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死亡發生時
Immediately following the death of a loved one, there are many decisions that must be made. At this time, you may find your emotions are heightened, and for that reason it is a good idea to ask for help in making all the decisions and arrangements. Additionally, the funeral home’s staff is eager to assist you and the family in making the best decisions possible. This information can help guide you and your family through the process.
Contact The Proper Authorities
Before any arrangements and decisions can be made, a legal pronouncement of death must be declared. If your loved one dies inside of a medical or nursing facility like a hospital or nursing home, the staff will handle getting this declaration made. If your loved one dies at home, you need to immediately contact the local emergency officials to come and take them to a hospital where they can be legally declared dead. Family members who die under hospice care can be declared dead by the hospice staff. This legal declaration must be made before the family can proceed with making any funeral arrangements or handling any legal affairs.
Begin To Make Arrangements
一旦您的親人被宣布死亡，您和您的家人就可以著手安排各種葬禮事宜。您的親人可能已經預先安排了某些服務，您和您的家人應該先考慮這些選擇。如果您的親人之前沒有做出任何安排，而您已經決定選擇哪家殯儀館，您需要聯繫他們並與殯儀館負責人會面，開始討論各種方案。在此期間，如果逝者沒有表達過最後的意願，家人需要決定是土葬還是火葬，以及舉行何種類型的葬禮。這些決定包括葬禮的時間、日期和地點；您的親人需要哪種類型的棺材或骨灰盒；撰寫訃告；以及確定扶柩人員。並就葬禮的具體細節做出決定，例如由誰擔任牧師、播放什麼音樂以及誰將致辭。作為開始安排葬禮流程的一部分，如果死者是現役或退役軍人，請聯繫退伍軍人事務部，以了解他們是否提供任何喪葬撫卹金或服務選項。
Information Funeral Directors May Need
與殯儀館負責人見面後，他們會告知您辦理死亡證明或安排後事所需的任何資訊或文件。所需資訊：
- 全名和地址
- 婚姻狀況
- Race/Ethnicity
- Date and city of birth
- 最高學歷
- 父親的名字，母親的娘家姓
- 配偶姓名
- Occupation and employer
Documents Funeral Directors May Need
Funeral directors will need important documents to complete any legal paperwork. These documents include:
- Account statements
- 受益人指定
- Life insurance policies
- Real estate deeds
- Car and boat deeds
- 股票和債券證書
- Prenuptial agreements
- 婚後協議
- 貸款和租賃
- 帳單副本
- 遺囑
妥善保管個人財產
Following the death of your loved one, there are few things you need to attend to involving the deceased’s personal life. First, secure your loved one’s property. Make sure their home and vehicle are properly secure. If your loved one has a pet, make the necessary arrangements for the pet to be taken care of by family or friends. Any mail that comes to your loved one should be forwarded to a family member that plans to handle the deceased’s estate. Any mail that piles up at a vacant home only alarms potential intruders that a home is empty. Make sure to contact the deceased’s boss and inform them of the death. If your loved one had any upcoming appointments, make contact to notify them about the death and to cancel the appointment.
