When a loved one passes away, whether it was unexpected or not, you’ll likely feel numb and lost when it comes to what to do next. There are many things that will be necessary in the hours and days to come and trying to remember it all is no easy task. Be sure to utilize family and friends for help during this difficult time. Whether you must begin planning for a burial or cremation services near Marietta, GA, your funeral home can help you get things in order.

The first thing you must do after the death of a loved one is to call either their primary medical care provider, or emergency medical services. Their presence will be needed to make an official declaration of death, which is necessary in obtaining a death certificate. If your loved one passed away within the care of a nursing home or hospital, you won’t need to make these calls, as medical personnel should already be present there. If they died at home and no one else was there, you must reach out to the local authorities, so they can investigate the situation.

After this, you’ll need to get in touch with your funeral home or provider of cremation services. If your loved one had made a plan ahead of time for their final arrangements, the funeral staff will be able to get things moving in the right direction with little assistance required from you. If not, you will have to begin making some important decisions regarding your loved one’s final arrangements.

Next, you’ll have to face the difficult task of informing family and friends of your loved one’s death. It will be up to your discretion how to do this: who needs a personal phone call, and who can be told via text, etc. If you find yourself unable to make these phone calls yourself, you may consider asking a trusted friend to help you out. Some people also choose to make a post on social media after informing their close family, so that the message may reach many more people. This relieves your burden of contacting every single person who may wish to be informed.

Something else that shouldn’t be overlooked is the care of your loved one’s home and belongings after their passing. If they had pets, these will need to be taken care of temporarily until new homes can be found. You may want to have their mail forwarded to your address, and you’ll want someone to go into their home and clean out the fridge, take out the trash, etc. These are all tasks that you may not think of right away, but they are important nevertheless.

These are just a few of the major things to think about in the hours and days after your loved one passes away. Your provider of cremation services near Marietta, GA, can help you get through this difficult time, and their experience ensures that nothing will be forgotten or overlooked. Let them help you get through these overwhelming tasks, and know that you are not alone.