At the time of death
At the time of death, all the body's functions will stop. When death occurs:
- breathing stops
- heartbeat and pulse stop
- there's no response to touch or voice
- the eyes won't move and may be open or closed
- the mouth and jaw will relax and may open
- the bladder and bowels often empty
When your loved one dies, you may feel you need to “do something" right away, but there is no rush.
When death happens at home
Follow the plan that you developed with your loved one's home and community care or palliative care nurse. This includes who to call. For expected deaths, with an
Expected Death in the Home form, you don't need to call 911, the police, an ambulance, or even community home care. Your community home care nurse will help you with this form as part of advance care planning.
After your loved one's death:
- call family members, friends, or your spiritual advisor if you'd like someone to be with you
- spend as much time with your loved one as you wish – there's no need to rush. Take the time you need to say good-bye
- call the funeral home that day, but when you're ready
- call community home care if you want support or have questions
Don't feel you need to call the funeral home right away. You may want to let friends and family see your loved one before you call the funeral home, if they weren't there when your loved one died.
In Alberta, you don't need a doctor to come to the home after an expected death. The funeral director will call the doctor to have them sign a certificate of death. You may want to talk to your loved one's doctor ahead of time to see if they want to be called or come to the home after the death.
You don't have to deal with your loved one's death alone. There are many members of your loved one's healthcare team who will support you during this time. You can also talk to your healthcare team if you need more support.
Contacting the funeral home
When your loved one plans to die at home, it's best to choose and contact a funeral home before they die.
When you talk to the funeral home:
- let them know your loved one wishes to die at home
- get their after-hours phone number
- ask how long it will take for someone to call you back if you have to leave a message
- give the home address, including directions
