Dying Matters Awareness Week 2022

What is Dying Matters Awareness Week?

The Dying Matters movement is sweeping the UK and the globe. Talking about death and dying is something humans have avoided for centuries. However, speaking about the difficult topic of death can help everyone, from those facing to death to those grieving and those simply financial planning for future generations. Death is complicated, and Dying Matters Awareness Week aims to break the stigma associated with talking about it.

Dying Matters Awareness Week will take place from Monday-Sunday, 2-6 May 2022. It serves as an opportunity for individuals and organisations to recognise the importance of talking about dying, death, bereavement, and so much more.

Who Founded Dying Matters Awareness Week?

Dying Matters Awareness Week was founded by the Dying Matters organisation. Dying Matters was founded in 2009 and is now run by Hospice UK. This organisation includes roughly 12,000 members who are committed to supporting changing the stigma surrounding death, dying, and bereavement.

The 2022 Theme for Dying Matters Awareness Week

We know that starting conversations about dying isn’t easy. But we also know that it’s often not as hard as you might think. Every year, people around the country use Dying Matters Awareness Week as a moment to encourage all communities to get talking in whatever way, shape or form works for them.

This year, Dying Matters Awareness Week takes place from 2nd-6th May 2022.

Hospices, healthcare trusts, schools, theatre groups, libraries, care homes, artists – we’re amazed by the diversity, breadth and creativity of the organisations who get involved. And they all have one thing in common – whoever starts the conversation, and however they do it, they never find it as challenging as they feared, and they always feel better for having got talking. Hospice UK’s Dying Matters will be providing information, inspiration and support for you to get involved – whether through a simple conversation with a few neighbours, or a bigger project through your workplace.

Previous Dying Matters Themes

The 2021 theme shone light on the importance of being “in a good place to die.” The Dying Matters organisation states that 28 percent of UK deaths in 2020 took place at home. The COVID-19 pandemic had increased the amount of at-home deaths.

This theme discussed the importance of being in a comfortable and supportive physical place to die. However, it also emphasised the importance of feeling prepared to die. Many people die before fulfilling their wishes or before communicating those wishes to loved ones. This Dying Matters Awareness week sought to bring awareness to the issues many people face at the end of life, and how we, as a society, can make essential changes.

Why Take Part and How to Get Involved

Your participation in Dying Matters Week can help change the end-of-life process for many people. The purpose in getting involved is to open up conversations about dying and being in a comfortable place to die, emotionally and physically. Nobody should die without proper care being taken, and you can help raise awareness for this concern.

You can get involved in Dying Matters Awareness Week in one or several of the following ways:

• Write your will
• Record your funeral wishes
• Plan your future care and support
• Consider registering as an organ donor
• Tell your loved ones your wishes
• Share your personal stories involving death, dying, or grief on social media with the hashtags #DMAW22
• Speak with someone close to you about their wishes for before, during, and after they die
• Take steps to prepare yourself for death, such as creating a will or discussing your wishes with loved ones
• Host a Zoom event with friends to discuss the topic of dying in a safe, socially-distant environment
• Join an online Dying Matters event advertised on the DyingMatters.org website

Anyone currently in Scotland can take part in Demystifying Death Week events taking place across the country. These events will be run by a partner organisation of Dying Matters known as Good Life Good Death Good Grief.

Interesting Facts

• Sixty percent of adults do not make a will
• Any outstanding debts when you die need to be paid from estate funds
• One in 2 billion people live to be older than 116
• Any gift you leave in your will to a UK charity is not subject to inheritance tax
• The English language has more 200 euphemisms for death