Leading law firm Latimer Hinks is urging families not to put off having a conversation about death until it’s too late.
The Darlington-based company is asking people to think about their wishes leading up to and following death during Dying Matters Awareness Week.
Latimer Hinks Director Natalie Palmer said: “Death still remains a taboo subject. Even though it’s inevitable, many of us are still uncomfortable discussing dying and death.
“We want talking about death to become the norm. Only then will families feel confident that they are carrying out their loved ones wishes.”
Latimer Hinks is supporting the national Dying Matters campaign to encourage people to take practical steps to improve end of life experience for them and their family.
The firm is also urging everyone to take practical steps including making a will, and considering tax planning if, and as necessary to ensure that families aren’t faced with distress and perhaps unnecessarily large Inheritance Tax bills.
This year’s Dying Matters Awareness week theme is the “Big Conversation.”
Natalie added: “Only by having that conversation is it possible to ensure that everything is in place for what is increasingly being referred to as a ‘good death’.”
“That conversation should include issues such as writing a will, whether you have specific requests for your funeral arrangements, end of life and future care issues, whether you want to donate your organs and, increasingly relevant today, whether you wish your social media pages to remain active after your death.
“It’s never an easy subject to talk about, but we hope Dying Matters Awareness Week will give people the confidence they need to initiate those all-important conversations. But it’s no good simply talking about it. Everyone needs to go a step further and take action by taking the necessary practical steps such as making a will, carrying out tax planning, writing down their wishes, joining the organ donor register and making sure their family knows what they want and where to find everything they need.
“Putting end of life plans in place can be liberating, and enabling in terms of letting us get on with the pleasures of living.”