Hunter residents are being encouraged to "get dead set" on their end of life plans.
The Groundswell Project Australia is calling on all Aussies to prioritise conversations about death and dying, as part of their annual Dying to Know Campaign.
The call comes after preliminary research revealed people are experiencing grief more strongly than before the pandemic.
In response, the not-for-profit will host community events across the country, aimed at bringing end of life resources to local communities.
In the Hunter, a free public event will be held on Sunday the 7th of August at The Alice Ferguson Community Centre in Merewether.
Founder of Doula Connections Julie Fletcher, said the help offered could be particularly useful in the case of an unexpected death.
"Getting prepared in those circumstances, when something's completely unexpected, gives people a tool they can use to say 'What is it our loved one really wants?'"
"We've got everything from funeral directors, end of life doulas, people that work in grief and loss, and volunteer organisations, so that the public can come in and have a look, pick up information and talk to people about their options and their choices. Then, they can start to learn that it's okay to talk about death and dying and it's not as scary as everybody thinks it is," Ms Fletcher said.
The campaign says any end of life preparation is beneficial, be it simply starting conversations, writing down decisions in a will or informal document, or beginning the preparation yourself.
"No one really talks about it because they're so uncomfortable with it," Julie Fletcher said.
"You can have some say in so many different things about everything from: Do you want a funeral? Do you not want a funeral? Do you want to die at home? What part of the house do you want to be in? Do you want to have your pets around you? What music do you want around you? There are just so many different things that you can have choice over if someone actually says 'What would you like?'"
More information about Dying to Know events can be found on the Groundswell Project Australia website.
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| Image: Dying to Know Day website |
