- Dying to Know Day (8 August) encourages Australians to 'get dead set' by having conversations about end of life planning.
- The campaign aims to improve death literacy among individuals and communities to reshape the way we approach death, dying and end of life planning.
- The 2024 Dying to Know Day theme is focused on building community and sharing our own unique wishes for end of life.
Sydney, Australia – Tuesday 30 July 2024: Dying to Know Day – a national annual campaign that helps Australians live, grieve, and die better – is calling on Australians to lean on community support when planning for end of life.
The annual campaign, which culminates on Thursday 8 August, brings together experts and communities across Australia for a variety of in-person and online events each year. In 2024, the focus for Dying to Know Day is highlighting the role of community in fostering conversations around death and dying, and encouraging individuals to consider and talk about their own unique wishes for end of life.
Research shows that while nine in 10 (87%) Australians believe it is important to do some end of life planning, only one in three (35%) have actually taken action.1 Many individuals still face barriers to taking action as the topic is often associated with stigma and people aren't able to access the right tools and resources.1
By encouraging communities to become equipped with the knowledge and resources they need to facilitate supportive conversations on end of life care and planning, the Dying to Know Day campaign is breaking down the stigma that is associated with death, dying and grief. The campaign is also aiming to encourage individualism for people thinking and deciding about their own end of life wishes.
Carolyn Vaughan, an Illawarra-based Death Doula and expert in facilitating conversations around end of life, says it's important that Australians lean on community support to improve their own death literacy. Death literacy is the knowledge, compassion and practical skills that enable supportive action and active decision-making around someone's end of life choices.
"Death is over-medicalised and conversations are often left to healthcare providers. Our preconceived ideas around death can impact our approach to end of life, and people often feel ill equipped to act or start a conversation," says Carolyn.
"By building community capacity to facilitate conversations around end of life planning and care, we can help ensure every person has access to the resources and tools they need to take action. This can take shape in a variety of different ways, such as workshops or casual talks. Having a safe space to foster conversations and share stories with each other will, in turn, help Australians feel inspired about their own wishes for end of life," says Carolyn.
Jessie Williams, Community Programs Manager at Proveda - the organisation behind Dying to Know Day, says that it is important to recognise the powerful role community can play when planning and implementing approaches to death and dying.
"While most Australians recognise the importance of planning for end-of-life, many individuals and communities still face barriers when it comes to understanding what this means, taking action or starting a conversation around death and dying. This often leads to end of life experiences being misaligned with an individual's values, preferences or wishes, because they simply don't know what is available or what they can request or expect."
"Building communities that can foster these types of conversation is a critical step in ensuring all Australians have access to the tools and environment they need to plan for end of life. This will help individuals feel supported in talking about their personal wishes for their own final arrangements, and can help break down the misconception that end of life planning is something to be done alone" says Jessie.
Over 100 Dying to Know Day events occur each year, with the number of in-person and online events growing year on year. These events are at the forefront of encouraging meaningful conversations among individuals across Australia, include those living in remote, regional and diverse communities.
To register your Dying to Know Day event, find an event or access support for your end of life planning journey, visit www.dyingtoknowday.com
