Yes, I am stealing a line from the late Joan Rivers who died an unfortunate and untimely death. But the fact of the matter is that we do NOT Talk about Dying and Death. This may be why we are so uncomfortable when we need to say goodbye to our loved one.
According to the American Psychological Association, as people approach the end of their lives they and their families commonly face tasks and decisions that include a broad array of choices ranging from simple to extremely complex. They may be practical, psychosocial, spiritual, legal, existential, or medical in nature. Everything from legal (Wills, Advance Directives, Powers of Attorney) to reflections on the meaning of life and everything in between is on the table.
However due to the taboo subject of Dying and Death, there are many who table these important discussion.
Some people feel by talking about death or planning for it, such as a pre-need funeral arrangement is inviting the inevitable. This makes it difficult to plan and have one’s wishes adhered to whether it’s about how someone wants to take their lasts breaths to the kind of funeral they desire.
The holidays are around the corner and more of us will be spending time with their families. No matter your age, dying and death are good topics to broach with those closest to you. We will be returning to this topic in future blogs.
