I Need Help Now
What Do I Do?
Most people are unsure of what to do when a death occurs in their family, so it is important to contact us as soon as possible so that we can advise you of the correct course of action. The majority of deaths are from natural causes and can occur in Hospitals, Aged Care Facilities or in the family home. In most of these cases a Cause of Death Certificate will be issued by the attending Doctor.
If a death has occurred in your family, please call us on
(03) 5441 4800
This number is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Who Should I Call?
If possible at this time we would recommend that you contact close family or friends in order to be with you. In our experience this is invaluable as you are likely to need support and help in the immediate hours following the passing of a loved one.
First Call
The inital phone call made to a funeral home is termed within the industry as the ‘first call’. During this call we obtain some basic information about you and your loved one, and try to guide and prepare you for your next steps. This will essentially be preparing you to attend an interview with one of our funeral arrangers in order to plan for the funeral.
Common Scenarios
The initial steps you need to take when a death occurs vary according to the location of the deceased, and the circumstances surrounding their death. Here are a few common scenarios and the typical outcome of each:
Hospital
If the death occurs in hospital, the initial contact to Napier Park Funerals is usually made by the family.
Aged Care
Most Aged Care Facilities require families to nominate their preferred funeral director when their family member becomes a resident of the facility, in which case the staff will contact us once the family have been notified.
At Home
Should an expected death occur at a private residence the intial contact should be to the attending doctor. From here he / she will offically confirm the death and issue a Cause of Death Certificate. You can then notify us and you can bring your loved one into our care.
Unexpected Deaths
An unexpected death happens when a person who appears to be healthy dies unexpectedly. The coroner will try and determine how and why the person died. One of the roles of the coroner is to reduce preventable deaths. To do this, the coroner will investigate unexpected deaths.
To report an unexpected death contact the police immediately.