What to Do When Someone Dies at Home in Michigan

Updated September 2026. Written and reviewed by the Lily Hospice clinical team.

If the person was on hospice, call the hospice, not 911. A nurse comes, confirms the death, handles medications and calls the funeral home, and there is no rush. If they were not on hospice, call 911; in Michigan, a valid do-not-resuscitate order tells emergency crews not to attempt resuscitation.

When someone dies at home, the first minutes can feel strange and very quiet. Many families are not sure whether they are allowed to sit with the person, who they are supposed to call, or whether they have already done something wrong. You have not. This guide walks through what happens in Michigan in the first hour and the first days, first for families whose person was on hospice, then for families whose person was not. It is general information, not legal advice, and the details can vary with the county and the situation.

First, how do you know death has happened?

Usually there is no breathing, no response to your voice or touch, and no pulse. The eyes may be partly open, the jaw may relax and open, and the skin begins to look pale or waxy. Sometimes there is one last breath after what seemed to be the final one. If you are not sure, and the person is on hospice, call the hospice line and describe what you see; the nurse will talk you through it.

If the person was on hospice

Call the hospice, not 911. This is the most important thing to know. An expected death on hospice is not an emergency. Calling 911 can bring an ambulance and police into a quiet room and may lead to efforts the person did not want. At Lily, a real person answers at any hour and a nurse comes to the house. See what happens when you call hospice at night.

Take your time. There is no need to hurry anyone out of the house. You can sit with your person, hold their hand, call family, pray, sing, cry or say nothing. Tell the nurse what you need.

What the nurse does. When the nurse arrives, they:

• Confirm the death. Michigan’s Determination of Death Act allows a physician or registered nurse to pronounce death, and a health facility or agency can set its own policy on which staff do this.
• Notify the hospice physician or attending physician, who will complete the medical part of the death certificate.
• Gently wash and position the body if the family wishes, remove tubes or devices the hospice placed, and help with any religious or cultural practices that matter to you.
• Take care of leftover medications, including controlled medicines like morphine, following the rules for safe disposal, and explain what happens to anything left in the house.
• Call the funeral home you have chosen, when you are ready, and stay until they arrive if you want.
• Arrange pickup of the hospital bed and other hospice equipment at a time that suits you, usually in the following days.

Will the medical examiner be involved? Usually not for an expected death on hospice. Michigan law requires a county medical examiner investigation in certain situations, including deaths that are violent or unexpected. Because hospice nurses visit often near the end, and the hospice doctor knows the diagnosis, most hospice deaths at home do not involve the medical examiner. If one is needed, the nurse will explain and make the call.

If you have not chosen a funeral home. That is common, and it is fine. The nurse or social worker can give you time to call a few, and the body can stay at home while you decide within reason. It helps to pick one in advance if you can; the social worker can help with that conversation during care.

If the person was not on hospice

Call 911. In Michigan, when someone dies at home without hospice, the usual first call is 911. If the death was expected because of a serious illness, tell the dispatcher that, and tell them if there is a do-not-resuscitate order.

Michigan’s do-not-resuscitate order. Under the Michigan Do-Not-Resuscitate Procedure Act, an adult (or their patient advocate) can sign a DNR order on the state form, together with the attending physician and two adult witnesses. The order is meant to be kept accessible in the home, and the person may wear a DNR identification bracelet. When emergency responders find that a person has no vital signs and either see the bracelet or have actual notice of the order, the law says they should not attempt resuscitation. Keep the original order where you can hand it to responders quickly, such as on the refrigerator or by the bed.

If there is no DNR order, responders will usually begin resuscitation unless it is clearly too late. That is their legal duty, and it is not a judgment on your family.

Police and the medical examiner. When someone dies at home without hospice, police often come as well. Under Michigan law, the county medical examiner looks into deaths that are sudden, unexpected or violent, and certain other deaths set out in the statute. Having police in the house can feel like an accusation. It is routine. They may ask about the person’s illness, doctor and medications, and may take photos or ask everyone to step aside for a few minutes. A list of diagnoses, medications and the doctor’s name helps. In many cases the medical examiner’s office speaks with the person’s doctor by phone and releases the body to the funeral home.

If death is coming soon and the person is not on hospice yet, it is worth calling now. Hospice can often start quickly, and it changes what the last day looks like for everyone. See how fast hospice can start and signs death is near.

The first few days

The funeral home

The funeral director helps with burial or cremation, services, obituaries and much of the paperwork. You will meet with them to make arrangements, usually within a day or two. Bring the person’s full legal name, date and place of birth, Social Security number, parents’ names, education, occupation and, for veterans, the discharge papers (DD-214).

