My spouse is dying of cancer. Do I call the police or the mortuary when he dies?

Assuming the death occurs at home, you can simply call your local ambulance service. For many reasons, not the least of which is ensuring that your affairs are kept in order, you should seek an immediate medical presence when you believe someone has died.

Answer: Most local funeral homes have websites with FAQs for questions like this. If your spouse is in failing health you or your agent should approach a local funeral home beforehand to determine what to do and who to call. A Calgary funeral home has the following instructions: "What should I do when a death occurs?" "If death is sudden or unexpected, call 9-1-1 to notify the police and the coroner's office. If death was expected, and the deceased was under the care of a physician or health care nurse, then a call to 9-1-1 is not required. A call to your local funeral home should be made as soon as you can." NOTE: Ambulance firms indicate that if the body is dead they will not remove it. This will incur a call out fee and you still have to contact the funeral home.

An excerpt from a firm's brochure: "Approximately ten percent of people die in their homes. Most of these are unexpected deaths, but it is possible to remain at home in a terminal condition, under the supervision of a doctor." "If a body is discovered at home, and there is any uncertainty as to whether the person is dead, an ambulance should be called immediately. If ambulance officers determine that the person is dead, they will leave the body in the home, otherwise they will take it to a hospital."