When Death Occurs
Death at a Hospice, Nursing Home, or Retirement Residence
If someone has died in a hospice, nursing home, long-term care home, or retirement residence, please know that you do not need to manage the next steps alone. The staff at the facility will often help guide the first steps, and Haskett Funeral Homes can help with everything that follows.
What to do first
Please contact us directly if you are unsure. Care facilities are often very good about contacting the funeral home, but one call from the family ensures we are aware and able to begin helping.
In many cases, the staff at the facility will contact the funeral home once the required steps have taken place. These settings are familiar with what needs to happen, and our team works regularly with hospices, nursing homes, long-term care homes, and retirement residences throughout the communities we serve.
Even so, you should never feel badly about calling us yourself. If you are wondering whether we have been notified, or if you simply want to speak with someone from Haskett Funeral Homes, please call. We would rather hear from you than have you sit and wonder.
There is no obligation to have decisions made before calling. You do not need to know about service details, cremation or burial, clergy, cemetery arrangements, paperwork, clothing, photos, or anything else before reaching out.
What happens next
The facility will complete its first steps
Staff at the facility will usually help with the immediate process, including contacting the appropriate healthcare professional when needed and notifying family members according to their procedures.
We will coordinate with the facility
Once we have been contacted, our team will coordinate with the facility to understand timing, access, and any details that may help us care for your loved one respectfully.
We will bring your loved one into our care
Because these facilities are often familiar to us and usually easier to access, the transfer into our care is often straightforward. Depending on the setting and circumstances, one team member may attend rather than two.
We will talk about arrangements when you are ready
Some families want to begin making arrangements right away, while others need some time first. There is no pressure to have everything figured out immediately.
Time with your loved one
Many hospices, nursing homes, and retirement residences offer meaningful ways for families, residents, and staff to say goodbye. These moments can be very comforting, especially when your loved one has lived in the facility for some time and built relationships with the people there.
At the same time, we generally believe it is appropriate for the transfer into our care to happen within a reasonable time. Families should know that a farewell at the facility does not need to be the only opportunity for ceremony, quiet time, prayer, ritual, or final goodbyes.
You will usually have other opportunities to spend time with your loved one. If your family wishes, we can often arrange time at our funeral home for viewing, prayer, ceremony, or a private goodbye.
This can help remove pressure from the first few hours. Family members do not need to rush from a distance because they believe it is their only chance to say goodbye.
Helpful notes
Some families choose to remain at the facility until our team arrives, while others feel comfortable leaving once they know their loved one is in good care and that we have been contacted. Either choice is completely acceptable.
If your family asks us to attend at a very specific time, there may be an additional fee. There is a difference between asking us to come as soon as we are reasonably able and asking us to attend at a set time later in the day. Specific timing requests can require additional staffing and scheduling adjustments.
Some facilities may begin discussing personal belongings or room arrangements sooner than families expect, particularly in retirement residences or nursing homes where space is limited. While those conversations can feel difficult, they are a normal part of the process. We mention this only so families are not caught off guard.
There is no perfect way to navigate these first few hours. We will help you take things one step at a time.
Common questions
Will the facility call the funeral home?
In many cases, yes. Hospices, nursing homes, long-term care homes, and retirement residences are usually familiar with the process and will often contact us directly. Still, if you are unsure, please call us yourself so we can confirm we are aware.
Do we need to stay at the facility?
No. Some families choose to stay until our team arrives, while others say their goodbyes and return home. If the facility staff have contacted us and you are comfortable leaving, that is completely acceptable.
Can there be a farewell ceremony at the facility?
Some facilities offer farewell ceremonies or quiet moments of goodbye for residents, staff, and family members. These can be very meaningful. We also want families to know that additional opportunities for ceremony, prayer, viewing, or private time can often be arranged later at our funeral home.
How quickly will your team arrive?
Timing can depend on the facility, the time of day, our team’s availability, and whether any specific timing has been requested. We will communicate with you or the facility as clearly as possible.
What if we request a specific transfer time?
We will do our best to accommodate requests where possible. If a specific time is requested, an additional fee may apply because it can require extra staffing or scheduling changes. We will explain this clearly if it applies.
What if there are pre-arrangements already in place?
If pre-arrangements have been completed, there is no rush to review everything immediately. We may not have every detail available during the first call or transfer, but there will be plenty of time afterward to review those arrangements together.
What happens after my loved one is brought into your care?
Typically, we will either arrange a meeting with your family for the following day or contact you afterward to discuss next steps by telephone. There is no pressure to make immediate decisions.
Related information
You can return to our main When Death Occurs page or contact us directly at any time.
You are not alone in this
When someone dies in a hospice, nursing home, or retirement residence, there are usually caring people nearby who understand the process. Please call us if you are unsure of the next step. We will coordinate with the facility and help your family move forward gently and clearly.
We are always willing to go where called upon but this image shows a visual of the communities that our included in our initial transportation fee. We offer a 40km radius from any of our 5 locations (Arva (London), Exeter, Lucan, Seaforth, and Zurich). Any mileage beyond the included 40km will be charged a rate of $2.50/km (one way travel only).