When someone dies at home, family members may be dealing with grief while also trying to determine what must happen next. Knowing ahead of time what to do when someone dies at home in Massachusetts can make those first decisions less confusing.
A simple what to do when someone dies checklist can help you focus first on the required medical and legal steps, then move on to documents and final arrangements.
Step 1: Determine Whether the Death Is Expected
If the person was receiving hospice care or another form of planned end-of-life care at home, contact the hospice provider or healthcare professional identified in the care plan. They can provide instructions for confirming the death and arranging the next steps.
An unexpected death is different. Massachusetts requires certain deaths to be reported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, including sudden or unexpected deaths, accidental deaths, suspicious deaths, and situations in which someone is found dead. Families should follow the instructions of emergency responders, healthcare professionals, or other authorities when these circumstances apply.
Step 2: Follow Instructions Before Moving the Person
Family members should not assume that they need to move or transport the deceased themselves. Instead, follow the directions provided by hospice personnel, medical professionals, emergency responders, or the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.
Massachusetts has specific requirements governing transportation and disposition. For example, a burial permit is required before a body is transported across a city or town line, and there are rules governing who may transport the deceased.
For most families, the important point is simple: obtain professional guidance before making transportation arrangements.
Step 3: Gather Important Documents and Information
Once the immediate medical and legal requirements are being handled, begin collecting information that may be needed for official records and final arrangements.
Useful items can help make knowing what to do when someone dies at home in Massachusetts easier. This includes:
- The person’s full legal name and date of birth
- Social Security number
- Current home address
- Government-issued identification
- Marital status
- Physician or healthcare provider information
- Advance directives and other end-of-life documents
- Insurance information
- Whole-body donor registration information, if applicable
Step 4: Make Final Arrangements
Whether you choose cremation or burial, both require appropriate permits and documentation. Cremation must occur in a licensed crematory and requires additional authorization before it can proceed. You can contact a funeral home or crematorium directly to start the process.
An alternative you may not have considered is to become a whole-body donor. You get free transportation and cremation while also making a significant contribution to advance medical science.
Step 5: Obtain Death Certificates
Certified death certificates are often needed to manage financial and legal matters after a death. They may be required by insurance companies, banks, government agencies, retirement plans, and organizations involved in estate administration. In Massachusetts, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner does not issue death certificates. Copies are obtained from the city or town clerk where the death occurred.
What to Do When Someone Dies — A Checklist
Here is a checklist that may be helpful:
- Contact hospice or the appropriate healthcare provider if the death was expected.
- Contact emergency authorities when the death is unexpected or circumstances require investigation.
- Follow instructions before moving or transporting the deceased.
- Gather identification and important personal documents.
- Locate advance directives or body donor registration documents.
- Make arrangements for burial, cremation, or whole-body donation.
- Contact family members and loved ones.
- Obtain certified copies of the death certificate.
- Begin notifying insurers, financial institutions, government agencies, and other relevant organizations.
If Your Loved One Planned to Donate Their Body to Science
If the person registered with United Tissue Network, contact UTN so a donor coordinator can review the circumstances and coordinate the necessary arrangements.
United Tissue Network is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization and will handle the arrangements for transportation from the place of death, placement with a reputable medical education or research program, cremation, and return of the remains upon request. UTN covers the costs for these services, including free cremation for the donor.
Start your registration with United Tissue Network to document your wishes and help advance medical science, research, and education.
