After someone close to you has lost their life, the last thing you need to worry about is cleanup, especially if they were a family member or close friend. When a person passes alone, though, unattended death cleanup can seem to be a top priority, especially if they aren’t found right away. Fortunately, there are professional technicians who are trained to not only remove the cleanup process from your list of concerns but to do so with compassion in such a difficult time.
What is an unattended death?
In a legal sense, unattended death refers to an instance where the deceased has not been in a doctor’s care for a period of time, between one month and a year, depending on the location and jurisdiction. In terms of cleanup, though, the phrase ”unattended death” is most often used in referring to unexpected deaths where the deceased were on their own at their time of death and often not found for some time after they’ve passed.
What’s involved in unattended death cleanup?
When it comes to unattended death clean up, it’s essential to call in professionals. Of course, this is a difficult situation in terms of emotions—you have enough to worry about in dealing with an unexpected death. It’s just as important, though, that the scene is cleaned by those who are trained to deal with biohazard materials such as bodily fluids.
In the case of unattended death, the decedent was most likely in that spot for some time. Then, the impacted area will not just be unpleasant—it comes with an array of health risks, too. Depending on how long it’s been in the space, a decomposed body will be in one of three stages. The first, autolysis, causes the body’s cells to release digestive enzymes that break down the cell from the inside out. In the second stage, the body bloats and produces gases as bacteria and other microorganisms liquefy the dead tissue. Then, in the third stage, the body enters active decay, where its fat and muscles are turned into paste. These stages correspond with the stages of the decomposition process law enforcement will use to determine the time of death.
Why do professionals need to handle death cleanup?
Of course, a person should be spared the pain of seeing their loved one’s corpse whenever possible, much less having to clean it up. However, it’s even more critical to bring in professionals because decomposition results in hazardous materials. Dangerous pathogens, harmful bacteria, body fluids, and other risks abound in the impacted area. Depending on the cause of death, the biological materials of decomposition can be joined by blood spills, infectious diseases, and other dangers.
Trained technicians know how to handle these biohazards, decontaminate the affected area, and treat the deceased individual and their loved ones with care and respect. No matter what stage of body decomposition they’re dealing with, these professionals can handle the decontamination process, prevent lasting odors or stains in the carpet or other materials, and leave you with the peace of mind that your friend or family member is being taken care of.
In your time of loss, you have enough to worry about. Let the professionals handle unattended death cleanup, leaving you to focus on what’s most important here—remembering your friend or family member and finding the best ways to remember them. With trained technicians handling pathogens and other dangers, you’ll know that the decontamination of the affected area will be thorough, and you’ll have one less thing on your schedule in this challenging time. They can’t make this situation less difficult, but they can ensure the cleanup process goes smoothly and is handled with care.