Nothing has to be done immediately after a person’s death. Take the time you need. Some people want to stay in the room with the body; others prefer to leave. You might want someone to ensure the body is lying flat before the joints become stiff and cannot move. This rigor mortis begins sometime during the first hours after death.
How long you can stay with the body after death may depend on where it happens. If it happens at home, it is unnecessary to move the body immediately. This is the time for any religious, ethnic or cultural customs that are performed soon after death.
If the death seems likely to happen in a facility, such as a hospital or nursing home, discuss any customs or rituals with the staff early on, if possible. That will allow them to plan so you can have the appropriate time with the body.
Some families want time to sit quietly with the body, console each other, and share memories. You could ask a member of your religious community or a spiritual counselor to come. If you have a list of people to notify, this is the time to call those who might want to come and see the body before it is moved.
As soon as possible, the death must be officially pronounced by someone in authority, such as a doctor in a hospital or nursing facility or a hospice nurse. This person also fills out the forms certifying the cause, time and place of death. These steps will make it possible for an official death certificate to be prepared. This legal form is necessary for many reasons, including life insurance and financial and property issues.
If hospice is helping, a plan for what happens after death is already in place. If death occurs at home without hospice, talk with the doctor, local medical examiner (coroner), your local health department or a funeral home representative in advance about how to proceed.
Arrangements should be made to pick up the body as soon as the family is ready and according to local laws. Usually, this is done by a funeral home. The hospital or nursing facility may call the funeral home for you if that is where the death occured. If you are at home, you must contact the funeral home directly or ask a friend or family member to do that for you.
The doctor may ask if you want an autopsy, a medical procedure conducted by a specially trained physician, to learn more about what caused the death. For example, if the person who died was believed to have Alzheimer’s disease, a brain autopsy will allow for a definitive diagnosis. If your religion or culture objects to autopsies, talk to the doctor. Some people planning a funeral with a viewing worry about having an autopsy, but the physical signs of an autopsy are typically hidden by clothing.
Source: National Institute on Aging
