Dying Matters awareness week 2021 runs from 10th to 16th May 2021.
What is Dying Matters?
Dying Matters is a campaign focussed on raising awareness of dying, death and bereavement. It aims to:
“create an open culture that talks about death and where people feel able to listen and support those who are planning for end of life, who are dying and who have been bereaved. [They] want to break the stigma around death, to challenge preconceptions and to normalise public openness around death and dying.”
The 2021 campaign
This year’s theme is focusing on the importance of being #InAGoodPlace to die.
It has been a year like never before. The COVID-19 pandemic has put death and loss at the forefront of the nation’s consciousness.
End of life planning
Research carried out by the organisation Dying Matters released today, has found that people in the UK do not have end of life plans in place because they are unaware of what to do, and unsure of how to talk about it.
Just 13% of adults say they’ve let a close friend or family member know where they want to be when they die, and just three in ten know how to make arrangements to ensure they die in the place they would wish to.
Considering the right place to die
There is no right or wrong place to die; it will be different for everyone. But it is important for families to think about it, to talk about it, and to plan for it.
We need to be braver about talking about death, dying and bereavement, and better at making sure the right plans are put in place to protect ourselves and our loved ones at the end of life.
Where people die is changing. But we don’t know enough about the quality of these deaths, and whether the right care and support was in place. It is important for families to think about the where would be the best place to die, to talk about it and to plan accordingly.
Many people have an instinctive preference about where they’d like to be at the end of their life, but we know most people in the UK haven’t written down their wishes, or spoken about them to a loved one.
It’s not an easy subject, but it is important for families to discuss these issues.
Imagine a world where people of all ages can be #InAGoodPlace when they die – physically, emotionally and with the right care in place.
How Cunningtons can help you
Death still remains a taboo subject for many, yet it is something we will all experience at some point. At Cunningtons we are here to help you think about and discuss your options and wishes. We offer legal and practical advice on planning for death.
For example writing a Will will allow you to:
- Appoint people to manage your affairs after your death.
- Appoint guardians to look after your infant children.
- Direct who is to inherit your assets.
- Set out your funeral wishes.
Lasting Powers of Attorney
We can also help with a Lasting Power of Attorney for Health and Welfare which allows you to appoint someone you trust to make decisions about your health and welfare if you become incapable of making decisions yourself.
Such decisions may include:
- What type of care you receive.
- What type of medication you receive.
- Where you live.
- Who visits you.
- Whether or not you receive life sustaining treatment.