What do you do When a Loved One Dies?
If your loved one has passed away and you are looking at funeral homes in Sterling Heights, MI, it might be confusing where to start. With so many options on the market and the different responsibilities of planning an event, it can feel overwhelming. This might be further complicated if you have specific cultural or religious traditions that you need to follow to ensure you meet your loved one’s last wishes. Having choices like cremation or funeral services can lead you to a more personalized event, so here is some help to get you started.
Documents
One of the first things that you will need is a certificate of death. This will be provided to any companies, officials, medical examiners, or nurses to help prove that the loved one has passed away. If you are having issues getting copies, speak with the funeral director for guidance or you can also check with your family to see if anyone has any of the documents needed. We recommend getting two to three dozen copies for any institutions such as credit card companies or utilities that may need the proof.
Notifications
The next step will be sending out notifications to individuals who need to know that the individual is passed away, such as:
- utility and credit card companies
- the employer or doctors of the deceased
- any mediators for estates
- church groups or volunteer organizations the individual was involved with
Because suffering a loss can be so painful it is always recommended to reach out to companies to hire individuals for extra support. For example, if the individual lived alone, you may need a house sitter or pet sitter for the property.
Additional Steps
You will want to contact the chosen funeral home you have chosen to transport the body if applicable. You will then need to decide between burial or cremation services to start the planning. If the individual passed away in hospice care, there could be some removal regulations depending on your state.
If you plan on having an open casket service, you will need to have the body stored and embalmed. If the body needs to be autopsied, you will have to contact a doctor to achieve this.
You may need to take out an obituary to release any information to the public about the services you have chosen. We recommend including the date of birth, name, and place of birth for the deceased, and a photo for identification. In addition, if there are any insurance companies that need to be notified or banks, you will need to do that.
Here for Your Hard Choices
The process is never easy when someone you love passes away, and if you have decided to look for funeral homes in Sterling Heights, MI, you want a company that’s locally trusted and reliable. Wm. Sullivan & Son Funeral Directors understand the pain of loss and our company offer services in grief counseling and planning. We are here to help, so give us a call today to get started.