What to do in the first 24 hours after someone dies at home

The short answer: In the first 24 hours after someone dies at home, there is no legal obligation to call anyone immediately. You have time. When you are ready: call the hospice or attending physician to pronounce death and receive the death certificate, then call the funeral home for body transport. Take care of yourself and the people in the room first.

The first minutes: you do not have to rush

If your loved one dies at home under hospice care or with a terminal illness expected, there is no emergency. Emergency services do not need to be called. The body can remain at home for hours — many families take 2 to 12 hours for prayer, rituals, goodbyes, and simply being present before calling anyone.

If the death was sudden, unexpected, or the circumstances are unclear, call 911. An unexpected death at home requires law enforcement involvement before the body can be moved.

Step-by-step: what to do in the first 24 hours

1. Take a breath. Sit with your loved one. The next steps will wait. This moment will not come again.
2. Call the hospice nurse or attending physician. They will come to pronounce death officially and begin the death certificate process. If on hospice: call the hospice on-call line.
3. Notify close family. Who needs to be told in person vs. by phone? Consider the order carefully.
4. Call the funeral home. When you are ready — not before. They will arrange body transport.
5. Secure valuables and medications. Prescription opioids must be disposed of properly. Hospice can guide you.
6. Request multiple death certificates. You will need 6–10 certified copies for banks, insurance, estate, employer, and government agencies.

What NOT to do in the first 24 hours

• Do not call 911 for an expected death under hospice care — this triggers a police response and removes family control of the process
• Do not contact the funeral home before the family has had time to gather and say goodbye
• Do not clean or move anything if death was unexpected or circumstances are unclear
• Do not make major decisions about the service, obituary, or finances on day one

Practical tasks that can wait until day 2 or 3

• Notifying the employer, government agencies (Social Security), bank
• Writing and placing the obituary
• Planning the memorial service
• Canceling subscriptions and accounts
• Beginning estate paperwork

What to say to people who come to the house

You do not have to manage anyone else's grief right now. It is completely acceptable to say: "Thank you for being here. We're just sitting with him for a while." People who love you will understand.