When Death Occurs
What To Do
The overwhelming feelings of despair, disbelief, shock, and numbness caused by the passing of a loved one cannot be conveyed by mere words. Even when the death is expected, the pain that loss brings can still be devastating. In truth, no one is completely prepared for the death of someone close to their heart.
During this difficult time, there are decisions to be made immediately, arrangements to be coordinated, and a lot of things to be considered for your loved one’s final farewell. We understand how this may feel overwhelming, especially with the grief you’re feeling over the loss. Please know that we are here to help and support you.
On this page, we’ve put together helpful information to guide you through this process.
Notify Proper Authorities
If the person was not under palliative care, the police will have to be notified immediately. The police will contact the medical examiner. From there, the medical examiner will take the body and determine whether further action is necessary. The family may contact Peace Valley Funeral Home immediately to ease the burden of communication and begin making arrangements for the care of their loved one.
When a death occurs at a hospital/nursing home/hospice facility
The staff of a care facility such as a hospital or a nursing home will notify you and the necessary authorities immediately after a death has occurred. The family then contacts Peace Valley Funeral Home to bring your loved one into our care and to make the necessary arrangements. We offer the option of coming directly to the hospital room so that you may be with your loved one and (if you desire) participate in the transfer to our care.
Meet The Funeral Director
You should meet with a funeral director 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, funeral home staff have years of experience dealing with these issues, and strive to ensure everything goes as smoothly as possible.
Funeral directors are here to help you obtain a death certificate, transport the body, and in the event pre-planning was not done, select a casket/urn and arrange the funeral/memorial service. The funeral director will also help you notify the employer and insurance company of the deceased to assist with those arrangements. Funeral directors are here to help and advise you and will work very hard to relieve the stress and logistics involved in funeral planning
At Arrangements
First the Funeral Director will gather information required for the death certificate. This includes:
- Full Name and Address
- Legal Marital Status
- Date and City of Birth
- Father’s Name, Mother’s Name (including maiden name)
- Places of birth of Father and Mother
- Name of Spouse (if married, widowed, or divorced)
- Occupation and Employer
- Social Insurance Number
- Health Care Number
- Driver’s Licence Number
If no pre-planning has been done, necessary arrangements need to be made for the funeral service. These include:
- Scheduling the location, date and time of the visitation and funeral service
- Selecting burial or cremation
- Choosing Funeral Products
- Arranging a cemetery plot
- Preparing an obituary notice
A funeral director will guide you through all these steps, using your wants, needs and desires as a foundation to create a personalized funeral for your loved one. Did your loved one have a favourite pastime? What was their favourite type of music? What activity was your loved one known best for? Recalling these fond memories help with the grieving process, sharing laughs, and tears honouring your loved one.
Contact Us
You are welcome to call us any time of the day, any day of the week, for immediate assistance. Or, visit our funeral home in person at your convenience.
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