Regardless of the cause, a loved one’s death is always difficult to manage, especially if the brunt of the funeral planning falls to you. Along with handling the arrangements, this includes notifying your family and friends. Although it’s difficult to talk about death with other people, taking the time to prepare will help; having a guideline gives you something to lean on if the situation becomes overwhelming. As you work on what to say, consider the following.

Advice for Notifying Family & Friends of a Death

Context & Content

Generally speaking, notifying people in-person is best, but sometimes, a phone call will suffice. For example, if a family member lives far away, calling will be the only option. As for the content, the message should be tailored to the person to whom you’re speaking. Use your discretion on how many details they should know about the death. The closer the recipient was to the deceased, the more information you can disclose, but ultimately, it’s up to you.

Delegate

If the deceased had a large family or friend group, you might want to set up a phone tree; this involves gathering a list of everyone who must be contacted and dividing the task among those you trust. For example, if 15 people must be notified, you can split this up between two additional people; each of you will be responsible for calling five people, give or take. Because death is a delicate matter, you can be discerning about assigning this duty.

Plan for Self-Care

A significant benefit of using a phone tree is that it gives you more breathing room and time for self-care. Even if you don’t use it, you need to tend to yourself during the process. Remember, you don’t need to contact everyone in one day. If you do, you may end up feeling angry or frustrated at the people with whom you’re communicating. Schedule some time for yourself, and don’t hesitate to contact a professional grief counselor or therapist if the stress becomes too much.

Public Announcements Should Be Last

Finally, while an obituary has the most extensive reach, don't publish it until close family members and friends have been informed. The same goes for social media announcements. Because of their public nature, it’s discourteous to have news of the death out there for strangers to see before letting close friends and family know. If you’ve set up a phone tree, do your best to follow up and confirm that everyone has been notified.

If you’ve recently experienced a loss, it’s important to choose a compassionate funeral home to assist with the planning. In the Greater Cincinnati, OH, area, Mihovk-Rosenacker Funeral Home has served the community for more than 100 years. Their attentive team will walk you through everything you need to do after the death of your loved one. If you have any questions, call (513) 385-0511 or send a message through their website.