When someone dies
A practical guide for family and friends
Acknowledgement
This booklet was researched and developed by Queensland Health’s Care at
End of Life Project team in consultation with an extensive group of clinicians,
consumers and content experts from across Queensland; the Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander Cultural Capability Team and their statewide network;
and Health Consumers Queensland. The authors extend their sincere thanks
to these contributors for generously providing their advice and feedback.
We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the lands and waters of Australia
and the Torres Strait. We respect all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
people—their customs and their beliefs. We also pay our respects to Elders
past and present.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should be advised that this
document refers to material of a sensitive nature.
A practical guide for family and friends 1
When someone is dying or has died, it can be a very
dicult and stressful time. This booklet is meant to
help. We hope it will give you support and direction
during this time. It has information and practical ideas
about things to do before and aer an adult family
member or friend dies in Queensland.
You might not be able to do this on your own. Asking for
help is okay. You could contact your spiritual or cultural
leader, social worker, family or friends.
To nd out more visit qld.gov.au/careatendoflife
Death is not the opposite
of life, but a part of it.
– Haruki Murakami, Japanese novelist
When someone dies2
Contents
Section 1: Preparing for death 4
Section 2: First steps 6
Tasks and contact list – tear out section
Section 3: What you can do next 11
Section 4: Caring for yourself and others 15
Section 5: Support services contact list 18
Section 6: Denitions 22
Take your time and check each section
to see if it is information you want or need.
Read what seems useful now and leave
the rest until you’re ready.
A practical guide for family and friends 3
Grief is a normal and natural
response when we experience loss.
Grief can aect our lives in a number of ways, but it also allows
us to slowly adjust to our loss and continue to go about our lives.
There is no right or wrong way to grieve (see Caring for yourself
and others, page 15).
When someone dies4
Section 1
Preparing for death
We can all plan, discuss and
prepare for the end of life at any
time. This may help make the
experience more comfortable
andprovide a greater sense
of control whenit happens.
If someone close to you is nearing the
end of life, you can help them to:
• carry out advance care planning with
health professionals, family and
friends to discuss their wishes,
values, beliefs and preferences
forfuture medical treatment
(see Support services, page 18)
• let health professionals know if
emotional and/or spiritual support
is needed, and to talk about
any important cultural practices
• speak with health professionals about
what to expect during and aer the
dying process
• organise to see a chaplain or faith
leader in the time leading up to death,
including aer hours
• decide where they would like to be
cared for as they approach the end of
life, if possible. This may include:
– in their own home
– on country
– in hospital
– in a palliative care unit or hospice
– in a residential aged care facility
• talk with family about the person’s
wishes, so everyone understands
what will happen
• prepare for death at home or on
country (if applicable). Discuss
and plan this with your health
professionals, and determine which
doctor will issue the cause of death
certificate, when the time comes
• appoint an Attorney for personal,
health and/or nancial matters using
an Enduring Power of Attorney form
(see Definitions, page 22)
• write a will and ensure it is up-to-date
and easy to nd
A practical guide for family and friends 5
• talk about palliative care services and
support (if needed) with a doctor or
health professionals—it can be helpful
to visit facilities
• start funeral planning if possible, and
talk about who will be the point of
contact for organising the funeral
• think about how to pay for the funeral
(see Arranging a funeral or memorial
service, page 12). This may include:
– setting up a funeral savings account
– life insurance or superannuation
– buying a funeral benet product,
such as a prepaid funeral, funeral
bonds or funeral insurance.
You can nd more information
about paying for funerals at The
Australian Securities and Investment
Commission website
• make a list of their personal details
and passwords and store them in a
safe place. You may choose to use the
Tasks and contact list in the middle of
this booklet to help you decide what
information you might need
• add a ‘legacy contact’ to Facebook to
allow someone they trust to manage
their account aer they pass
• talk about organ and tissue donation,
understand what’s involved, and
let their family know their wishes
—for more information visit
donatelife.gov.au
• write letters, record videos, create
photo albums or put together
keepsakes for loved ones. Some
people may wish to write cards or
arrange gis for future birthdays
or signicant life events
• consider who will care for children,
other dependents and pets
• say goodbye to those they love and
care about.
