-
Practice Tip Sheets for Careworkers Advance Care Planning Advanced Dementia Advanced Dementia Behavioural Changes After Death Choices Aged Care Access and Assessment Anxiety Cachexia Sarcopenia and Anorexia Case Conferences Complementary Therapies Constipation Continuity of Care Culturally Responsive Care Communication Distress at the End of Life Dysphagia Dyspnoea End of Life Care Pathways Eye Care Faecal Incontinence First Australians Communication Frailty Grief and Loss among Older People Families and Residents Grief and Loss among Staff Myths about Morphine Nutrition and Hydration Opioid Analgesics Oral Care Pain Management Palliative Care People with Intellectual Disability Communication People with Specific Needs Person Centred Care Psychosocial Assessment and Support Quality of Life Recognising Deterioration Respiratory Secretions Self Care Signs of Imminent Death Skin and Wound Care Spiritual Care Supporting Families Talking about Dying Talking within the Aged Care Team Next Steps for Careworkers
Tips for Nurses:
After-Death Choices
What it is: Planning and managing what happens after the death of an older person.
Why it matters: The person may have expressed their wishes in an advance care directive (ACD). Some decisions may also need to be taken by members of the family. Planning can help with a healthy grieving process and nurses can refer to the person’s ACD in support of this.
What I need to know: Before a body can be moved the death must be verified. Once the death has been verified, a funeral company can take the body into their care. Consider any cultural practices that may be important to the person and their family.
There may be requirements for reporting a death to the coroner. Relevant legal requirements are not the same across Australia. It is important to know what is required in your state/territory.
All relevant people need to be advised about the death and consulted as to actions following the death.
Income support may be available to spouses or carers through the Pension Bonus Bereavement payment. See Services Australia.
Some people may decide to donate their body or brain to medical science or research. Written consent is needed from the person before their death. This may appear in the person’s ACD. If not, the family may need to decide and provide written consent.
A body donation may be refused if:
- the person had a certain infectious illness
- it is not feasible or possible to transport the body within 24 hours
- the donation facility is full
- the person was very thin and weak.
It is important that the doctor is aware of a person’s intention to be a donor. Contact the university, research or pathology service without delay regarding body or brain donation.
Actions
Include in the care plan details of actions that care staff will need to take at time of death including contact details for donor organisations (if relevant).
The RN needs to ensure that all relevant people (including GPs, home/community nurses and services) have been consulted and all special needs at the time of death have been attended to.
The body of the client or resident needs to be verified as dead by an authorised person, and a certificate signed to officially confirm the death.
You can use the Residential Aged Care End of Life Care Pathway (RAC EoLCP) for residents to guide care delivery.
Be aware of possible needs including religious and cultural practices following death, and time needed for the family to be with the deceased.
It is important that any medicines are disposed of safely, often returned to a pharmacy.
Family members may:
- need time to accept the death
- need time to travel to the site of death
- want to sit with the deceased person
- want to respect certain traditions
- need help to cancel any health appointments or arrangements.
It is important to have a plan in place, because if an authorised person is not available to verify a death, then the police need to be called and the coroner involved.
My reflections:
Does my organisation have a clear policy on procedures following the death of a client or resident?
Does my organisation have post-death rituals or memorial practices?
How can I recognise if a death of a client or resident has significantly affected a member(s) of my team?
See related palliAGED Practice Tip Sheets:
CareSearch is funded by the Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing.
Updated May 2025
Page updated 23 July 2026
- Supporting Services
- palliAGED Products
- Practice Tip Sheets for Nurses
- After Death Choices