A Death Has Occurred

If a death has occurred at home

If the death was sudden and unexpected, the person accompanying the deceased must call 911 and the police will attend. They will contact the coroner who will determine if the deceased can be released to the funeral home or if further investigation will be taken under the care of the coroner.

If the death was anticipated, the deceased may have had their doctor complete an Notification of Expected Death In The Home - BC form. It is a triplicate form, with one copy remaining in the patient file at the doctor’s office; a second copy is kept at the family home, with the third copy on file with the funeral home or available to the funeral home staff at the time we transfer from the place of death. If this form has been completed, there is no need to call 911. Prior to completing this form, you must discuss this with your doctor.

If the deceased was being treated for a serious or terminal illness, and there is no Notification of Expected Death In The Home - BC form, their doctor or RN need to attend the deceased to pronounce death before the funeral home can be called.

If a death has occurred in a General Hospital

The deceased will be brought to the hospital morgue for sheltering. The family must call the funeral home to advise us of the death during normal business hours. Prior to transferring the deceased from the hospital to the funeral home, the funeral director will meet with the family to make arrangements and to sign a hospital release form.

If a death has occurred in a care home or hospice

As care homes and hospices are not hospitals, they do not have the ability to shelter the deceased on site. Accordingly, the care home staff will contact the funeral home to advise of the death and request that the deceased be transferred into the care of the funeral home immediately. It is for this specific reason that it is very important that families choose their funeral provider at the time of admission to the facility.

If a death occurs in another country

The laws and procedures for returning the deceased to Canada are unique to each country. At Alternatives Funeral & Cremation Services, we are experts in this area and have many years of experience with making arrangements for the transportation of the deceased back to Canada, and dealing with local medical authorities and government officials.

Do I need to prepare anything prior to meeting with a Licensed Funeral Director?

Yes, but not much. As all births are recorded and registered, so too must every death. For your convenience, you can download the Registration of Death - BC form. You should complete the form and provide it to the Funeral Director during the final arrangement conference.

Your funeral director will request a Medical Certification of Death which is completed by the doctor. The director will also help the family complete the Registration of Death - BC form. Once we have both forms Alternatives will register the death with the province. Only then can the Death Certificate be issued.

Who is authorized to make decisions?

There is a legal order of priority for the individual authorized to make all the decisions pertaining to the disposition of the deceased, including cremation or burial, and the type of service, on behalf of the deceased. The first is the executor for the estate of the deceased. If no executor has been appointed then it would be the surviving spouse (or common-law); adult children of the deceased in age descending order; adult grandchildren in age descending order; parents, other adult relatives, somebody else willing to step forward; public guardian; or the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction in your province.

Can we still have a visitation or funeral if we select cremation?

Yes. Cremation does not limit the types of services that may be chosen. The same options that apply to earth burial are available with cremation. Some of these choices include: casket type, location of the service and visitation, music selection, open casket(viewing) and the display of personal mementos. Some families elect to have a complete service at the funeral home or place of worship. Others prefer to have a procession to the crematorium, similar to that often done to the cemetery for an earth burial.

Is embalming required?

No, embalming is not generally mandatory; however, in some circumstances we will recommend it or you may require it by law. For example, international shipment requires embalming. If you decide to have an open casket, embalming is highly recommended for the temporary preservation, sanitation and restoration of the deceased. Embalming is required by Alternatives when a rental casket is used for a viewing or funeral service.