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Dying to Know Day (8 August)

Dying to Know Day on the 8th August is an annual campaign that empowers all adult Australians to be strong self-advocates for their own personal planning when it comes to their future. Originally initiated by the Groundswell Project, it is continued by Proveda.

The aim of the day is to normalise conversations about death, dying and grief, as well as encouraging individuals to learn about, discuss, and plan for their own end-of-life, and to support others in doing the same. COTA NT events are organised by our Aged Care Navigators who deliver the Advance Personal Planning Project, which aims to increase seniors’ awareness and understanding of Advance Personal Plans and, possibly most crucially, helps people to make a written record of their wishes. 

TThe Dying to Know Day Campaign Theme for 2025 – 2027 is Nobody Knows, a cheeky, irreverent campaign designed to expose the absurdity of keeping your end-of-life wishes a secret. Because not telling anyone your final wishes is chaotic, confusing, and worst of all creates guesswork and potential family division. 

Visit roveda.com.au/community-programs/dying-to-know for resources.

Ask yourself these questions

  1. Have you written a will? Is it up to date?
  2. Have your nominated your power of attorney?
  3. Who will be your enduring guardian?
  4. Have you written your advance care directive? (advance personal plan)
  5. Have you heard of an emotional will?
  6. Have you registered your organ and tissue donation wishes and told your family?
  7. If you have children in your care, who will be their legal guardian?
  8. Have you recorded your passwords for all your online accounts and social media profile?
  9. Where do you keep your important documents? Who has access to them?

 

Your family and friends

  1. Have you discussed your end of life plans with family and and friends?
  2. Who will receive special family items such as photos and treasured heirlooms?
  3. Who will become the guardian of your children and/ or pets?
  4. What do you hope for the people who are around you while you’re dying?
  5. Would you prefer to die at home?
  6. Do you know what you want to say to your family and friends?
  7. What would you like to be said to you in your final days/moments?
  8. Have you told your loved ones what medical interventions you want and do not want?

Starting conversations

Starting conversations about end of life planning can be difficult. The Conversation Project offers toolkits and maps out how you can start talking to your friends and family about the ‘big issues’.

 

Your send off

  1. What type of funeral do you want?
  2. Do you want to be buried, created or something else entirely?
  3. Where do you want to be buried, have your ashes scattered, your bench situated or your tree planted?
  4. What do you want written on your headstone or plaque memorial?
  5. Who would you like to perform the eulogy?
  6. Would you like to write your own obituary?
  7. Do you want to donate to a charity in lieu of flowers or in lieu of anthing else?
  8. The executor has rights to the body, so let them know what you want.
  9. Have you considered ‘Do It Yourself Funerals?’

Information about who can help you with planning funerals in the NT is available here.  

Source: The Groundswell Project
This resource has been licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommerical-No-Deriatives 4/0 International Licence

We have published on the following topics on the COTA NT website with a particular focus on support, services and resources for Territorians.