Supporting someone who is dying
can be stressful. For suggestions
on how you can look aer yourself
during this time see Caring for
yourself and others, page 15.
When someone dies6
Section 2
First steps
This section has information about
things that happen soon aer a
person dies. Not all will be related
to your situation.
Appointing a funeral director
Most people in Queensland use a funeral
director to help organise a funeral or
memorial service. Funeral directors are
not compulsory, but they make things
easier. You can choose a funeral director
by searching online, talking with family
and friends or using the Australian
Funeral Directors Association website.
Typically, people choose local funeral
directors as they may need to visit a
few times.
Always check what the quote includes
and doesn’t include. Many funeral
directors can take calls 24 hours a day,
7 days a week.
For more information, see Arranging a
funeral or memorial service on page 12.
Dying at home or
in the community
Expected death
An expected, natural death at home
is not an emergency (see Definitions,
page 23). There’s usually no need to
rush. You can have time with the person
who has died before anything needs
to be done. If this happens during the
night, you can wait until the morning
to carry out next steps, if you are
comfortable with this.
If dying at home is expected, it is
important to have spoken with the
person’s doctor about who to contact to
issue the cause of death certificate when
the time comes. The certicate needs
to be completed within 48 hours of the
person’s death. Any doctor who knows the
person’s medical history and can certify
the cause and manner of death is able to
complete the cause of death certificate.
When you are ready, notify your doctor,
palliative care service, or funeral director.
The person may then be taken into the
care of your chosen funeral director.
A practical guide for family and friends 7
Unexpected death
Call an ambulance on .
The paramedics will complete a life extinct
form and contact the person’s doctor to
issue a cause of death certificate. The
person may then be taken into the care
of your chosen funeral director.
Reportable deaths
Sometimes a cause of death certificate
cannot be issued. This may happen if
someone who appears to be healthy
dies unexpectedly at home; the doctor
cannot determine the medical cause
of death; or the death is unnatural
(see Definitions, page 23). The police are
contacted in these circumstances. This
may seem worrying or excessive, but it is
a normal part of the process. The police
will liaise with a team of independent
doctors to determine whether a cause
of death certificate can be obtained.
If a cause of death certificate cannot be
obtained, the police will report the death
to the coroner and arrange for the person
to be transported to a health facility or
mortuary by a government contracted
funeral director.
The coroner will work with a team
of coronial nurses and forensic
pathologists to determine a probable
cause of death through an autopsy or
post-mortem (see Definitions, page 22).
The coroner will release the body as soon
as possible—almost always within three
days of the person’s death. The person
may then be taken into the care of your
chosen funeral director.
Other types of reportable deaths include
those that happen in care or custody.
Dying in a hospital, palliative
care unit, hospice or
residential aged care facility
If the person dies in a hospital or facility,
the sta will help you to understand
the process and what you need to do.
There’s usually no need to rush. You can
have time alone with the person who has
died before anything needs to be done.
Your family may want to wait until other
relatives have a chance to say goodbye.
8 When someone dies
Ask questions. If you need more
information or support, or do not
agree with something, please ask. The
healthcare team are there to support you.
Make sure sta are aware of any end-of-
life rituals, such as what needs to happen
to the body in preparation for burial or
cremation, so that arrangements can be
made before the person is transferred.
