Death
What to do if someone dies?
o Documents to hand over to the burial/registry office
o Whose responsibility is it to notify the
burial/registry office?
o Questions asked by the burial/registry office o Injunctions issued by the
burial/registry office o Things that need to be
done after a death has been registered
o Time limits, opening hours and on-call services
Sudden infant death
When Children die
End-of-life care and active euthanasia
Suicide
Palliative care
Death always reminds us of our own mortality. It is a frightening thought. Many people don’t want to think about death until a relative or a friend dies – by which time there is not much time to deal with things properly. The family is paralysed with grief and pain. Yet there are important decisions and actions to be taken.
What to do if someone dies
First of all, the burial/registry office of the town or village where the deceased person lived must be informed. The office will take care of all other formalities for the funeral. Please note that the deceased can be buried no earlier than 48 hours after the time of death.
If the deceased has stated any wishes regarding the funeral, they must be adhered to. Otherwise it is up to the next of kin to settle the details of the funeral. If a person wishes to deposit last wishes
done so at the burial/registry office.
Below, please find a brief summary of what you need to do at the burial/registry office if a relative has died:
If the deceased has died at home First of all, a doctor must be called, who confirms death and issuess a death certificate. After that, the body can be taken to a chapel of rest.
If the deceased has died at the hospital, at the hospice or in a nursing home The nurse informs the doctor, dresses the body and prepares him or her for the laying out. Usually, the hospital, hospice or nursing home will send the death
certificate and a written death notice to the burial/registry office. The next of kin will receive a copy of the death notice or death certificate.
In case of an accident, suicide or active euthanasia, the Police must be informed.
Documents to hand over to the burial/registry office
Death certificate issued by the hospital/hospice/nursing home
Family record book
Proof of residence (legal aliens must bring a passport or residence permit)
Whose responsibility is it to notify the burial/registry office?
• The spouse or
• children and their spouses or
• the resident next of kin or
• the person present at the time of death or
• a member of staff of the
hospital/hospice/nursing home.
Questions asked by the burial/registry office
• Should the body be buried or cremated?
• Does the family wish for a funeral service in a cemetery chapel or in a church, a brief liturgy on the
cemetery or a private funeral ritual and ceremony?
• Should the body be buried in a regular grave, an urn grave, a collective grave or a family grave?
(If a person already knows that he or she wants to be buried in a collective grave, a written
declaration must be deposited with the burial/registryoffice.)
• Who acts as representative for the heirs (contact details for the municipal authority)?
• Is a private death notice published before or after the funeral?
• Does the family wish there to be no official death notice?
• If a person has died at home, when can the body be placed in the coffin and taken to the cemetery?
Injunctions issued by the burial/registry office
• The burial/registryoffice is responsible for the body to be placed in a coffin and taken to the
cemetary, for the cremation and/or laying out in the mortuary, and for the urn to be taken to the
cemetary.
• The office also sets the date for the funeral and the service,
• and informs the family of the priest who will hold the ceremony.
• The office will further notify the priest, the cemetery gardener, the sexton and the organist.
• It will publish the official death notice in the local newspaper (after the funeral if requested).
These injunctions can vary from town to town.
Things that need to be done after the burial/registry office
• get in touch with the a religious representative, if applicable as soonas possible
• print funeral circulars and compile a list of addresses
• publish death notices in newspapers
• order a funeral meal
• inform relatives, friends, clubs and former employers of the deceased
• inform his or her insurance companies, health insurance and pension fund/AHV
• If there is a last will and testament, it must be handed over for probate to the District Court of the last
place of residence of the deceased (Art. 556 Swiss Civil Code).
Time limits, opening hours and on-call service
Every death must be reported to the burial/registry office within two days (according to Art. 81 Swiss Ordinance on Civil Status). Please check the opening hours. Usually, burial/registry offices do not have on-call service at weekends, but there may be one on bank holidays and over Christmas. Check with the local burial/registry office.
Sudden infant death
Cot death, or Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) can afflict perfectly healthy babies. In western countries, it is one of the most frequent causes of death in infancy. It occurs while the baby is sleeping and without any visible causes, predominantly within the first twelve months, and it has nothing to do with the family’s social situation. There is no way of predicting sudden infant death to date.
However, some easy preventive measures can be taken. YThey can be found on the website of the Swiss Society of Paediatrics:
• Avoid smoking and make sure the environment is smokefree, even during pregnancy. Every cigarette increases the risk of sudden infant death.
• Check the temperature in the baby’s room: 17° to 19° Celsius are ideal. The baby's bed must not be exposed todirect sunlight and not placeed next to the radiator.
• Let the baby sleep on its back or on its side. There may not be a
direct connection between sleeping on the stomach and sudden infant death. It is certain, however, that sleeping on the stomach
significantly increases the risk of sudden infant death. The baby should be laid down on its back; it won’t need a pillow, and there is no danger that it might choke on vomit. If the baby is laid on its side, the lower arm should be placed in front of the body to prevent the baby from rolling onto its stomach.
