End of Life Care | Bereavement care | Practical support after a bereavement

Practical support after a bereavement
Session overview
Description
This session provides an overview of the practical issues following a death. It covers areas such as registering a death, choosing a funeral director, arranging a funeral, and the probate system.

This session was reviewed by Kate Edwards and last updated in December 2022.

By the end of this session you will be able to:

• demonstrate an understanding of how to register a death
• describe the role of a funeral director
• recognise some of the issues involved in arranging a funeral
• describe the role of the coroner and the post-mortem process
• identify the actions that need to be taken following a death

Funerals represent a way to celebrate the life of or say goodbye to a deceased person. They give people an opportunity to grieve both individually and collectively.

Sound practical advice to families in the early stages of bereavement is very important in the grieving process and it enables them to arrange the funeral they require in a timely manner.

This process can start as families come to terms with an imminent death. Indeed, the dying person may want to be involved in the process to ease the burden on family or to ensure that their personal views are reflected.

Involve the funeral director early and make them aware of your wishes, for example, when you want to arrange the funeral.