Dealing with the heartache and pain of a loved one dying is not an easy thing to cope with. What can make it even harder is that there are many things that need to be dealt with shortly after their death.

Trying to deal with your loss as well as organizing the practicalities that follow is not easy, so in a bid to make it a little simpler, we’ve put together a list of things that may need to be dealt with.

Here are 4 practical things you must do when a loved one passes away.

Contact close family and friends

Although it will be an extremely emotional conversation to have, you should contact any other next of kin and close family immediately after your loved one has passed. They may want to visit and say their goodbyes straight away rather than at a funeral home, so you must alert them.

It will also be helpful for you to have other people to chat to and, if needed, cry with. It’s wise not to tell anyone else straight away. A close relative finding out via social media is not a scenario that you want to encounter and could cause lots of unnecessary upset.

Have the death confirmed

If your loved one has passed away at home, the death will need to be confirmed by a doctor or medical professional. Systems and procedures will vary depending on where you live, so if you are at all unsure, ring the practice, and they will advise you what to do next.

Once a doctor has confirmed the death, they will arrange for confirmation paperwork to be completed. This will allow death to be formally registered.

Speak with a funeral home

A funeral director will talk you through the whole process and discuss your wishes in terms of a burial or cremation. They will also discuss any wishes or preferences in terms of the funeral service.

There are a few options available in terms of cremation these days, so it needs lots of consideration. Green Cremation Texas, for example, is a highly rated Austin funeral home that offers a choice of eco-friendly green and water cremations. Many funeral homes will not have that option, so if protecting the environment is something you feel strongly about or that your loved one was passionate about, you might want to consider this type of option.

Deal with the formalities

Once the death has been registered, you will be given a formal death certificate. You can then contact your loved one’s bank, utility suppliers, insurance companies, and such like to advise them of the situation. You should also contact their solicitor to establish whether a Will had been registered and ask them to progress matters to implement the deceased’s final wishes.

Dealing with a death can be very difficult and upsetting so, once the priority issues have been dealt with, be sure to give yourself time to grieve.