Although majority of Britons think that it is more acceptable to talk about dying than it was 10 years back, discussions about dying, death, bereavement and making end of life plans still remain a taboo, a new research has found.
According to a ComRes research, released by Dying matters Coalition to coincide with Dying Matters Awareness Week that commences on May 18 through to May 24, millions of Brits are at risk of missing out on having their end of life wishes fulfilled and leaving their affairs in a mess for their families as they are not planning for their death.
According to the research nearly a third of British adults (32 per cent) think about dying and death at least once a week; however nearly a quarter of adults (72 per cent) believe that people here in Britain are uncomfortable discussing dying, death and bereavement.
Claire Henry, Chief Executive of the Dying Matters Coalition said: “We need to change the nation’s approach to dying, so that all of us become better at making our end of life wishes known and asking our loved ones about theirs.”
Henry added that it may not be easy to talk about dying and planning ahead, but it can help us to make the most of life and spare our loved ones from making difficult decisions on our behalf or dealing with the fallout if we haven’t got our affairs in order.
As far as planning for death goes, just over a third of people (35 per cent) say that they have a written will prepared; 32 per cent say they have registered as an organ donor or have a donor card; 31 per cent say that they have taken out life insurance; 27 per cent reveal that they have talked to someone about their funeral wishes; and 7 per cent reveal that they have written down their wishes or preferences about their future care, should they be unable to make decisions for themselves.
Despite this failure to talk about dying and plan ahead, 71% of the public agree that if people in Britain felt more comfortable discussing dying, death and bereavement it would be easier to have our end of life wishes met.
When asked about the age at which they would want to die:
- Nearly a third (27 per cent) opted for ages 81-90;
- 17 per cent opted for 91-100;
- 8 per cent wanted to die after they were above 100;
- 9 per cent chose 71-80;
- 13 per cent wanted to life forever.
When asked about quality of life vs. how long they want to live:
- Majority of Britons (79 per cent) agree that quality of life is more important than how long they live for;
- Only 2 per cent of those aged 65 and over disagree that their quality of life is more important to them than how long they live for;
- Just 13 per cent of people surveyed said they would like to live forever; and
- Only 8 per cent said they would like to live to over 100.
When asked about factors to ensure a good death
- A third of Britons (33 per cent) chose pain-free death as the most important option;
- Under one in five (17 per cent) chose being with family and friends as a factor;
- Retaining dignity was chosen by 13 per cent;
- Being cared for and able to die in the place of your choice was chosen by 6 per cent;
- Six per cent people considered involved in decisions about own care, or if they are not able to for family and friends to be involved; and
- Having one’s religious/spiritual needs met was chosen by 5 per cent.
You can find out the full report here.