The death certificate

In Michigan, the funeral director who takes charge of the body gathers personal information from the family, obtains the medical certification from the doctor, and files the death certificate with the local registrar, generally within 72 hours of the death, according to the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs.

Certified copies. You will need several certified copies for banks, insurance, pensions, the title office and more. Most families order them through the funeral director when making arrangements. Later copies can be ordered from the county clerk in the county where the death happened (for example, the Oakland County Clerk issues certified copies for deaths in Oakland County) or from the State of Michigan’s Vital Records Office, which takes orders by mail, phone or online. Ask each institution whether it needs a certified copy or will accept a photocopy, so you order the right number.

Social Security

According to the Social Security Administration, funeral homes generally report the death to Social Security, so you usually do not need to. If no funeral home is involved or it does not report the death, call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213. A surviving spouse or eligible child may qualify for a one-time $255 death payment and for survivor benefits; the lump sum must be applied for within two years. If a benefit payment arrives after the death, ask Social Security whether it needs to be returned before spending it.

Medicare and insurance

Ask Social Security whether anything else is needed for Medicare. Call any Medicare Advantage plan, Part D drug plan, Medigap policy or private insurer directly to report the death and ask about final claims. Call life insurance companies and any pension or annuity administrators.

Veterans

Veterans may be eligible for VA burial and memorial benefits, including burial in a VA national cemetery, a government headstone or marker, a burial flag, a Presidential Memorial Certificate and, in some cases, a burial allowance. Great Lakes National Cemetery in Holly serves southeast Michigan. The funeral director can usually help request military funeral honors and contact the VA’s National Cemetery Scheduling Office. Lily is a We Honor Veterans Bronze Level partner and our social workers can help; see our care for veterans.

Other calls, in no particular hurry

• Close family and friends, the person’s clergy, and their employer if they were still working
• Banks and credit card companies (ask what documents they need)
• The Secretary of State for a driver’s license and vehicle titles, when you are ready
• Utilities, subscriptions, phone and email accounts
• An attorney if there is a will, a trust, real estate or questions about the estate

Almost none of this needs to happen in the first week. Make a list, share it among family members, and do a few things a day.

When to call the hospice nurse

If your person is on hospice and you think death has happened or is very close, call the hospice line. Also call if breathing changes frighten you, if there is pain or restlessness that does not settle, or if you are not sure what you are seeing. Do not call 911 for an expected death on hospice unless the nurse tells you to. If your person is not on hospice and death seems near, call their doctor, or call Lily to talk through whether hospice now makes sense. We will be honest if it does not.

After the funeral: grief support

Hospice care does not end at the moment of death. Lily’s bereavement team stays in touch with families for at least a year afterward with calls, mailings and invitations to support. You can also find groups near you in our metro Detroit grief support directory and our overview of grief support in Oakland, Macomb and Wayne counties.

Common questions

Should I call 911 if my loved one dies at home on hospice?

No. Call the hospice line. A nurse will come to confirm the death, help with medications and call the funeral home. Calling 911 can bring emergency crews and may lead to resuscitation attempts the person did not want.

How long can the body stay at home after death?

There is usually no need to rush. Many families take an hour or several hours to sit with the person and gather family. The hospice nurse and funeral home can advise on timing for your situation.

Who can pronounce death in Michigan?

Michigan’s Determination of Death Act allows a physician or registered nurse to pronounce death. A health facility or agency may set its own policy on which staff do this.

What does a Michigan DNR order do at home?

Under Michigan’s Do-Not-Resuscitate Procedure Act, when emergency responders find a person without vital signs and see the DNR bracelet or have actual notice of a valid order, they should not attempt resuscitation. Keep the order where it can be found quickly.

Will police come if someone dies at home?

For an expected death on hospice, usually not. If the person was not on hospice and 911 is called, police often come, and the county medical examiner may review the death. This is routine.

How do I get death certificates in Michigan?

Most families order certified copies through the funeral director. Copies can also be ordered from the county clerk where the death occurred or from the State of Michigan Vital Records Office.

Do I need to tell Social Security?

Usually the funeral home reports the death. If not, call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213. A surviving spouse or eligible child may qualify for a one-time $255 payment and survivor benefits.

What happens to the hospice equipment and medicines?

The nurse handles leftover medications according to disposal rules and explains what remains in the home. The hospice arranges pickup of the bed and other equipment at a time that works for the family.

Hospice isn’t giving up. It’s showing up. If you are in Oakland, Macomb or Wayne County, call (248) 955-5100. A real person answers, 24 hours a day.