Arrange a funeral

What to do when a loved one dies

At home

At a hospital or nursing home

When a person dies at a hospital or nursing home, the staff will notify the doctor and contact the next of kin. Depending on the circumstances, either the family will notify the funeral director or the hospital or nursing home will call them directly to arrange a time to attend. Sometimes, the hospital or nursing home will request a funeral director to be nominated in advance for convenience. The funeral director can be contacted to make funeral arrangements when the family is ready.

Reporting to the Coroner

In certain circumstances, such as when a doctor will not issue a certificate, the Coroner must be contacted for a post-mortem examination. If the person died at home, this is done via the police. If the person died in a hospital or nursing home, the staff will do this on behalf of the family. While a funeral may be delayed slightly in such circumstances, the funeral director can be contacted immediately and arrangements can be made. The funeral director will liaise with the hospital, police and coroner on your behalf. If you are unsure about what to do when someone dies, or have any other questions regarding this information, you can always contact William Matthews Funerals.

Who to notify when someone dies

When a loved one dies, it can be a very difficult and disorienting time. Throughout this time, reminders emerge as to all the relevant legal, financial, governmental and social groups that may need to be notified. Completing these tasks can be quite time-consuming tasks. For certain things, a copy of the doctor’s certificate will be sufficient. However, the full death certificate from the registry of births, deaths and marriages is usually required. William Matthews Funerals will order this certificate for you online at the time of the funeral so that it is processed and mailed out to you sooner.

See below for a list of some of the organisations that may need to be notified:

A list of some organisations that need to be notified

  • Centrelink or Department of Veteran’s Affairs
  • Financial Institutions
  • Insurance Company (Life, Accident, Home & Contents, Vehicle)
  • Superannuation company
  • Solicitor and/or public trustee
  • Accountant
  • Employer/former employer
  • Professional associations (ie. Trade Unions)
  • Australian Tax Office
  • Doctor, Dentist, Hospital
  • Blood Bank
  • Home Medical Aids
  • Home Nursing Service
  • Chemist
  • Ambulance Service
  • Vic Roads (Car Registration)
  • Electoral Office
  • Local Government (Rates etc)
  • Medicare / Private health fund
  • Clubs, organisations and associations
  • Service organisations – e.g. Rotary, Apex, Lions
  • Church or religious organisation
  • Household help, gardening services or Meals on Wheels
  • Home delivery services – e.g. newspapers and milk
  • Home appliance rental
  • Australia Post
  • Utility Companies (Telephone, Electricity, Gas, Water)
  • School or college

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