Usually, the following things will happen
shortly aer death:
• health professionals will complete
documentation
• a doctor will complete the cause
of death certificate. If the doctor
is unsure whether a cause of death
certificate can be issued, they can
contact the coroner. This will generally
be related to concerns around
treatment and care. The coroner will
work with a team of independent
doctors to determine whether the
death is reportable
• aer discussions with you, the person
may be transferred to the mortuary or
another suitable room
• any belongings the person had with
them at the facility will be given to
a representative of the family by
nursing sta
• the person may remain at the facility
until the funeral director is chosen and
plans are made to move them to the
funeral home
• if family are coming to say goodbye,
talk to the sta about how long the
person who has died can stay at
the facility. Dierent places have
dierent processes.
Visiting a person who has died
Some people nd it helpful to see the
person aer they’ve died. This is called
a viewing. Deciding whether to visit is a
personal choice. You can talk about this
with a health professional.
It is important to note that not all
facilities have a mortuary for viewings
but may make a room available for you.
Viewings may also be arranged at the
funeral home or at home.
Before appointing a funeral director,
check whether the funeral home
allows viewing as part of their service.
There may be an associated cost.
A practical guide for family and friends 9
Organ and tissue donation
In an intensive care unit
You may have been asked to consider
organ donation. A DonateLife Specialist
Coordinator will meet with the family,
seek consent from the appropriate
person and assess medical suitability for
transplantation. The DonateLife Specialist
Coordinator and healthcare team will
step you through the process. For more
information, visit donatelife.gov.au.
In other locations, including
hospital wards, residential aged
care facilities or at home
The person may be able to donate tissue.
A DonateLife Specialist Coordinator
or the healthcare team can step you
through this process.
Body bequests
The person may have prearranged
donation of their body to a university.
The university will need to be notied of
the death in order to assess suitability
and arrange transportation as soon as
possible. Transportation is typically
managed by the university’s contracted
funeral director.
Where to get help
Not all situations are straightforward,
and some people may need extra support
to work through complicated matters.
Find a list of services that can help with
grief, nancial, legal, advocacy and other
issues in Support services, page 18.
When someone dies10
It can be dicult to talk
about death and dying.
Everyone responds in their
own way. Dying should be
discussed with honesty,
sensitivity, and respect.
Tasks and contact list
We have created this checklist as a prompt to guide tasks and people/organisations to contact.
* Eligibility criteria apply. Check each section to see if it is information you want or need.
** This information is specic to Queensland—dierent processes and contact details may be applicable in other states and countries.
PERSON/ORGANISATION TO BE CONTACTED TASKS (if relevant) CONTACT DETAILS
First steps
First responders (e.g. palliative care service, GP, ambulance)
Contact
Family and friends
Notify
Funeral director
Contact
Executor of the will
Enact as documented
Support services (e.g. cultural / religious / spiritual advisors / counselling service)
Contact if required
Bereaved
support
Your employer / education provider
Seek compassionate leave
Centrelink
Apply for bereavement allowance / payment *
Seek exemption from mutual obligations / activity test requirements
132 300
servicesaustralia.gov.au
Department of Veterans’ Aairs
Apply for bereavement allowance / payment *
1800 555 254
** Queensland Government mortgage relief loan
Apply for a mortgage relief loan / bond loan / rental grant *
1300 654 322
Financial, social and welfare
Australian Electoral Commission
Notify
132 626 aec.gov.au
Australian Taxation Oce
Finalise income tax returns
132 861 ato.gov.au
Banks, credit unions and credit card providers
Close / transfer accounts
Discuss loan repayment options
Centrelink
Notify (will be shared with Medicare and Child Support)
Cancel payments
132 300
servicesaustralia.gov.au
Certied copies of the death certicate (e.g. with a JP, solicitor)
Arrange
Child Support
