Funeral help and advice

With many years in the industry, Mareena Purslowe Funerals, and our female funeral directors, have earned a reputation for providing a personalised and professional funeral service unmatched by other suppliers. We take pride in supporting men, women and children from all religious and cultural backgrounds throughout Western Australia.

Our diverse team of women come from various backgrounds and their commitment to providing genuine compassion, care and understanding is why families choose us to help celebrate the life of their loved ones. We adopt a softer approach when it comes to funeral services and offer a nurturing environment where families can be supported and cared for by our dedicated team.

About our funeral services

In the below section, we offer guidance for frequent queries and concerns surrounding funerals. This includes information on:

• What to expect in the lead up to the funeral and during the proceedings
• The first meeting with one of our funeral directors
• The information required to make the funeral arrangements
• What you need for a death certificate
• Resources for coping with grief
• Tips on writing a eulogy

What comes first

If the unthinkable happens and someone you know has passed, the first thing you should do is give yourself time to process this fact and let your emotions settle. Once you’re feeling up to it, you’ll want to call the relevant people to let them know what’s happened.

Next, you should contact your doctor to confirm time of death. If the death has occurred in a nursing home or hospital, then this should be handled by the staff. If your loved one wished to donate their organs, then you’ll also need to contact the relevant hospital to inform them as soon as possible.

Calling a close friend, family member or partner to be with you during this emotional stage will help you during this time. Make sure you also give yourself ample time to process your emotions and grief. 

Lastly, you will have to call a funeral service to transfer the deceased into their care. Please call us on (08) 9388 1623 if you need our help for this stage we are available 24/7.
 

What to do if your loved one dies at a nursing home

If you’re not present at the time of death, the nursing home or private hospital staff will usually contact the next of kin straight away. In some cases, it’s normal for a funeral home to be nominated in advance and they will be contacted at the time of death to organise the transfer of the deceased into their care.
 

What to do if your loved one dies at a hospital

In this situation, the hospital staff will fill out most of the documentation required for the death certificate and other relevant paperwork to be issued. It falls to the family, however, to arrange the funeral service. Most hospitals have a mortuary onsite, so the deceased will be transferred from the hospital to the funeral service during weekday business hours.
 

When you need to deal with a coroner

In certain situations, your doctor may be unable to issue a medical certificate outlining the cause of the death. This means they will need to refer the death to a coroner. If you have any cultural, religious or other strong objections to a post-mortem, you should inform the coroner so they’re aware.

Reasons a death may be referred to a coroner include:

• The death was unexpected
• The cause of death is unknown
• Death occurred while under anaesthetic (or within 24 hours of anaesthetic administration)
• Death was from unnatural causes (such as an accident, violence or other unusual causes)
• The deceased had diagnosed dementia
• Death occurred when the person was in an institution (such as drug or alcohol rehabilitation centre, police custody, or prison)

What to expect from the first meeting with your funeral director

When meeting your Mareena Purslowe funeral director for the first time you can rest assured that every request or concern will be taken into account. Once the emotional shock has had time to settle, we suggest spending some time to consider what these requests might be in the lead up to your first meeting.

We recommend allowing 1-2 hours to meet and talk with one of our ladies, so you have adequate time to plan the funeral you’ve envisioned. You won’t be expected to make every single decision in this first meeting, but it’s advisable to have the basics covered, such as time, date and location. Having this information organised first is helpful for friends and family who may be anxious to know the day so they can make any travel arrangements or take time off work.

Your funeral director will then walk you through the entire process so you know the funeral will flow exactly as you requested. One of the most important elements to discuss is the ceremony. Whether a cremation or burial, this is the time where you have the most flexibility to personalise the experience by organising flowers, music, photos or videos, or a post-funeral event etc.

If spending some alone time with your loved one will help with your grieving process, we can accommodate this time for reflection the day before or just before the funeral itself. It’s entirely up to you whether you’d like this viewing to be public or private.

What to bring to your first meeting

When you meet one of our ladies, make sure to bring:

• Information for the death certificate
• Burial site reservation (if any)
• Prepaid funeral plan documents (if any)
• Clothes for the deceased to be dressed in, including the option of any make up, perfume or aftershave
• A current photo of the deceased to help with their presentation
• A supportive friend or family if you’d feel more comfortable

Once all the details have been agreed upon, we’ll present you with a fully itemised copy of the funeral proceedings, including all fees and your payment options. These costs won’t change unless you need to change any of the funeral particulars. All associated supplier fees will be paid by Mareena Purslowe Funerals, so you only need to pay the one lump sum amount – taking the stress out of what is already a challenging time.

Once you’re ready, call us on (08) 9388 1623 to come in and speak to one of our female funeral directors to help lift the burden of organising the funeral from your shoulders. Click here to read more about what to expect before, during and after a funeral service.

A comprehensive guide on what you need to know about funerals

If you are looking for further information we’ve created a free funeral guide to help answer any other questions or concerns you might have.

All You Need To Know About Funerals – Mareena Purslowe Funerals (.pdf)