How to Approach Conversations About Dying and Death

We are further away from death in the 21st century than we have been at almost any other point in history. In just the last 100 years the average human lifespan has increased from around 60 years to around 80 years, giving us 20 more years to avoid the topic. However, death is something that we are all guaranteed to experience regardless of our own desires. Therefore, death has become something we ignore, striking it from polite conversation like politics and religion. But discussing Death can be important and in this article, we will provide some tips as to the best way to approach conversations about death and dying.

Because death is such an uncomfortable topic, discussing it must be approached carefully and conscientiously and the emphasis should be on the comfort of all parties involved in the discussion. The first thing to consider is that these difficult discussions should be held face to face rather than in an impersonal and indirect method such as through email, phone, or text. This will emphasize that the conversation is being taken seriously and feelings are being considered. The choice of location is also important, choosing a location that is safe and comfortable to all participants is key.

During the conversation itself participants should use clear, concise, and honest language. Euphemisms and obscuring language will just make the conversation more difficult and less likely to produce positive results. If participants would like to have the conversation in a group setting, there is the option of hosting something like a Death Café. A Death Café is where a group conversation about death is held in a comfortable, nonjudgmental setting with refreshments provided to ease the conversation.

There are advantages to having conversations about death and dying as well. For starters, it can help increase the quality of life of the participants, allowing them to think about how they would like to live rather than worrying about how they are going to die. This is a huge benefit when discussing death and dying with someone who has a terminal illness, allowing those individuals to focus on the quality of their care or falling into a depression. There have even been cases where care and comfort for the dying leads to a prolonging of life due to a positive mental state and more comfortable way of living. However, it is impossible to receive these benefits without discussing death and dying.

Death and dying are difficult subjects that few people want to discuss. However, these discussions can help us figure out what we want at the end of our lives and allow us to think about important decisions that might need to be made before they become pressing. As these discussions are so important we hope that we have provided reasons and methods to make these conversations easier.

Only Cremations, based in Surrey, British Columbia, provides dignified and affordable cremation services. We believe every family deserves respect, reverence, and compassion. If you have any questions about this article or would like to talk to us about cremation services, please call or text (604) 861-9895.