Once the death is verified, in your own time and with the support of the health care team, you can contact your nominated funeral provider for transfer arrangements. Remember you don’t need to rush to do this.
Making funeral arrangements can feel overwhelming, but taking the time to make informed decisions ensures the process aligns with your emotional, spiritual, and financial needs. Arrangements should honour any specific requests of the person whose life is being celebrated and reflect their values, personality, life experiences and achievements. Your needs and your family’s needs should also be considered when making arrangements. Remember also there is no legal obligation that you use a funeral provider, families can arrange funerals themselves.
Steps in arranging a funeral and finding a funeral provider.
Step 1: Cremation or burial?
If choosing cremation, there are options to consider:
- Direct cremation – This includes no service and no attendance. This is the most cost-effective option.
- Funeral followed by cremation – A service with the coffin present, with the option to attend the cremation.
- Memorial after direct cremation – A gathering with the ashes, organised independently or through a funeral provider.
When determining what to do with the person’s ashes, the following options are for consideration:
- Interment: Cemeteries offer spaces for ashes. Contact your chosen cemetery for options and costs (both plot and plaque fees apply).
- Scattering: Allowed on public property without permission however private property requires consent.
- Travel: If flying with ashes, obtain a travel letter from your funeral provider.
- Creative uses: Options include incorporating ashes into jewellery, glassware, fireworks, pottery, or even sending them to space.
If choosing burial, the options to consider include:
- Direct burial: No service, family may or may not attend the graveside.
- Funeral followed by burial: Service with the coffin present, followed by burial.
- Wake: A gathering post-burial, which can be arranged independently or with a funeral provider.
Select a suitable cemetery and contact them for a walkthrough to choose a plot. There are headstone plots (more expensive) and plaque plots.
Step 2: Viewing your person after death
Consider whether a home vigil (bringing your person home) or a viewing (spending time with them in another location) is important to you or your family. If it is important, consider if this can take place where the death occurred. Some hospitals, hospices, and nursing homes offer viewing spaces. Questions to ask the healthcare staff:
- Is my person still on the ward or in the mortuary?
- Is there a room in the mortuary for viewing?
- Who is the best contact person at the hospital?
- What should I be aware of before the viewing?
If a viewing cannot take place at the facility, or you wish for a home vigil, arrange it through your funeral provider.
Step 3: Choosing a funeral provider
Now that you know the type of service you need, find the right funeral provider. Some tips for finding a provider:
- Ask friends and family for recommendations.
- Consult your healthcare team for a list of local providers.
- Search online, but keep in mind that top search results are often paid advertisements. Consider factors like are they family-owned, are they Australian-owned, or do their services reflect specific values that matter to you.
- Call at least three providers to compare services and pricing.
- Prepare a list of questions before making calls and take notes on their responses.
- If needed, a trusted family member or friend can assist with these calls.
Important questions to ask:
- What services are included? Are there any additional fees?
- Does this quote include the registration of death?
- Are there after-hours transfer fees?
- What are the options and costs for coffins?
- What are the additional fees for:
- Viewing
- Dressing
- Attended cremation
- Ashes delivery
- What venues are available?
- Is live streaming included?
- Can we create our own order of service/slideshow?
- Can we bring our own flowers?
- Can we handle our own catering?
- What is the professional service fee?
Questions about home vigil:
- How much does it cost to bring my person home?
- What do I need to arrange this?
- How long can they remain at home?
- What should I be aware of beforehand?
Questions about viewing:
- What is the cost?
- Where can the viewing take place?
- Can I bring clothes for dressing?
- Can I assist in dressing?
- How many people can attend?
- How much time do we have?
- What should I know beforehand?
Making funeral arrangements is often done during times of great stress and the many decisions you must make can feel overwhelming. Caresearch has developed a helpful guide with the above questions and others, along with space to write down your thoughts, notes, and questions. A good funeral provider will ask about your needs and should provide a transparent quote via phone or email.
List of funeral directors
There are several local funeral providers within the Metro North region that can support you through this process. This list is alphabetical, and suburb based to assist you to find providers closest to you. This list has been compiled with the support of the Brisbane North Primary Healthcare Network.
You can also visit the Australian Funeral Directors Association, established to enhance and promote professional funeral standards. Their website allows you to search for a funeral director; offers practical tips on arranging a funeral and links to other helpful resources.
Financial assistance for funerals
When you can’t afford a funeral for a friend or relative who has died in Queensland, and their assets will not cover their funeral costs, you may be able to get funeral assistance.