Notify (will be shared with Centrelink and Medicare)
131 272
servicesaustralia.gov.au
** Death registration within 14 days (a funeral director will usually do this)
Register the death with the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages
13 QGOV (137 468)
Department of Veterans’ Aairs
Notify
1800 555 254
dva.gov.au
Foreign pension authority and/or embassy/consulate
Notify
Insurance providers (e.g. health, property, car, life, funeral, boat)
Claim as documented in the will / cancel
Medicare
Notify (will be shared with Centrelink and Child Support)
132 011
servicesaustralia.gov.au
Professional services (e.g. solicitor, accountant, nancial advisor)
Notify
** Queensland Carer Business Discount Card
Cancel
13 QGOV (137 468)
** Queensland Health Patient Travel Subsidy Scheme (for return transport if
a person has died in a hospital away from their home)
Apply *
health.qld.gov.au/ptss
** Queensland Seniors Card
Cancel
13 QGOV (137 468)
Superannuation fund
Claim as documented in the will / close
** The Public Trustee of Queensland
Notify
1300 360 044
pt.qld.gov.au
PERSON/ORGANISATION TO BE CONTACTED TASKS (if relevant) CONTACT DETAILS
Employment
and education
Australian Business Registration (ABN)
Cancel
139 226
abr.gov.au
Education providers (e.g. child care, school, TAFE, university)
Notify
Inform child/ren may be absent
Employer/s
Notify
Professional aliations (e.g. associations, union)
Notify
Utilities
and mail
Australian Bereavement Register
Stop unwanted direct mail
1300 887 914
tabr.com.au/register
Australia Post
Re-direct mail / cancel PO Box
13 POST (137 678)
Telecommunications and network providers (e.g. mobile, landline, internet)
Close / transfer accounts
Utilities providers (e.g. electricity, gas)
Close / transfer accounts
Transport
** Department of Transport and Main Roads
Cancel / transfer vehicle registrations
Cancel driver’s licence
Cancel disability parking permit
132 380
Health
services
GP and hospital
Notify / cancel appointments
Health services (e.g. dentist, optometrist, psychologist)
Notify / cancel appointments
My Aged Care
Notify
1800 200 422
myagedcare.gov.au
Lifestyle and
personal
Community groups / clubs / memberships (e.g. library, RSL, sports clubs, gambling)
Cancel
** Livestock brands or earmarks
Transfer / cancel
132 523
Pet care
Notify vet / animal kennel
Cancel / transfer pet registration (local council)
Social media accounts (e.g. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter)
Memorialise / close
Subscriptions to ongoing payments (e.g. Netflix, gym, loyalty programs)
Cancel / transfer
** Weapons licence
Update / surrender
(07) 3015 7777
Housing
and property
Landlord / real estate agent / tenants
Notify / end lease
Local council
Update for rates notices
** Oce of State Revenue
Claim land tax exemption
1300 300 734
** Public housing
Apply for a change of tenancy
Housing Service Centre
** Queensland Titles Registry
Update land title
Update water allocation ownership
13 QGOV (137 468)
Contact information is correct at time of publication qld.gov.au/careatendoflife
A practical guide for family and friends 11
Gather key information
There can be a lot of things to do aer someone passes away.
The Tasks and contact list may help you keep track of who to contact.
Getting important information and paperwork together can help make these tasks easier.
Information could include:
• the person’s full legal name (birth name or legal name at the time of death;
avoid using nicknames)
• last residential address
• the original or certied copies of their driver’s licence and passport
• any names previously used, including maiden surname
• their Medicare number, Tax File Number and Centrelink Customer Reference Number
(if relevant)
• the person’s date and place of birth (town and state if born in Australia and country
if born overseas) and date of arrival in Australia if born overseas
• marriage and/or divorce certicates, or date of marriage/civil partnership if
certicate not available
• name, occupation and birth date of the surviving spouse
• nancial information, including loan details, house title/lease documents,
superannuation and insurance
• any pre-planned funeral paperwork.
Section 3
What you can do next
This might feel intrusive or upsetting, but it is important to do.
When giving information, you can ask why it is needed and
how it will be used.
Wills and estates
Some people have a will* and others die
without one. A will needs to be written
before a person’s death.
