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?

Your yardstick for this is, when did they last see a doctor, if it was within two weeks and without suspicious circumstances then you can call a GP and get a Death Certificate issued. Any longer than this you call the Police, the changes and a stricter adherence happened post Shipman.

I rang 999 for an ambulance then an undertaker to collect

When my dad died at home, he was on end of life care, and it was expected. We were told to call 111 when the time came, which it did at 10.30pm, and they sent out an out of hours GP.

When my FIL died at home, it was unexpected - although he had terminal cancer, he had been managing quite well. My BIL called 999, and was asked to do CPR, but it was very clear FIL was gone, so BIL refused to do it, and the 999 caller was understanding of that. You are not legally obliged to carry out CPR

Thanks for posting this. I’d been wondering the same about my 102 year old grandma- no diagnosed conditions, but obviously not that unexpected at her age.

When my mother died my father was instructed to give CPR by 999, paramedics declared her dead when they arrived. The police came, I think called by the paramedics. They took statements then called the duty undertakers and stayed until they had taken the body. I don't remember us being left alone. Because she hadn't seen a GP for a fortnight - because she couldn't get an appointment, ironically - there was a post mortem.

When my Dad died at home I called 999 but said he had already gone. They still tried to insist on me giving him CPR which I declined to do. When the paramedics arrived they would have done it if I hadn’t been able to physically show them his DNR. If anyone has an elderly relative that would not want to be resuscitated it’s very important to have the paperwork done and know where it is.