When the death of someone you care for occurs, it can be overwhelming and difficult, but you are not alone. A Funeral Director will guide you through the entire process so you know what to do and when it needs to be done. At Country Hills Crematorium, we understand that a loved one passing is an emotionally challenging time and we will support you in every way possible. Our goal is to help you make this time an experience of love, healing and a celebration of life.
The first step when someone has died is to consider whether the death was unexpected. If the death is expected at home or in a care facility, our associates can come right away and bring your loved one into our care. If it was unexpected, the medical examiner will need to be involved. Your local emergency response team will assist you with this, so they should be contacted at this time if you haven’t already.
Once the first step has concluded and your loved one has been brought into the care of our Calgary funeral home, there are some steps to consider to help you start the process of laying your loved one to rest.
**At this time, we encourage you to include a close family member or trusted friend to help support you as you work through the steps that will need to be taken and the decisions you’ll need to make.
The first thing you will want to do is to contact those closest to the deceased to inform them of the passing. Depending on the circumstances, this may be a difficult process, so it’s advised that you prioritize which contacts you reach out to immediately and ask close family and friends for help with sharing the information.
Now it is time to consider the wishes of the deceased to determine how to move forward with planning their final arrangements. If they pre-planned their funeral, the funeral home will have all of the required information on file. If not, share anything you may know the deceased wanted to help the Funeral Director guide you through the process. Most funeral homes in Calgary will have a guide or checklist to help you know what type of options are available and what they will require and cost.
Usually, the first decision is disposition – did your loved one want to be buried or cremated? Burial requirements or cremation plans will direct the initial planning steps.
Then you will need to determine how your loved one wanted their life to be honoured and what feels most comfortable for your family. This may include a viewing, funeral service, religious rites, celebration of life, a simple ceremony or no observance at all.
You may need some assistance working through the funeral planning process and we are here to make it as simple and easy as possible for you. We will inform you of the choices and planning required to execute the wishes of your loved one and family.
The Funeral Services team at Country Hills Crematorium is professionally trained, caring and supportive and will help you consider budgets, timelines, different family preferences and other logistics so the whole process goes as smoothly as possible.
If you have experienced the passing of a loved one, or want more information to be prepared in the event of a death, please contact us at 403-274-0576.