If the person who died has a will, the
executor* of their estate* needs to be
informed. If there is uncertainty about
the will’s validity, or other support is
required, you may choose to seek:
• independent legal advice
• advice from the Public Trustee
of Queensland
• probate* from the Supreme Court
of Queensland
If a will is unavailable, letters of
administration* will be required to
manage the estate.
See Definitions, page 22 if you need more
information about terms marked with *.
Arranging a funeral
or memorial service
The way we acknowledge the death of
a person can look dierent between
cultures and families.
A funeral is usually held at a funeral
home, cemetery, crematorium, church
or place of worship. Funerals involve the
burial or cremation of the body of the
person that has died.
A memorial service can be held anywhere
(oen in someone’s home). Memorial
services do not involve burial or
cremation. They are usually organised by
the closest relative. If there is any dispute
over who is organising the service, seek
legal advice.
If you have chosen to appoint a funeral
director, they will usually organise:
• transport, care and viewing of the
deceased person
• the service, including the cremation
or burial, in consultation with faith
group leaders
• returning the deceased’s remains to
either home, interstate or overseas
• registration with the Registry of Births,
Deaths and Marriages
Funerals and wills can
be the source of conflict
in families due to
dierences in opinions
and beliefs, and complex
family relationships.
Keep communication open
and get help if required.
A practical guide for family and friends 13
• certied copies of the death certificate
to be posted to the authorised person
(family/friend/solicitor). It may take up
to 4-6 weeks to receive the ocial copy.
The funeral director may ask you about:
• date, time and venue of the service
and what to do with the ashes or place
of burial
• music, decorations, flowers or symbols
of the person’s life
• cultural or religious customs
and practices
• the eulogy (see Definitions, page 22)
• if you would like a member of the
clergy to give a graveside service
(fee may be payable)
• content for funeral announcement
or death notice in the newspaper
(fee may be payable).
You can get more information
about arranging a funeral from
your local council.
Paying for a funeral
Funerals in Queensland can vary
signicantly in cost. The price you pay
depends on the cost of your funeral
director and the type of service. If you
have any concerns about cost, ask your
funeral director for a quote that breaks
down each item cost.
The cheapest option is a cremation
without an ocial service. This is
sometimes called direct or unattended
cremation. Unattended burials may also
be available.
Funeral costs may be covered by:
• pre-paid funeral plan/bonds taken out
by the person who has died
• funeral insurance or a savings account
for their funeral
• family and friends
• the person’s estate – the bank may pay
a funeral account, if there are available
funds in the person’s bank account
• the person’s superannuation fund –
this can take time and will be executed
through their will
• Department of Veterans’ Aairs, or
their trade union
• funeral assistance (see below).
Funeral assistance
The Queensland Government may
organise a simple burial or cremation
of a person whose assets cannot cover
the cost of their funeral, and whose
relatives/friends cannot pay for their
funeral. Applications can be made at your
local Magistrates Court (eligibility criteria
applies) (see Support Services, page 20).
When someone dies14
If you need other nancial assistance,
contact Services Australia (eligibility
criteria applies).
Notify agencies and cancel
or transfer services
Once you have the death certificate
you can start notifying agencies and
organisations. The processing time for
the death certificate varies and this may
take several weeks. You may need to give
information about the person such as:
• personal details
• proof of your identify and relationship
to the person
• certied copy of the death certificate
(see Definitions, page 22). It’s a good
idea to get several copies certied at
the same time.
This booklet contains a checklist of tasks
to carry out and people/organisations
to contact (see Tasks and contact list).
Some things will not be relevant to you
or the person’s circumstances. Check
each section to see if it is information
you want or need.
Notifying Centrelink
If the person who died was receiving a
payment from Centrelink, it is important
to notify Centrelink as soon as possible
so the estate is not overpaid, requiring
a repayment. For members of a couple, a
bereavement allowance may be available.