Once the baby is awake, it can be left it on its stomach or rolling about.
• Dress the baby appropriately and prevent it from overheating.
Keepits head free so that excess bodyheat can evaporate through the skull.
• Do not place pillows, duvets, muslin cloths or soft furs in the cot.
They are too warm and could block the baby’s nose and prevent it from breathing.
• Breastfeed your baby as long as possible. Mother’s milk protects it from allergies and infections, and generally has a positive effect on the baby’s health.
A doctor should be consulted in these cases:
• The baby turns blue in the face.
• The baby is sweating heavily in its sleep (when the clothes are soaking wet and have to be changed), or is unusually pale.
• The babystops breathing for over 15seconds while sleeping.
• The baby is hard to wake up.
• The baby often throws up, chokes on milk or has trouble drinking.
• The baby is feverish or won’t drink.
• The baby cries in a particularly shrill voice, and can’t be soothed Some scientists claim that cot death is caused by fungi in the baby’s mattress.
However, this theory has been proven wrong. The mattress protectors
recommended by these scientists may not be worth their price.
When children die
Imagining that children get ill and die is difficult and sad at the same time. It’s thus a topic that is not often talked about.
„ It is however a fact, that every year 500 children in Switzerland die because of a metabolic disorder or a chronic disease of the nervous- and immune system or because of cancer.
Months or even years can pass between the diagnosis and the time of death. This is an important time, which deserves the attention of the media, the public at large, the doctors as well as the affected children and their families. Only then can ways be found in mutual discussions to ensure that this final time is as nice as possible for the ill children and their loved ones”.
Institutions that help in dealing with the terminal illness or death of a child are listed at the end of this chapter.
End of life care and active euthanasia There are many books about death and dying. Elisabeth Kübler-Ross is certainly a pioneer in the field. In her many long and in-depth interviews, terminally ill patients reveal their deepest thoughts and feelings.
In the face of death, these people free themselves from guilt and fear and find optimism, trust and love instead. These conversations have become the main reference for individuals and institutions dealing with death and dying. In her books, Elisabeth Kübler-Ross lets her readers participate in her own intense emotional process.
Her ground breaking first book called
«Interviews with the dying» defines five stages that a person goes through when dying: denial, rage, negotiation,
depression and acceptance. In the following years, Kübler-Ross proved that these stages are also helpful when coming to terms with other difficult situations in life. The author offers insight and advice that help readers to find their way back to a normal life and find courage for the future.
In Switzerland, active euthanasia is legal.
A law is currently being prepared, parts of which are still debated.
Exit and Dignitas are two private
organisations that offer active euthanasia.
They lobby for a person’s right to determine the way in which he wants to die. Both organisations also offer support in drawing up a patient decree, providing legal advice and, if requested, terminal care. The Red Cross organises evening
classes and further education courses on dying and end-of-life care.
Suicide
Each death is associated with mourning.
When a loved one commits suicide many additional feelings such as guilt might be awakened, which are not as prevalent when somebody dies of natural causes. It is very important to deal with these feelings and to process them.
It is important to get the help. Contact with a counselling centre or exchange with others who have lost a loved one due to suicide may help a great deal.
Palliative Care
There are two clinics specialising in palliative care in the Basel area: «Hospiz im Park» in Arlesheim is a public clinic for palliative care, where an interdisciplinary team treats and nurses patients with degenerative terminal diseases.
«Hildegard Hospiz» in Basel is a private clinic specialising in palliative care and rehabilitation.
Death: addresses and links
Please note: Most of the described services and links are in German. If a service is explicitly offered in English this is marked by a *
Switzerland Aargau Basel-Landschaft Basel-Stadt Solothurn
What to do if someone dies?
Abteilung Register und Personenstand des Department Volkswirtschaft und Inneres informs about what to do if someone dies https://www.ag.ch/de/dvi/perso enliches_zivilstandswesen/zivil standsfragen/todesfall/todesfall _1.jsp
In the Canton of Aargau splitting up the inheritance is the responsibility of the heirs.
The Zivilstandesamt Basel- Landschaft informs about what to do when someone dies https://www.baselland.ch/Zivils tandswesen-Infos-zu-
Todesfaellen.273548.0.html
Erbschaftsamt Baselland https://www.baselland.ch/Erbs chaften.273499.0.html
The Bestattungswesen der Stadtgärtnerei Basel-Stadt informs about what to do when someone dies
http://www.stadtgaertnerei.bs.c h/bestattungswesen/anmeldun g-todesfaelle.html
Erbschaftsamt Basel-Stadt http://www.erbschaftsamt.bs.
ch/erbgang.html
Please inform yourself directly at the municipality office about what to do when someone dies.
