Whether in Tasmania, or some far-flung place not quite as good as Tasmania, we are all going to die somewhere, at some point in time. Lives will be changed forever, and at its essence the experience is always a human one over a mere medical event.
In the 21st century, however, death also comes with legal implications, paperwork, and requirements. Today we are focusing on what to do when someone dies in Tasmania. Understanding a little of what is required can be helpful for any family, and it is especially important if you are thinking about home-based care, family-led funeral care, or a more natural approach to death care.
The biggest and first question to answer is:
Was the death expected or unexpected?
From this point, everything else flows.
If the death was unexpected
An unexpected death is a death we were not anticipating.
Your person may have a medical condition that is being treated by the medical profession, but that does not automatically mean their death was expected. For example, I am currently being treated for high blood pressure and Type 2 diabetes, but it is not expected to be my cause of death any time soon. So, if I suddenly collapsed and not revived, my death would be considered unexpected.
If the death is sudden, unexplained, accidental, violent, or you are unsure what has happened, call Ambulance or Police in the first instance. Do not move the body unless it is unsafe to leave them where they are.
In cases of unexpected death in Tasmania, the body will usually need to be referred to the coroner for further investigation into the cause of death. The coroner’s ambulance will be called to transfer the body.
Generally, the Coroner’s Office will then communicate directly with you about the cause of death and when the body can be released back into your care.
Sadly, this can sometimes feel like a bit of a waiting game, so please make sure you have others around to support you during this time. The good news though, is that after the body is released from the coroner, it can be transferred back into your care and your choices and wishes for your beloved can re-commence.
If the death was expected
An expected death is one which we are anticipating.
For example, our beloved may be under palliative care with a life-limiting illness, and treatments may have been altered from cure to comfort measures. Or we may have been seeing a General Practitioner on an ongoing basis for existing, potentially life-threatening medical conditions, and death occurs within a couple of weeks since the last visit. Of course in Tasmania, Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD) also fits within the context of an expected death.
If your person was under palliative care, you should ring the palliative care team in the first instance to advise them of the death.
If you cannot do this, then usually it will be a call to the Ambulance service or the Doctor. If you can’t get hold of them, then the police should be called.
Why do you need to call someone?
Because you will need a Declaration of Life Extinct (DOLE) to be issued.
This is a prescribed form that only certain professions or authorised people are allowed to complete. The declaration confirms that the person has died and that a Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD or MCoD), will be issued within 48 hours by a doctor known to the patient.
If a doctor is not willing to sign the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death because they were not expecting their patient to die, then we are back to our person being referred to the Coroner.
In Tasmania, either an MCoD or a Coroner’s release form is required before burial or cremation can occur.
This may all feel a little tricky or even a bit overwhelming, but truly, it’s very doable and if you are in any doubt don’t hesitate to call us 0458 002 151 in the very first instance and experienced and trained team can guide you through step by step.
Moving forward with after death care and farewell
If you are the primary carer or close to someone expected to die, you have probably been doing a lot of ‘doing’ leading up to this point, so please know that at the time of death you can stop, make a cup of tea and simply ‘be’.
Take in the magnitude of the moment. It can be a sacred, special, and potentially very vulnerable time. Have a good cry, howl, or rage against the injustice of it all. Allow for the release of that first overwhelming wave of grief that can occur.
Take it slow. Be gentle with yourself. Let others, where possible, now take care of you for a little while at least. Then you can proceed to the next big step: how and who is going to take care of your beloved.
Post death care and farewell can occur in earnest once a cause of death can be established and we have our DOLE or Coroners Release form
One of the helpful things about the Tasmanian Burial and Cremation Act 2019 and its regulations is that timing is generally described as “as soon as practicable” and/or within an 8-hour timeframe, this includes the important hours immediately after death.
Getting help with natural after death and funeral care in Tasmania
Always remember that love, understanding, a sense of humour, and patience go a long way in these situations.
Mary Eleanor has a team of experienced death care professionals and End of Life Doulas ready to be of service to you at any time of the day or night.
Please do not hesitate to reach out for more information. We believe that the more knowledge you have, the more empowered you will be to make the best choices and decisions for you and your family when the time comes.
Need support?
Feel free to call Mimi or Sandra on 0458 002 151.
Or email [email protected].