Notifying the bank
Financial institutions have dierent
processes for managing a deceased estate.
a) Sole account – Aer you call, the bank
will freeze the person’s bank accounts.
Banks will generally pay funeral
expenses from the person’s account
when given an original tax invoice
from a funeral director. You will need
to ensure all direct debits have been
stopped to avoid dishonour fees.
b) Joint account – Transactions from joint
accounts should continue as normal.
Joint bank accounts may be transferred
into the name of the remaining joint
account holder.
A practical guide for family and friends 15
Understanding grief
Grief aects our thoughts and feelings, how we
do things and our relationships with others. It can
also have a physical impact. It’s important to know
that grief is normal, and it aects people in dierent
ways including:
• crying and sadness (or a reluctance to cry)
• anger and irritability
• regret
• feeling numb
• diculty sleeping and having nightmares
• changes to appetite
• diculty concentrating and making decisions
• feeling tense, sick and diculty breathing
• losing interest in family, friends and hobbies
• disorientation and confusion
• nausea and headaches.
Section 4
Caring for yourself
andothers
When someone dies16
There are lots of other reactions to
grief. If the person has been in extreme
suering it is common and natural to even
feel a sense of relief that their pain has
ended. You might not experience all of
these feelings, but if you do, they will not
necessarily come in any particular order.
Your grief is like your ngerprint. It is
unique and personal to you.
Grief has no timeline
The amount of time spent grieving is
dierent for everyone, and that’s okay.
Grief may be felt over a long period
of time, even for many years. At rst,
people oen feel grief more strongly.
As time passes, we learn to include
grief into our lives. Sometimes, aer a
period of feeling good, we nd ourselves
feeling sadness, despair or anger. This
is a natural response of grief and it may
happen repeatedly.
Taking care
It’s important to remember that everyone
grieves in their own way, and may go
about caring for themselves in dierent
ways as well.
There are many ways to care for yourself
and others while you grieve:
• get enough sleep – people oen
have trouble sleeping during times
of grief. If you nd it hard to sleep
on a regular basis, speak to your
nurse or doctor
• eat a healthy diet and do exercise
• talk to your employer about what
support might be available, such as
compassionate leave and flexibility
to return to work when you are ready
• delay making big decisions
• create a memorial or do something
to honour the person who has died
• do something for yourself every day,
and do your usual activities as much
as you can
• keep in contact with friends
• practice your own spirituality, culture
or religion – this might be meditation,
yoga, prayer or talking with your
chaplain or faith leader.
Your grief is like your
fingerprint. It is unique
and personal to you.
A practical guide for family and friends 17
You may be able to talk about your
emotions and nd comfort with the
help of family and friends, or you may
need some extra help. There are many
organisations that can help you. A list of
support services is provided on page 18
of this book. Don’t be afraid to reach out.
Feelings of grief may be overwhelming
over a long period of time and impact on
things you need, want and enjoy.
If this happens to you and these feelings
continue, you may want to talk to your
general practitioner (see Support
services, page 18).
Talking to children about
death and dying
Children will feel, understand and talk
about grief and loss in dierent ways.
This is because of their age, personality,
family culture, understanding of death
and past experiences of loss. Take
the time to talk and listen to children
before and aer someone has died.
Answer their questions about death in
an honest and consistent way. For more
information, visit the Australian Centre
for Grief and Bereavement – children
and grief handouts website: grief.org.au.
When someone dies18
Care at end of life
Care at End of Life
qld.gov.au/careatendoflife
Queensland Health information about
care at the end of life.
Caresearch
caresearch.com.au | 08 7221 8233
Information and resources about living
with or caring for someone with a serious
illness, preparing for the end of life,
and how to manage bereavement,
grief and loss.
DonateLife Network resources
donatelife.gov.au | 07 3176 2350
Information about organ and
tissue donation.