Erbschaftsämter Solothurn https://www.so.ch/verwaltung/fi nanzdepartement/erbschaftsae mter/
Sudden Infant Death
Elternvereinigung SIDS Schweiz
http://sids.ch/kindstod/index.ht ml
Fachstelle Fehlgeburt und perinataler Kindstod http://www.fpk.ch/
Switzerland Aargau Basel-Landschaft Basel-Stadt Solothurn When children die
Stiftung Kinderhospiz http://www.kinderhospiz- schweiz.ch/
Stiftung Sternschnuppe http://www.sternschnuppe.ch/h ome/
Stiftung Wunderlampe http://www.wunderlampe.ch/
Pro Pallium- Schweizer Palliativstiftung für Kinder und junge Erwachsene
http://www.pro-pallium.ch/
Pall Kids- Für Eltern und Kinder (Familienbegleitung) http://www.pallkids.ch/
Verein Regenbogen Schweiz- Leben mit dem Tod eines Kindes *
http://verein-regenbogen.ch/
Elterntreffpunkt Girasol-
The „Universitätskinderspital beider Basel“ supports families of chronically or terminally ill children since 2011 with a special care team.
http://www.ukbb.ch/de/elternbe sucher/weitere-
dienstleistungen/care- team.html
The „Universitätskinderspital beider Basel“ supports families of chronically or terminally ill children since 2011 with a special care team http://www.ukbb.ch/de/elternbe sucher/weitere-
dienstleistungen/care- team.html
grieving parents can meet here after losing their child
http://www.elterntreffpunkt- girasol.ch/hauptseite/startseite.
html
End-of-life care and active euthanasia
www.exit.ch www.dignitas.ch
Article on beobachter.ch about euthanasia in Switzerland http://www.beobachter.ch/justi z-behoerde/gesetze-
recht/artikel/sterbehilfe_tod- auf-verlangen/
Benevol Aargau http://www.benevol- aargau.ch/traeger-und-
mitglieder/uebersichtportraits/v erein-hospiz-aargau/
Verein Hospiz Aargau http://www.hospiz-aargau.ch/
Palliative Care und Begleitung der reformierten Landeskirche Aargau
http://www.palliative- begleitung.ch/
Kurs des SRK Baselland zur Begleitung von Sterbenden http://www.srk-
baselland.ch/i4Def.aspx?tabid
=731
GGG Voluntas supports people in dealing with an illness, grieving and death and offers classes together with the Red Cross of Basel on how to give end-of life care.
http://www.ggg-
voluntas.ch/index.php?id=77
Trauer-und Sterbebegleitung Region Solothurn und Bern http://www.bei-
leid.ch/1._Hilfe_bei_Trauer_un d_Tod/Trauer_Sterbebegleitun g_Solothurn_Bern.html
Trauer- und Sterbebegleitung der Hospiz Gruppe Solothurn http://hospizgruppe-so.ch/
Switzerland Aargau Basel-Landschaft Basel-Stadt Solothurn
Suicide
Verein Refugium- Verein für Hinterbliebene nach Suizid http://www.verein-refugium.ch/
Suizid-Netz Aargau http://www.suizid-netz- aargau.ch/
Ipsilon- Initiative zur
Prävention von Suizid in der Schweiz
http://www.ipsilon.ch/de/home.
cfm
Palliative Care
The website oft he
„Fachgesellschaft Palliative Care“ lets you find palliative care instutions in Switzerland:
http://www.palliative.ch/index.p hp?id=91
Palliative Care Hirslanden Klinik Aarau
https://www.hirslanden.ch/glob al/de/startseite/kliniken_zentre n/zentren_institute/aarau/tumo r_zentrum/kompetenzen/palliat ive_care.html
Verein Hospiz Aargau http://www.hospiz-aargau.ch/
Hospiz im Park, Stollenrain 12, 4144 Arlesheim, Tel. 061 706 92 22
www.hospizimpark.ch
Hildegard-Hospiz, St. Alban- Ring 151, 4020 Basel, Tel. 061 319 75 75
www.hildegard-hospiz.ch
Palliative Care Solothurn http://www.palliative- so.ch/index.html
Book recommendations
On the topic of end of life care
„Todesfall. Ein Ratgeber für Hinterbliebene“
Von Monika Fischer, Paul Haupt Verlag, 2001 Bücher von Elisabeth Kübler-Ross:
− „Jedes Ende ist ein strahlender Beginn. Für alle Menschen, die Trost und Zuspruch suchen“, Silberschnur-Verlag, 1992
− „Reif werden zum Tode. Es kommt auf die Intensität des Lebens an“, Droemer Knaur Verlag, 2004
− „Dem Leben neu vertrauen. Den Sinn des Trauerns durch fünf Stadien des Verlustes finden“, David Kessler (Mitautor), Kreuz-Verlag, 2009
− „Interviews mit Sterbenden“, Kreuz Verlag, Neuausgabe 2009
On the topic "when children die"
Artikel der Universität Zürich
http://www.uzh.ch/news/articles/2011/wenn-die-kindheit-mit-dem-tod-endet.html
Artikel auf Familienleben.ch
http://www.familienleben.ch/leben/konflikte/wenn-kinder-sterben-1474
We would like to refer you to the extensive booklist of the „Verein Regenbogen“: http://verein-regenbogen.ch/mediathek/buecherliste/
