Death has OccuredWhen a Death Occurs:

Losing someone—whether suddenly or expectedly—can be an emotionally-charged, overwhelming experience that no amount of preparation can fully brace yourself for. Such a loss can leave you feeling stumped and bemused that even the simplest tasks and decisions can seem daunting. You don’t have to go through it alone. Funeral planning services take care of the technical details of the funeral arrangements, lessening the burden on your shoulders when the inevitable happens.

The first 24 hours following a death is a critical time for funeral arrangements because the right people must be notified to ensure the proper handling of the deceased. Here is a rough outline of what must be done immediately after death:

When a Death Occurs at Home or at a Place of Business:

Notify the police immediately. Police representatives will then be dispatched to the home; they will then call the medical examiner/coroner who will examine the body and determine whether or not further action is necessary. A funeral home cannot take over until the coroner releases the body to their custody.

If the person died under hospice care, contact the hospice representatives immediately (if they were not around during the incident). They will explain to you the proper procedures and protocols to follow according to their policies. There is usually no need to call the police if a hospice is involved.

Once you have made the call to the police or the hospice, call us for funeral planning services.

When Death Occurs at a Nursing Home, Hospice, or Hospital:

Should the death occur at a care facility, the staff of the hospital, nursing home, or hospice facility is responsible for notifying you and the necessary authorities about the death immediately after it happens. If funeral plans have been made or when a funeral home name and contact number has been provided, the care staff will also contact them at the time of death. A major advantage of pre-planning for funeral arrangements is that it takes the burden out of making decisions during this difficult time of grieving. You can concentrate on processing your emotions and helping family members and friends instead.

Notifying a Funeral Home:
Once you get a go-ahead from the proper authorities, the next call you should make should be to your funeral home so that they can immediately send assistance. Here at Weinstein Chapels, we have funeral directors who can take care of immediate needs like transporting the body, obtaining the death certificate, and if pre-planning wasn’t made, help you arrange the funeral. We are committed to making every step of the planning stress-free and provide you with the support you need to cope with the loss of your loved one.

Meeting a Funeral Director:
Your meeting with the funeral director should likewise be within the first 24 hours of the death so final arrangements can be made as early as possible. Funeral service providers see to it that everything goes smoothly. We’ve assisted hundreds of families through one of the most difficult times in their lives by providing seamless funeral arrangements that adhere to Jewish customs and traditions.