What to Do When Someone Dies in a Hospital, Hospice Facility, or Nursing Home

When a death happens in a hospital, hospice facility, or nursing home, medical staff handle the immediate clinical steps — your main job is deciding what happens next.

What the facility handles

• Pronouncing the death, whether or not family is present at the moment
• Moving the body to the facility’s morgue or a similar holding area temporarily
• Notifying you, if you weren’t already there

What the family needs to decide

The main decision in the first few hours is which funeral home should take over from here. Facility staff can typically:

• Provide a list of local funeral homes if you don’t already have one in mind
• Contact the funeral home on your behalf once you’ve chosen
• Tell you the specific timeframe you have to make this decision — often within 24 to 48 hours, though this varies by facility

Personal belongings

Facilities will have their own process for returning a loved one’s personal belongings — ask staff what to expect and when, rather than assuming you need to handle this immediately.

If your loved one was on hospice within the facility

The process is largely the same — hospice staff at the facility can pronounce the death and help you take the next steps, including contacting a funeral home.

Next steps

Once a funeral home is involved, they’ll guide you through arrangements. See our guides on choosing a funeral home and getting death certificates for what typically comes next.

Specific timelines and procedures vary by facility — ask staff directly about what applies in your situation.