What To Do When Someone Dies At Home

Some people choose to die at home after they have been given the diagnosis of a terminal illness and some people die unexpectedly. The steps you need to take for both circumstances are very different, and this article will explain what you need to do in both situations.

What happens when someone dies at home unexpectedly?

You will need to call 999 immediately and the ambulance paramedics will confirm the death. If the cause of death is unclear or not a natural cause, it may be referred to the coroner who will investigate - this may be by doing a post mortem, or looking at the medical records of the person who has died.

A team from the coroners will bring the person who has died into their care. Then your chosen funeral director can only bring the person into their care once the coroner has completed the post mortem, or decided they do not need to investigate. This can take time, so if you have any faith based requirements for a funeral soon after the death you should tell them.

The police may want to have a conversation with you about the circumstances in which the death happened, this is not because there are any suspicious circumstances, it’s just so the coroner can have all the information they need.

An unexpected death could be something like a heart attack, an accident, suicide, or if the person had not been seen by a doctor during their last illness.

When someone dies at home unexpectedly where does the person get taken to?

When the police confirm the person who has died can be moved, a funeral director contracted by the coroners office will take the person who has died to a public mortuary.

Who do you call when someone dies of natural causes at home?

If someone is on an end of life plan at home then some GP surgeries will send a doctor, but some district nurses are also qualified to pronounce (but not to certify) a death. If the death happens when your GP surgery is open then call them first. If not then call NHS 111 and an on-call doctor will come. This can often take a few hours.

What to do when someone dies at home at night?

If the death is expected and someone dies at night you will either call your local GP if they have an out of hours number, or you will need to call NHS 111 and an on-call doctor will come and verify the death. Then your local GP will complete the certification during office hours.

Most funeral directors have someone on-call who will answer the phone 24 hours a day. At Exit Here someone will always be available to speak to you even if our office is closed, and if you want us to bring your loved one into our care at any time of day or night we will be available to do so.

When do I call the funeral director?

If a death is expected, a funeral director can bring the person who has died into their care only after a doctor or a qualified nurse has verified the death. However you can call the funeral director before the doctor has arrived. For example, if someone dies in the morning and the GP surgery tells you that the doctor will be there at midday, you can prepare the funeral director so they can arrange for their team to come shortly after.

Most funeral directors aim to arrive as quickly as they can, but the more notice the better. There is also no pressure to have the funeral director team arrive straight away. Some people want to keep their loved one at home for a little longer until other family have arrived to say goodbye, or just because they don’t feel ready yet. Some people prefer us to come at a more discreet time of day if their road is quite busy. Some people have asked us to come the next day.

What if someone dies in a care home or nursing home?

Care homes or nursing homes are similar to private addresses. The difference is, the care home staff will call the doctor for you, and they will also call the funeral director if you have chosen one. Some care home staff are qualified to pronounce the death as well. Although not all care homes are the same, most prefer the funeral director to come as quickly as possible. Remember you can always spend time with the person who has died at our premises as well.

Can I watch or help you bring someone into your care?

Yes, absolutely. We will always explain what we do before bringing someone into our care from a home address, and then ask family or friends if they wish to be present while we do this. Some people think they would find it too distressing to watch someone who has died being moved, and some people want to help with every step. Some just want to be present while we wrap the person who has died in a white sheet, and transfer them on to our stretcher. We then carry the person to our private ambulance, and some people like to stand outside their home and watch us drive away.

Exit Here’s advice after someone dies at home, whatever the circumstances:

• Make sure the person who has died is kept cool, turn off radiators and remove any heavy duvets.

• If you are alone, consider calling someone to come and keep you company, either while you wait for the funeral director or so you have someone with you afterwards.

• If the death was expected, don’t feel pressured to call a funeral director straight away. If you haven’t chosen one already take some time to do some research. The Good Funeral Guide has some excellent advice on how to choose a funeral director.

The Exit Here team are always available to answer any questions you have about deaths at home. If you are caring for someone at home who is nearing the end of their life we can meet with you to discuss in person the next steps so you feel fully prepared for when the time comes.

Call us on 0208 050 2000 for Chiswick, or 0208 050 2100 for Crouch End, or email info@exithere.com.