M ost people are unaware of the steps to take when a death occurs. We at Belmont Funeral Home of Chicago want you to be as informed as possible, so we have generated a list of possible situations below. It is our job to help you with this process, and we hope that we are able to answer some of your questions.

The necessary steps required after a death occurs usually depend on the location and circumstances. It is important that you understand what your options are, and we want to ensure that you have the necessary information required to make these important decisions.

Unanticipated death at home or elsewhere - In such situations, you should immediately contact 911; police and emergency medical personnel then determine the appropriate steps to take. Generally, the authorities release the remains directly to our home, so that preparations for any services may begin. In some situations, however, the remains may need to be transported to the Medical Examiner's office. This generally occurs when the cause of death may not yet be known.
If death occurs in an Institution or Facility - Should the death occur at a hospital or care home (nursing or convalescent), the medical staff should handle all necessary legal steps. You simply need to inform the staff that Belmont Funeral Home is handling arrangements, and we will ensure that you have all of the necessary paperwork.
Anticipated death at home - Today, more people with terminal illnesses are electing to remain at home under the care of Hospice in the final stages of their illness. In this situation, you should inform Hospice that Belmont Funeral Home is the funeral home of your choice. Hospice will then handle the necessary legal requirements. Often, when someone is faced with a terminal illness, the family will decide to make arrangements in advance - saving them the time and emotional decisions needed at the time of death.
Death out-of-state - If the death occurs out of state, you should call Belmont Funeral Home at (773) 286-2500. We can then coordinate the transfer with a local funeral director at the place of death. Because we are members of several national organizations, we can often save families money by making all necessary arrangements.

This is a basic explanation of your options in certain circumstances. If you would like further information, please feel free to call us at (773) 286-2500, or you may reach us via email at info@belmontfuneralhome.com. We are here to help and to serve you, and we will be happy to answer any questions that you might have.