify identification and review any required documentation, such as the pronouncement of death or hospice paperwork, before proceeding.
The funeral home staff carefully prepare the body for transport, which may include placing the deceased into a clean, protective covering and transferring them to a stretcher.
Personal belongings are documented and either left with the family or secured according to the family’s wishes.
Once the transfer is complete, the deceased is transported to the funeral home or crematorium.
At the funeral home, the deceased is formally identified and placed into a secure, climate-controlled care area.
The funeral director then completes necessary legal steps, including registering the death and obtaining permits required for burial or cremation.
The family is contacted to arrange a meeting to discuss final wishes, service options, and next steps.
Throughout the process, the funeral home acts as a guide — handling logistics, paperwork, and care — so the family can focus on grieving and honouring their loved one.
How a Funeral Home Eases Your Burdens
Many people don’t know what to do if someone dies at home, thanks to shock and grief.
Funeral homes therefore play a crucial role in easing this burden.
They provide calm guidance, practical support, and professional care during an emotionally overwhelming time.
One of the first ways a funeral home helps is by responding promptly, day or night, to bring the deceased into their care.
Trained staff arrive discreetly and respectfully, handling the transfer with dignity while ensuring all required documentation — such as a pronouncement of death or hospice paperwork — is in place.
This alone can be a great relief for families who may feel anxious about doing or saying the wrong thing.
Funeral homes also take responsibility for the many legal and administrative tasks that follow a death at home.
Funeral directors register the death with the appropriate authorities, prepare and file paperwork, and obtain permits needed for burial or cremation.
Without this assistance, families would be left navigating unfamiliar systems at a time when concentration and decision-making can be difficult.
Equally important is the guidance funeral homes provide when it comes to choices and planning.
A funeral director explains options clearly and at the family’s pace — whether that involves cremation or burial, a traditional funeral or a simple memorial, or honouring specific cultural or religious traditions.
By translating complex processes into manageable steps, funeral homes help families feel more in control and less overwhelmed.
Funeral homes also offer emotional reassurance.
Their experience working with grieving families allows them to anticipate concerns, normalize feelings, and provide gentle reassurance that there is no “right” way to grieve.
For families who need time, funeral directors can help pace decisions so nothing feels rushed, especially when a death was expected and occurred peacefully at home.
Finally, funeral homes act as coordinators, managing details such as transportation, scheduling services, and liaising with cemeteries, crematoriums, clergy, or celebrants.
By handling these logistics behind the scenes, they free families to focus on what matters most — being together, saying goodbye, and beginning the process of healing.
In these ways, funeral homes do far more than provide a service; they act as steady guides, helping families navigate one of life’s most difficult moments with care, clarity, and compassion.
What to Do if Someone Dies at Home Infographic Summary
We created this infographic summary on what to do if someone dies at home. It presents key information in a clear, visual format that’s easy to understand and remember.
(Click infographic to enlarge)
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How Love Lives On Can Help
We hope you found this article on what to do if someone dies at home useful.
Did you know that Love Lives On has a comprehensive library of articles on grieving and healing, as well as on celebrating your loved one’s life in unique ways?
Here is other practical information on Love Lives On that you might useful:
- 100+ Best Celebration of Life Ideas
- Guidebooks on How to Design a Funeral Service Around a Theme
- A Mother’s Personal Journey Through Grief
- Healing From Grief After a Suicide
- Helping Children Cope with Grief
Our mission at Love Lives On is to make your life a little easier during a difficult time.
It’s why we connect you via our Business Directory with caring and skilled professionals in your local area who are ready to help you with funeral planning, settling an estate, and dealing with grief.
On behalf of all of us at Love Lives On, please accept our deepest condolences for your loss.
