Grief, shock, and despair are all common emotions to experience when you realise that someone that you care for has passed on. This is something that you will go through, even if you were expecting this loss. After all, there is nothing that can truly prepare you for such a moment. However, while battling your anguish, there are also other matters that need to be handled. To make this an easier time for you, here is what you need to know about this process:
Inform a Doctor
If your loved one has passed away in a hospital, then this step will be handled by the staff. A doctor will need to oversee the proceedings as he or she will need to sign a Doctor’s Certificate of Cause of Death. In the event that your friend or family was elsewhere when they passed on, you will need to inform the relevant medical practitioner or services. This is because the body may need to be taken to the hospital in order for the certificate to be signed. It is only once a doctor has provided you with the necessary certification that you continue making any other arrangements.
Hire Funeral Professionals
Once you have received the certificate for the cause of death, you are free to hire funeral directors. Now, you may be wondering why you should do this quite so early on. Well, contrary to popular belief, such professionals aren’t just tasked with arranging funerals. They also help you with a variety of other activities, including the next stage of the process. Here, you will need to register the passing of your loved one with the Registry of Births, Deaths, and Marriages. If you have already engaged the services of a funeral director, this can be tackled by them, leaving you with time to handle other tasks.
Notify the Proper Organisations
One of the things that you will do almost immediately is to notify friends and family members of your loved one. Of course, these aren’t the only people that need to be informed, however. Soon after, there are several authorities and organisations that you will need to speak to. Some are obvious such as the deceased’s place of work and executor of the will. At the same time, you also need to remember that the Australian Tax Office, banks, and Centrelink. Eventually, you will also have to speak to the Electoral Commission and similar bodies.
Planning the Ceremony
It will then be time to decide how to say goodbye to your loved one. Now, you should keep in mind that you may want to speak to their solicitor or the executor of the will. The person in question may have left specific instructions about their cremation, burial, or service. In this case, you will need to follow all of these directives. If there aren’t any such guidelines left, it will be up to you and their family members to decide how to proceed from there.
These are all of the steps that you will need to take once your loved one has passed away. Make sure to have support as you go through this process.