Who do you call when someone dies at home on hospice?
The short answer
Call your hospice's 24-hour number, not 911. A hospice nurse will come to confirm the death, help with the next steps, and contact the funeral home when you're ready. There's no rush. You can take time to sit with your loved one.
General information, not medical advice. Your hospice team knows your person and can answer for your situation.
Why call hospice and not 911?
When a death is expected and your loved one is on hospice, the hospice team already has a plan for this moment. A hospice nurse is on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Calling 911 brings emergency crews whose job is to try to save a life. Unless there is a valid out-of-hospital do-not-resuscitate (DNR) order or similar form in the home, they may start CPR or take your person to the hospital. The rules for these forms differ from state to state. Ask your hospice nurse ahead of time what applies where you live and where to keep the form.
If you ever feel unsure or unsafe, it is still okay to call 911.
What does the hospice nurse do?
When the nurse arrives, they will usually:
- Confirm the death. In many places a hospice nurse can make the official pronouncement. This depends on state law.
- Record the time and fill out the forms that allow a death certificate to be prepared.
- Help with the medicines left in the house, following local rules.
- Call the funeral home for you, or help you make that call, when you're ready.
- Sit with you and answer questions.
Is there a rush?
No. When someone dies at home, there is no need to move the body right away. Many families take this time to sit together, hold a hand, say what they want to say, or call people who want to come.
Some families wash their loved one's face or hands, comb their hair, play a favorite song, or say a prayer. Others simply sit quietly. There is no right way to do this. In the first few hours, it helps to make sure your loved one is lying flat, before the joints stiffen. The nurse can help.
What happens next?
The funeral home picks up your loved one when your family is ready, following local laws. If you haven't chosen a funeral home yet, the hospice social worker can help you think it through.
The hospice will arrange to collect the equipment it provided. Ask the nurse when. You don't need to handle that right away.
The death certificate is completed using the information gathered at the time of death. Ask the funeral home how many certified copies you will need.
What if hospice wasn't involved?
If someone dies at home without hospice, talk with their doctor, the local medical examiner or coroner, the health department, or a funeral home about what to do. If the death was sudden or unexpected, call 911.
Sources
- National Institute on Aging, What To Do After Someone Dies: nia.nih.gov/health/grief-and-mourning/what-do-after-someone-dies
- National Institute on Aging, Advance Care Planning: Advance Directives for Health Care: nia.nih.gov/health/advance-care-planning/advance-care-planning-advance-directives-health-care
- Medicare.gov, Medicare Hospice Benefits booklet: medicare.gov/publications/02154-medicare-hospice-benefits.pdf
Educational information only. This article is not medical, legal, or financial advice, and it can't account for your person's health or your state's rules. Always talk with your hospice team, doctor, or Medicare (1-800-MEDICARE) about your situation. If you think it's an emergency, call your hospice's 24-hour number or 911.