Managing aairs aer a death
qld.gov.au/manageaairsafterdeath
13 74 68 | Queensland Government
service to create a customised checklist
and nd specic information about tasks
to complete aer a death.
My Care, My Choices
mycaremychoices.com.au | 1300 007 227
Queensland Health information about
advance care planning.
Section 5
Support services contact list
Palliative Care Australia
palliativecare.org.au | 02 6232 0700
Palliative care resources for people
living with a terminal condition and
their carers, family and community.
13 HEALTH
13 43 25 84 | 24-hour phone service
providing health advice.
Counselling and grief support
Australian Centre for Grief
and Bereavement
grief.org.au | 03 9265 2100
Information for adults and children
experiencing grief, including the
MyGrief App.
Beyond Blue
beyondblue.org.au | 1300 224 363
24-hour telephone counselling service.
Online and email counselling available
seven days a week.
Canteen
canteen.org.au | 1800 835 932
Support service for people aged 12-25
living with cancer, including patients
and their siblings, and young people
with parents or carers with cancer.
If you need an interpreter, call the Translating and Interpreting Service on 131 450.
A practical guide for family and friends
Grief Line
griefline.org.au | 1300 845 745
7-day telephone counselling service
for people experiencing grief.
GriefLink
grieflink.org.au | Resources for the
bereaved and grieving, their carers,
friends and colleagues, and for health
and welfare workers.
Kids Helpline
kidshelpline.com.au | 1800 55 1800
Telephone and online counselling
service and crisis support for young
people aged 5–25.
Lifeline
lifeline.org.au | 13 11 14
24-hour telephone and online
counselling service.
MensLine Australia
mensline.org.au | 1300 78 99 78
Telephone and online support and
referral service for men with family
and relationship concerns.
National Carer Counselling Program
carersqld.asn.au | 1800 242 636
Short-term counselling for carers.
Parentline
parentline.com.au | 1300 30 1300
7-day telephone counselling and
support service for parents and carers
of children.
ReachOut Australia
au.reachout.com | Support, tools and
tips for young people and their parents.
Relationships Australia
relationships.org.au | 1300 364 277
Relationship support services
and counselling.
Suicide Call Back Services
suicidecallbackservice.org.au
1300 659 467 | 24-hour telephone and
online counselling for people aected
by suicide.
The Compassionate Friends
compassionatefriendsqld.org.au
1300 064 068 | 24-hour helpline
and support groups for parents,
grandparents and siblings who have
experienced the death of a child.
Your general practitioner
To nd a general practitioner in
Queensland go to qld.gov.au/health/
contacts/service-finder.
19
When someone dies20
Financial assistance
Centrelink
servicesaustralia.gov.au | 13 27 17
Information on eligibility and how to
apply for Australian Government support.
Financial Counselling Australia
financialcounsellingaustralia.org.au
1800 007 007 | Information about
nancial counselling and help to nd
a qualied counsellor.
The Public Trustee Queensland
pt.qld.gov.au | 1300 360 044
Statutory authority that provides support
including will-making, enduring powers of
attorney, and managing deceased estates.
Funerals
Australian Funeral Directors Association
afda.org.au | 03 9859 9966
Funeral planning information and a
directory to nd a funeral director.
Australian Securities and
Investment Commission
moneysmart.gov.au/
paying-for-your-funeral
Information about paying for a funeral.
Funeral assistance
courts.qld.gov.au/courts/
coroners-court/funeral-assistance
Information on eligibility and how
to apply or funeral assistance.
Legal and advocacy matters
Community Legal Centres Queensland
communitylegalqld.org.au
07 3392 0092 | Legal centres providing
free information, legal assistance,
education and advocacy for vulnerable
clients and communities facing
legal problems.
Legal Aid Queensland
legalaid.qld.gov.au | 1300 65 11 88
Legal help for nancially
disadvantaged people.
