When Someone Dies At Home What Do You Do

"Where do you want to die?" According to a Washington Post article, when asked, the vast majority of Americans answer with two words: "At home." Unfortunately, most often that is not the case. For example, 70 percent of individuals surveyed said they wished to die at home, yet 68 percent do not.

WHEN SOMEONE DIES SUDDENLY

If someone dies at home unexpectedly and they are alone, it is called an unattended death or undiscovered death. Body decomposition begins as soon as the person dies so it is vital to be aware of the possible heath hazards that come with finding a dead body in a residence. 

Bodies that aren't discovered right away can quickly decompose, especially in the warmer and humid months, causing body fluid splillage that can carry bloodborne pathogens and other harmful diseases, such as MRSA, HIV, Hepatitis B and C,. Even is the person is not knowingly infected, they could still be a disease carrier and unaware of it, so treating the scene as a biohazard is of utmost importance. 

• Call the police. First responders will photograph the scene and properly take the body away. This is the first step.
• Leave the residence. Do not attempt to clean the scene by yourself. No matter the cause, natural, suicide or homicidal foul play, chances are there are grisly reminders of the traumatic event that must be disposed of and cleaned.
• Call Bio-One. Fire departments or police do not clean trauma scenes. Once they leave, that is where Bio-One steps in to assist. Bio-One provides compassionate, discreet, professional, on-call biohazard and trauma cleanup. We use proper personal protective gear, approved OSHA-approved methods and hospital-grade cleaners to eliminate any harmful pathogens and diseases.

As owner, Jason will work with you to determine whether insurance is available and will speak with your insurance company to open a claim. This allows you to focus on notifying family and friends.

In the days and months ahead, other small and large matters will need to be taken care of including:

• Making funeral arrangements
• Obtaining a death certificate and making copies
• Contacting Social Security and any other agencies to have benefits stopped
• Closing bank accounts and credit cards
• Finding life insurance policies
• Stopping utilities and stopping or forwarding mail
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All these tasks may see overwhelming but you don't have to go through this alone. Bio-One has been providing biohazard and trauma cleanup services since 2011. Our motto of Help First, Business Second, means our focus is on the road to recovery for grieving families and communities. 

We are local, When you call, day or night, you will speak directly with an owner - no call center or answering machine. We offer immediate, on-call services and will be onsite within hours of your call. 919.800.9435