Helpful Information
Before Death
When families call us for advice, it is usually to help them prepare for an expected death. The location where the death is likely to take place, will determine the level of preparation the family or carers will need to make.
If palliative in a hospital or nursing home, death verification is the Nurse’s responsibility. If the palliative care is at home, death verification becomes the responsibility of the carer and your funeral director.
There are coronial laws which govern the transfer of a deceased person and documents to be completed prior to death, which allow the transfer to take place without Police intervention.
If palliative in a hospital or nursing home, death verification is the Nurse’s responsibility. If the palliative care is at home, death verification becomes the responsibility of the carer and your funeral director.
There are coronial laws which govern the transfer of a deceased person and documents to be completed prior to death, which allow the transfer to take place without Police intervention.
Unexpected Death
If a death is unexpected or takes place in circumstances where a General Practitioner can not or will not issue a Medical Certificate of Cause of Death, the death is reportable to the State Coroner.
Police are involved and the deceased is transported by a Government Contractor to an Approved Government Holding Facility. The coronial process can take between 3 - 14 days to arrive at a determination to release the body. It is the responsibility of your funeral director to submit forms to the Coroner and seek the release of the body.
Police are involved and the deceased is transported by a Government Contractor to an Approved Government Holding Facility. The coronial process can take between 3 - 14 days to arrive at a determination to release the body. It is the responsibility of your funeral director to submit forms to the Coroner and seek the release of the body.
What Now?
Once a death has occurred, the question of Burial or Cremation needs to be answered. Sometimes the deceased’s preference is clearly written in their Last Will, but in other instances the topic has never been discussed, leaving the decision to those left behind. Burial is usually more expensive than cremation, due to the cost of purchasing a plot and paying for excavation.
Burial
Families that choose burial may have a service at a church or another venue, before travelling to the cemetery for a graveside committal.
Some families have the graveside committal before travelling to a church for a memorial service without a coffin present. Other families prefer to have the service and the committal take place entirely at the graveside.
Please be aware that not all cemeteries include a headstone in the cost of the burial site. A headstone can cost between $1,000 - $5,000.
Some families have the graveside committal before travelling to a church for a memorial service without a coffin present. Other families prefer to have the service and the committal take place entirely at the graveside.
Please be aware that not all cemeteries include a headstone in the cost of the burial site. A headstone can cost between $1,000 - $5,000.
Cremation
Families that choose cremation may have a service at a church or another venue with a coffin present, before the cremation takes place.
Some families prefer to have the cremation take place privately, before holding a memorial service or family gathering to scatter or place the ashes. The ashes are returned from the crematorium in a white plastic cylinder with certificate of cremation attached.
If a more presentable keepsake urn is required, we supply locally hand crafted timber urn boxes, Indian brass vase shape urns and biodegradable shell urns for earth and sea burial.
Some families prefer to have the cremation take place privately, before holding a memorial service or family gathering to scatter or place the ashes. The ashes are returned from the crematorium in a white plastic cylinder with certificate of cremation attached.
If a more presentable keepsake urn is required, we supply locally hand crafted timber urn boxes, Indian brass vase shape urns and biodegradable shell urns for earth and sea burial.
Viewing
The decision to physically view the body after death can be difficult to make. The circumstances leading up to the death may affect a persons desire to view or not view. The condition of the body can greatly influence whether a viewing will be a helpful or traumatic experience.
We try to make the viewing experience as natural as possible. Procedures that will cause an unnatural appearance are not employed. We sensitively give our professional opinion as to viewing suitability.
We try to make the viewing experience as natural as possible. Procedures that will cause an unnatural appearance are not employed. We sensitively give our professional opinion as to viewing suitability.
Repatriation
Sometimes a person dies in a location that is a considerable distance from a reserved burial plot. Usually two funeral homes are engaged to solve this problem.
The collecting funeral home is responsible for the collection and preservation of the body until it can be transported to the dispatching funeral home. The dispatching funeral home is responsible for overseeing the burial and any associated funeral service. A coffin may be purchased from either of the two funeral homes.
The collecting funeral home is responsible for the collection and preservation of the body until it can be transported to the dispatching funeral home. The dispatching funeral home is responsible for overseeing the burial and any associated funeral service. A coffin may be purchased from either of the two funeral homes.
Pre-Paid Option
Our pre-paid option is designed to securely hold your pre-paid funeral contract payment until such time as the funeral service is required. Your payment is safeguarded independently until needed. Our payment terms into the pre-paid funeral fund are either full payment in a lump sum or 50% deposit and a minimum of $50.00 per month direct debit until the contract amount is paid in full.
Our pre-paid funds are managed by specialist fund manager Lifeplan Australia Friendly Society, part of Australian Unity, a mutual company with a history of over 175 years.
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