It may seem like an uncomfortable topic, but Dying To Know Day on August 8 is aiming to bring to life conversations around death, dying and bereavement. In particular, how people can make their end of life wishes clear to their family and loved ones and live out their lives in their chosen way.
According to Dying to Know Day:
- 75% of us have not had end of life discussions
- 60% think we don’t talk about death enough
- Over 70% of us die in hospital though most of us would prefer to die at home
- Very few of us die with an advance care plan (less than 10 percent)
- The number of Australians aged 65 and over will double by 2050 increasing our need to plan while well and share our wishes with our loved ones
For those of us who wish to die at home, the biggest thing we can do is plan ahead. Too many of us are dying in a way not consistent with our values or wishes. Planning ahead means we have the opportunity to communicate what we do and don’t want at the end of life.
How to plan ahead to receive end of life care at home
For those of us who are currently healthy, facing and talking about death might not seem like something that should be on our agenda. However, meaningful end of life planning can occur at any age, regardless of our health status. Getting informed and proactive can also help arm us with the knowledge to support our loved ones to make their own decisions about their end of life care.
The first step can be as simple as improving our death literacy – the practical know-how to plan well for end of life. An advance care plan is a process that involves planning for your future medical care in the event that you become too unwell to make decisions for yourself. Advance care planning is an important way for people to not only think about what matters to them in regard to care but to communicate this to their loved ones.
Related content: What matters most in palliative care?
How can you receive end of life care at home?
For those who wish to receive end of life care at home, it’s important to know there are options to help you achieve your wishes. Many home care providers provide in home palliative care services to support you and your family through end of life and ensuring you are as comfortable as possible. A support system of family and friends is another consideration that can help make this a reality.
How to find out more
If you are unsure of what your wishes are, learning more about what options are available for end of life and palliative care is a good start. Dying to Know Day has a list of death literacy, planning and conversation tools on their website that can get you thinking about your own personal preferences.