Sutherland Death Cafe still has spaces for its December 2, 2023 meeting. At a death cafe you join others to have a cup of tea and a conversation about death. People who want to find out more about death and how to manage it often feel a Death Cafe is … Read more
Wills and enduring power of attorney are needed everywhere and we’ve had a query about them from a pensioner in Western Australia. “Just looking for some advice on wills and enduring power of attorney. I am a pensioner and I live in WA,” she says. “Can you suggest anyone that … Read more
A patient’s perspective about how her “world turned upside down”, is shared in this End-of-Life Essentials video. Here is the link to her story, told in her own words. She shares her thoughts and fears, when first diagnosed with cancer and reflects on how that had an impact on her. … Read more
The experience of grief is universal and inevitable for each of us. It is felt physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually, and socially and it is a natural response to loss, bereavement, and trauma. Grief is part of being human “But we live in a grief-avoidant culture, that encourages us to move … Read more
It’s a common misconception that people with dementia cannot make or be included in end of life decision making. But this is one of the myths of dementia and end-of-life planning. There are more than 400,000 people currently living in Australia with dementia. This week is Dementia Action Week (September … Read more
Wesley Mission is holding its Wesley LifeForce Suicide Memorial Service Day in Sydney today at 12 noon – and everyone is welcome. It’s at Yallamundi Rooms of the Sydney Opera House. See the walking map to get to the right spot, here. https://www.wesleymission.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Walking-map-to-the-Yallamundi-rooms.pdf You can be with other people in … Read more
Here is a PDF of the NSW Government’s latest Making an advance are directive booklet. A couple of people at recent Understand Death Better talks in Sydney have asked for the NSW form. So here it is. Making an Advance Care Directive (pdf) It’s a good document because it’s written in easy … Read more
Annique Lee talks about how she became a death doula. To find out more, read Lainey Smith’s story. Death doulas are a valuable asset on the ‘death scene’, to help people manage the death of someone they are caring for. We’re very pleased that Lainey Smith from The Western Independent … Read more
The Understand Death Better Q&A session is coming to North Sydney Community Centre. So many questions about death. At our last gathering we shared stories and answers that grew out of questions such as: How do I make my advance care directive effective if all my family live overseas? Is … Read more
You can find a Dying to Know Day event in your community by following the link we’ve inserted here. But what is Dying to Know Day all about? It’s designed to encourage you to become your own advocate about what you want at the end-of-life. This starts with having a … Read more
Good Grief! is a great fan of Dying to Know Day. Dying to Know Day happens throughout Australia on August 8. It’s designed to encourage you to become your own advocate about what you want at the end-of-life. This starts with having a conversation about death, with the people who’ll need … Read more
“I find this dish incredibly comforting on a personal level,” explains Australian cooking and media personality, Lyndey Milan. “Not sure if it is because it includes mince – beef or lamb is fine – which is easy to eat and digest and brings back memories of childhood. “Or the hint … Read more
It’s a common misconception that palliative care biography services are mainly to capture the life story of someone dying for their family. Manager of the Volunteer Support Service Programme at Palliative Care NSW Kate Bowman says ‘the goal is not to give your family a pamphlet with photos – that … Read more
Here is a list of Biography Services in NSW, which you can contact. They can help document the story of the dying. This list of Biography Services was shared with us by Palliative Care NSW. For more information about the fabulous range of volunteers services that these Palliative Care Volunteers … Read more
How to have the best death possible? We discussed this question and many others in May at Kirribilli. “It was lovely to meet you and be part of the workshop. I very much enjoyed watching you engage with the audience and the way you navigated conversations. From my perspective, it … Read more