Even if you feel you are prepared, when a death of a loved one occurs, it can leave you feeling devasted and confused. You know things need to be handled but in a grief stricken state of mind it can be tough to know where to start. As providers of cremation services in Elba, NY we understand what a difficult time this will be. To help you know what to do and when, we have complied this list.

What to Do Immediately Following the Death

• Get a Declaration of Death – The very first thing you will need to address after your loved one passes away is obtain a legal pronouncement of the death. This will be done by a doctor or other medical professional. If your loved one passed away at home, you will need to call emergency services at 9-1-1 so that they may send an ambulance to your home. They will then transport your loved one to the hospital where the declaration will be made. If your loved one was in a retirement home or assisted living facility, typically the staff will do this for you.
• Notify the Family – Once you have been able to wrap your head around what has happened, you will need to notify other family members of what has occurred. This can be a very difficult phone call to make so if you are not ready you could text it in a group chat or just call one person and have that person relay the message to the other family members.

Matters to Handle in the Following Days

• Plan The Arrangements – Meet with other family members as well as a funeral home and decide on things like the type of body disposition as well as what, if any services will be held. Working with your cremation provider will help you as they walk you through the process to ensure everything gets handled correctly.
• Secure Your Loved One’s Property – If your loved one was in a retirement or assisted living home, you will need to collect their belongings. If they were living in their own home you will need to do things like secure the home, take any food out of the freezer and refrigerator, as well as make sure any pets are cared for. It is also a good idea to have their mail forwarded to your home so that you can start collecting bills and such to take care of.

Accounts to Handle in the Following Weeks

After your loved one’s services are over and once things begin to settle down, you will need to begin to take care of their accounts. This can include things like bank accounts, car loans, house payments, and credit cards. You will also need to cancel items such as their social security card and driver’s license.

Although it may seem overwhelming, remember that providers of cremation services in Elba, NY are here to help you. We have the experience to know what needs to be handled and when so that we can walk you through the process. You won’t have to do this alone.