If someone dies at home

[UpsettingqueryAboutDeath]

Sorry if this is upsetting.

I have googled the advice if someone dies at home, which is basically if it’s expected you call the GP and if it’s not expected you call 999.

But how do you gauge if it’s “expected”?

The reason for asking is I have a familiar member in their 70s who has health problems. But not got a terminal diagnosis.

They live alone and are not looking after themselves. They don’t appear to want to.

We are exploring care options to help. But if person does not want to help themselves and one day we find them dead, would this be expected or unexpected?

Typing it all out, I think it would be safest to call 999. But does anyone have any experience or advice?

I dealt with someone passing recently and the police were called and were very good. They did a lot of paperwork and called an undertaker, who arrived promptly. It was all very efficient and they were very polite and suitably compassionate.

In short, just call police. They can sort out the next steps.

I've been to many deaths, some expected, others a shock to all and the police are probably best placed to help no matter the circumstances.

Please don't anyone tie themselves up in knots trying to make arrangements or phone the right people, you don't need to.

If the person is under a GP or the hospital for end of life, its the Dr or Nurses attending who you should call - then take a moment, there is no rush once someone has died - if its heading for evening, in the night or at the weekend it will hold until the undertakers open again.

You call 999. They will come out and certify death. If possible before this try to get a GP out for eyes on - but the patients may not want this.

The death certificate will be filled in by the GP ( this is now any GP that has seen the patient in their lifetime). If they have died of something expected or an existing condition the GP verifying will probably be enough. If not it will go to the coroner who will decide whether or not an autopsy should be performed.

Wichever way it goes the coroner will provide the death certificate and you cant arrange a funeral without it

Edited to say - if they are end of life you should have been given a number to call - usually the district nurse.

Dont call the GP - they cant do anything as it is classed as emergency medicine even if it is expected) and they will tell you to call 999

When I found MiL dead at home I called 999. The police came and called a Doctor who came and certified death and then he called the Coroner. He in turn called the Undertakers. This is the correct procedure.

My relative died at home. It was expected and I had the GP out earlier in the day to see them. I rang 999 when I discovered them dead later that evening and they said to ring GP out of hours. A GP came after a few hours (actually at 1.00am) and did the certificate so that the undertaker could come and get them

Paramedic here.
In your Circumstances you would call 999.

To be classed as expected the patient must have been identified as palliative and have consulted with their GP about/ within this episode of illness within the last 28 days before death. Usually these would be under the care of the palliative district nursing team or hospice at home etc. Often these GP will have already advised in the event of death to call themselves or the person may have a folder with paperwork advising that if death occurs then it is expected and to contact GP.

Have you tried social services for a care assessment. Unfortunately if a person has capacity then they will be deemed to be able to make their own decisions and refuse treatment/care. You could contact the relatives GP if they consent and ask for home visit? Where I work we can refer directly into a lot of the GP pathways for Crisis care, Re-ablement, Social services, OT assessments etc. A lot of areas have referral pathways for hospital avoidance teams.

My DH died of a heart attack at home. That was 999 . My mother was sent home from hospital to die - they had done all they could but she wanted to be home.
The police came to investigate and an autopsy was done with my husband. With my mother her doctor came and signed the death certificate.

Call 999. My dad had seen the GP that morning and 999 was still expected. Police were lovely and kind and used to it.

My 83 yr old dad died in sheltered housing while I was visiting. His carers went in to help him get up in the morning and he had died. He was increasingly unwell from heart failure and his meds were no longer working. I was preparing myself he would pass away in a few weeks but he went rapidly downhill in a week and then died suddenly. The morning he was found I was due to pick up his DNR from the GP.

The carers dialled 999, were forced to give him CPR despite him being stone cold because the DNR was not in the house, two ambulance crews turned up to help resuscitate him and then the police. I remember the police lady staying for an hour or two - I think she had to stay till the funeral director took dad away but am not sure. The death was referred to the coroner because he hadn’t seen his GP in the last 28 days although he was under the Intensive Care at Home service and the District Nurse.

His GP called me to ask what I thought had happened to my dad as he needed a cause of death for the death certificate to give to the coroner!

It was the same with my grandfather who died suddenly but wasn't ill. The coroner recorded it as old age though - thankfully no autopsy was needed.

I'd try your best to get the GP involved if possible, if don't mind me saying. Although not terminal, as you say, it would be good to make sure nobody is in pain and of course the GP would help with that.

My mum died at home but she had cancer and was well documented. My dad called the GP in the morning (mum died during the night). She didn't need an autopsy either, even tho just 71 for same reason, too well documented.

Hope you don't have to face anything too soon.

That would be unexpected. You are not actively waiting for a very elderly or terminal person to pass.

Expected would generally be a very unwell person, confined to bed, expected to die within days/weeks.

I’d say that would be unexpected. My dad died at home on end of life /palliative care shortly after being discharged from hospital. The community nurse showed to administer medication etc literally minutes after he died so was able to certify. As it happened there were two medics in the house too (neighbours and friends) so they knew exactly what to do and could have certified if necessary.

My gran died at home. We called her community nurse. Then got a document from the GP to apply for a death certificate.

In our experience, which is similar sounding to yours, we called the GP who then told us to call the ambulance and the police.

Omg I’m so sorry, this is one of my worst fears. That must’ve been traumatic & distressing :( My mum is 81 and I’d describe her as ‘reasonably well’ but lives alone since my dad died. I panic whenever she doesn’t answer the phone.
Sorry for your horrible loss 💐

My parent was terminally ill and death was very much expected but they died on a bank holiday. I phoned 999 and explained the circumstances ie that we didn’t need an ambulance with blues and twos but could someone come out please. Two nurses arrived within half an hour to do the paperwork and they asked us if we had a preferred undertaker.

We was at home with mum when she died. We knew the end was near so we rang the palliative care nurses. They came out and when she did pass they arranged it all. An on call paramedic doctor came out to confirm her death.
I think if we would have found her dead we would have called 999

I’ve had this recently. I rang 999 as it was unexpected and it took over 3 hours for anyone to come out. It was very stressful/upsetting seeing a loved one dead. We were told not to touch anything in their house until the police arrived.

When my dad died we had to call 999 (I rang the GP surgery first). 999 operator told me it was correct approach. We knew he was dying, but guess it wasn’t last few days gathered around. Did seem odd.

When my grandma died at home the lovely carers sorted everything. They phoned an ambulance and they phoned the undertakers. We were expecting it.

If it was expected, i.e., end of life, then I would guess there would be input from people like carers, etc., GP,, maybe Macmillan Nurses, hre-assessingces etc as needed.
In the case of your relative, unless he has seen a GP or maybe even a district nurse or social worker reassessing needs or has carers,dial then I would say die 999. You may think that he will not go on with the way he is, but you would be surprised sometimes how long they can last! I do not mean that rudely. 999 will send paramedics, and they will ring Dr for a death certificate, and he will guide you from there, usually, unless an autopsy for sudden death, it would be undertakers next

If they haven’t seen a gp within 6 weeks and/or do not have a condition considered terminal.

call 999, the operator is trained to help you, please don’t worry about wasting time or anything, this is a sad part of their job. If unexpected the police may attend too as a formality and the the coroner will be informed. It was really smooth when mil passed away and everyone was so lovely, we felt for the young policeman still training especially who attended but his training partner said that next time it could be a more traumatic experience so this was a “good” first cessation of life to attend.