Helpful suggestions about talking with relatives/friends about wishes around death:

  • Practical Matters

Hospice UK and Dying Matters have recently published helpful suggestions about talking with relatives/friends about their wishes around death:

Let’s talk about dying
Why do we need to talk more about death and dying? Talking about death and dying doesn’t bring death closer. It’s about planning for life, helping us make the most of the time that we have.

It’s important to talk about death and dying
However, starting the conversation, particularly with those close to you, is never easy. We don’t want to upset people, or sound gloomy. Still, families commonly report that it comes as a relief once the subject is brought out into the open.

You are able to express your wishes about how you’d like to die, or what you’d like to happen after you die. This helps you and your loved ones to cope better emotionally and practically with what your death could mean.

Subjects you might need to talk about
The type of care you’d like towards the end of your life;
Where you’d like to die;
How long you want doctors to be treating you;
Funeral arrangements;
Your will;
Care of dependents - children or parents, for example;
Organ donation;
How you’d like to be remembered;
Worries you’d like to discuss about being ill and dying;
What you’d like people to know before you die;
How you feel about people

To read more from Hospice UK and Dying Matters the link is here