This week (May 14th to 20th) is ‘Dying Matters Week’, raising awareness of the work of a national charity coalition which is breaking down social taboos around the subject of death and dying.
Dying is an inevitable part of life that sooner or later will affect us all, either through our own death or that of a loved one. Yet not many people feel comfortable talking openly about death, or making plans around how to deal with it when it comes
‘Dying Matters’ is a national charity organisation which aims to bring conversations about the subject of death and bereavement onto the national agenda. It is founded on the understanding that if death isn’t such a taboo subject then people will lead happier lives and prepare for their funeral arrangements more often, which will help their families in their time of need. Being aware of death and the practicalities involved, without dwelling on them, is a key part of living a happy, full and productive life.
The theme chosen for Dying Matters Week 2018 is “What Can You Do in Your Community?”. As everyone deals with death and grief in a different way, it’s important that people feel they can ask others for help in their time of greatest need. Unfortunately, many people feel too scared of being judged, too proud to show emotion or can’t find the words to express what they’re feeling.
On the other side, if we can see someone dealing with death, we may find it hard to talk to them about it out of politeness or fear of saying the wrong thing to them and increasing the hurt. This year’s awareness week aims to change that by bringing the subject of death to the forefront, by talking about it in our local community centres, community days, schools, libraries and other areas of public life.
The Dying Matters website is a great place to start learning about ways to get involved in encouraging conversations about death and bereavement in your local community. It is packed with information, advice and resources, including the chance to read other people’s first hand experiences, which could help you cope. There’s a new ‘podcast’ to listen to and a helpful information section with articles on subjects such as planning ahead or coping with a sudden death.
A dedicated ‘Find Me Help’ section of the website will help you locate support and services in your local area, while the ‘Resources’ section includes a range of helpful and informative leaflets which can be downloaded for free or bought from the online shop.
You can also join Dying Matters, which has nearly 32,000 members and is actively seeking more people who are committed to supporting changing knowledge, attitudes and behaviours around death and dying.
Joining is free and membership is open to individuals and to community groups, healthcare bodies, faith groups and so on. Members receive support and assistance in running local campaigns, as well as access to a range of useful resources, including a communications handbook, template media materials and a range of promotional materials.
To find out more about Dying Matters and how to get involved in breaking down taboos about death in your area, visit the website by clicking here.