We're here to help.
Whether it was expected or sudden, the death of a loved one comes as a shock. At Carson Funeral Homes, we understand how overwhelming it can be.
If a death has occurred, please call us at 1-877-326-3595 and one of our staff will be able to assist you in your time of need — day or night, 365 days a year.
What Happens Now?
When you are in a heightened emotional state, even the most basic decisions can seem staggering.
To help ease the burden, we've provided the following information about what to do when a death occurs.
If death occurs at home or a place of business
If the death was expected (the person was under palliative / hospice care), call the number for the hospice service or the person’s family physician. They will advise you of next steps. If the death was not expected, call 911. The police will be dispatched to the home and place the call to the coroner/medical examiner. The coroner/medical examiner will take the body and determine whether further action is necessary. The coroner/medical examiner must release the body before a funeral home can do anything. The coroner / medical examiner will ask if you know which funeral home you will be using. If you tell them Carson Funeral Homes, they can make arrangements with us directly.
If death occurs at a medical / care facility
The staff of a care facility such as a hospital or a nursing home will notify you and the necessary authorities immediately after a death has occurred. If you provided our name as the preferred funeral home to the facility, the staff will take care of calling Carson Funeral Homes for you. A funeral director will call you to make arrangements to meet and discuss next steps.
Next steps
After calling the authorities, your next call should be to immediate family members / supportive friends. Then you should call Carson Funeral Homes at 877-326-3595 to talk to a funeral director. A funeral director will help you obtain a death certificate, transport the body, and in the event pre-planning was not done, select a casket/urn and arrange the funeral/memorial service. They will also help you notify the deceased's employer and insurance company to assist with those arrangements. Our funeral directors will treat you with compassion and endeavour to relieve the stress at this difficult time.
Key Information
In order to apply for the death certificate, the funeral director will need the following information:
- Full Name and Address
- Marital Status
- Date and Place of Birth
- Social Insurance Number
- Father’s Name and Birthplace, Mother’s Name and Birthplace (including maiden name)
- Name of Spouse (if married or widowed)
- Occupation and Employer
The funeral director will also need pertinent documents required to do all the legal paperwork, those documents include:
- Beneficiary Designations
- Life Insurance Policies if to be used for payment
- Last Will (To determine responsibility for arrangements, who is the Estate Administrator)
If the deceased did not pre-plan their funeral, the funeral director will help you do this. This can include:
- Scheduling the location, date and time of the visitation and funeral service
- Selecting burial or cremation
- Choosing Funeral Products
- Arranging a cemetery plot
- Preparing an obituary notice
- Scheduling transportation arrangements
Your funeral director will be there to guide and assist you every step of the way.