Dying at Home May Not Be As Peaceful For Loved Ones

When a loved one chooses to die at home, the family should prepare to the fulfill certain post-death requirements, including:

• Determination by a licensed professional that the person is actually deceased.
• Completing a death certificate properly.
• Selecting an undertaker.
• Contacting law enforcement, who must determine that there was no foul play.

These requirements can be difficult for a grieving family, requirements that hospitals or hospice care facilities routinely fulfill.

See Kent Sepkowitz, Dignity in Dying, Newsweek, Sept. 26, 2009.