Multicultural Australia
multiculturalaustralia.org.au
07 3337 5400 | Support for new
Queenslanders including refugees,
migrants, international students
and people seeking asylum.
Queensland Law Society
qls.com.au | 1300 367 757
Legal resources and a directory
to nd a solicitor.
Victims Assist Queensland
qld.gov.au/law/crime-and-police/
victims-and-witnesses-of-crime
1300 546 587 | Business hours phone
service for information and advice
about support services, victims’ rights,
and nancial assistance.
Contact information is correct
at time of publication
A practical guide for family and friends 21
Notes
When someone dies22
Advance care planning – involves thinking
and making choices now to guide your
future health care. It is also a process
of communicating your wishes.
You can do this by having a conversation
with those close to you and writing down
your preferences (see Support Services,
page 18).
Autopsy or post-mortem – an examination
of the bodyconducted by a pathologist.
Cause of death certicate – a legal
document completed by a doctor that
certies the manner and cause of death.
This is dierent to the death certicate.
Certied copy – a copy of an original
document that has been veried as a true
copy by an authorised person, for example
a Justice of the Peace or a Commissioner
of Declarations.
Coroner – an ocial person who is
responsible for investigating the deaths
of people who have died in a sudden,
violent, or unusual way.
Section 6
Definitions
Death certicate – the ocial registration
of the death. The funeral director will
usually assist with this, or you can contact
the Queensland Registry of Births, Deaths
and Marriages.
Enduring Power of Attorney – a legal
document that gives another person/
people the authority to make personal
and/or nancial decisions on your behalf.
For personal and health matters, your
attorney’s power begins only if and
when you lose capacity to make those
decisions. For nancial matters, your
attorney’s power begins whenever you
want it to and you nominate the start
date. You can still continue to make any
of your own decisions while you are
capable of doing so.
Estate – the property and assets (such as
vehicles, investments and bank accounts)
owned by a person at the time of death.
Eulogy – a speech or piece of writing given
at a funeral to remember the life of the
person who died.
Executor – if you are named as executor
in someone’s will, you are responsible
for carrying out the terms of the will when
they die.
A practical guide for family and friends 23
Funeral director – arranges for care of the
person who has died, oers guidance/
support to the family, makes arrangements
for the funeral service, and provides
professional advice.
Intestate – if a person dies without a valid
will, there is no executor and therefore
they have died intestate (see Public
Trustee Queensland and Queensland
Courts for further information).
Letters of administration – the next
of kin, such as a spouse, takes on the
role of administrating the person’s
estate if they die intestate. Letters of
administration show that the court has
examined the relevant documents and
is satised that the person named in
the grant is authorised to administer
the estate. Contact Queensland
Courts for further information.
Mortuary – a room or health facility used
for storage of a person who has died
prior to autopsy, burial or cremation.
Some (not not all) mortuaries will include
a viewing area.
Natural death – a death caused by
a disease’s natural progression
and not due to external causes such
as accidents, injury, homicide,
or uncertain circumstances.
Palliative care – healthcare that focuses
on improving quality of life for people of
any age living with a life-limiting illness.
It includes responding to physical,
psychological, emotional, social, cultural
and spiritual needs. It does not aim to
slow down or speed up the dying process.
Probate – the Supreme Court of
Queensland’s ocial recognition of a will
as legally valid. Probate is oen needed
before the executor of a deceased estate
can take control of the estate’s assets
(administer the estate).
Public Trustee of Queensland – oers a free
will-making service and can give general
information on wills and estates, and the
administration of deceased estates.
Unnatural death – a death caused by
accident, injury or homicide rather than
a disease’s natural progression.
Will – a legal document that states what
a person would like to happen to their
money, belongings and other assets
when they die; names who they want to
give their estate to (beneciaries); and
who they would like to administer their
estate when they die (executor).
The amount of time
spent grieving is
dierent for everyone,
and that’s okay.
qld.gov.au/careatendoflife
