The simple answer in Queensland is no. We have covered this in another post, but it keeps popping up with misinformation around the subject. Obviously you need to do the right thing in your state or territory, however, in Queensland we the people can take charge of just about everything.
Let’s get the violent and otherwise unnatural deaths out of the way first. Yes, if we are talking about a suspicious death, an accident, even a heart attack… the ambulance is usually the first call and with that will come the police, followed by the coroner. You just have to make that one call and it will snowball from there. If the death was something like a heart attack, the coroner may be satisfied and your next step would be the funeral director… but wait. You don’t need to call them right now if you don’t want to. You are within your rights to keep your person at home and with the help of a cooling plate (see below) and some air con, that could be days if you wish.
If the death was expected (receiving palliative care etc…) then you can wait till morning. There is no need to get your doctor out in the middle of the night to write a Cause of Death. In all likelihood, you know what the cause was and the form will simply be a formality. Take this quiet time to just be with your person. In the morning, call your persons usual / palliative doctor and inform them. Again, if you would like to keep your person at home then you can utilise a cooling plate and air con to do so for 1, 2 even 3 days.
So, what is a cooling plate? Simply put, it is a super chilled (-25 c) board that can be placed under your person to maintain low body temperature so that you do not need to use a mortuary. It might not be for everyone, but it has been done for decades in the Netherlands and for many years here by smaller funeral services and end of life doulas.
Rest can bring a cooling plate (and portable AC if required) to the home and setup what is generally referred to as a vigil space. This can be as simple as the cooling plate setup on the bed of your person, or a portable table or more elaborate with scented oils, candles and washing station. Allowing them to rest in their own home (or room if at an aged care facility) so that loved ones can have this very special and limited time in a more comfortable environment can bring so much comfort to the family at a time of profound loss.
If you are planning to DIY a funeral, we can guide you in the steps that lay ahead of you from here, or assist in the areas you are not comfortable or capable. The most important advice we can give is to be prepared. If you want don’t want to be whisked away by a funeral director and would prefer to remain at home with a cooling plate, say so now. If you would prefer a Daisybox that your family can decorate, say so now. If you would prefer a small intimate ceremony under a tree at home, say so now. Have the conversation and work it out with your family now. It’s almost a case of if you can think, you can do it in Queensland so get in touch with us and have a chat about what you want.
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