The fear of talking about the unknown and death is creating an unneeded tension during difficult times. Death care professionals see it time and time again, families come in unsure of what a loved one would have wanted, even potentially bickering internally within the family about what should be selected. All of which could hopefully be avoided with a dialogue occurring about death before someone passes. But how can the death care community help stimulate these conversations with families?
Starting the conversation
One UK based charity, Marie Curie, which focuses on helping terminally ill patients has put this at the core of their current campaign. Being in the center, where families have an immediate need for a conversation about death, Marie Curie is on the front lines when it comes to the difficulties around the conversation of a loved one passing. They also have an intimate understanding that the best way to prepare a family for a terrible situation is to talk about what will happen when death does inevitably come. Attempting to create tranquility in someone’s passing by following through with what you know was their final wish.
Cross media campaign
This year Marie Curie ́s campaign is called ‘Talk About’. It is a cross media campaign with social posts aimed around getting public engagement, a YouTube video series, and a podcast (on the Marie Curie couch) with celebrities.
The video campaign begins by addressing the euphemisms that the public uses out of fear called ¨Whatever you call it, we should all talk about it.” Followed by short videos about how to start educating children about death, videos about discussing death to specific demographics, and a mini series that mirrors a newlywed game show vibe asking family or friends to guess what each others end of life wishes are.
The podcast has bereavement specialist Jason Davidson talk with British celebrities about their thoughts and experiences with death. Discussing the effects death has had on them so far and their end of life choices. It’s an honest and open discussion that can help demystify the topic of death for the public by walking through examples of what people can do at home with familiar and beloved figures.
Being in direct contact with the audience
As a direct dialogue with the audience there are also end of life choice discussions across all the Marie Curie media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram). The first inquiry was a fun giphy about your favorite song, accompanied by the text ¨We’re really good at small talk and chit chat, but we often avoid the important topics. Opening up the conversation earlier around end of life makes it easier when the time comes. Tell us what your last song would be. #MyLastSong.¨ Letting the public become involved in the conversation and creating an easy opportunity for everyone in the community to contribute. It is also easy to follow through the web with an easy and uniquely traceable # hashtag. People listed all kinds of songs and soundtracks that they thought would embody the life they lived. While the campaign has just begun it’s a great example of what organizations and companies can do in the death care industry to help facilitate better deaths. So what’s your #MyLastSong?
(A few) Public #MyLastSong Contributions
- Boogie Wonderland by Earth, Wind, and Fire
- Beautiful by Carole King
- Flowers by Sweet Female Attitude
- welcome to my funeral by Lukas Graham.
- I’m free by the Who
- Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol
- Family by Dolly Parton
- Into the Mystic by Van Morrison
- Constant Angel by Ramin Karimloo
- Songbird by Oasis
- Atmosphere by JoyDivision
- Dancing on my own by Robyn
- All you Need is Love by The Beatles
- To where you are by Josh Groban
- One Last Love Song by PaulHeatonSolo and Jacqui Abbott
- All will be well by Michael Mara
- Mr Brightside by The Killers
- Somewhere Over the Rainbow by Eva Cassidy
- Green, Green Grass of Home by Tom Jones
- Cowboys and Angels by George Michael
- Liquidator by The Harry J Allstars
- Disco Inferno by The Trammps
- Do you realise by The Flaming Lips
- The Circle of Life by Elton John
- Everlong by the Foo Fighters
- Fly me to the moon’ by Frank Sinatra
- Have I told you lately That I Love You by Van Morrison
- Return to Sender by Elvis
- Moonage Daydream by Bowie
- Happy by Pharrell Williams
- Good Riddance by Green Day
- Daydream Believer by The Monkees
- For Now from Avenue Q
- Brand New by Niki & The Dove
- We’ve Gotta Get Out Of This Place by The Animals
- That’s life by Frank Sinatra
- Free Bird by Lynyrd Skynrd
- Dear Friends by Elbow‘s
- In my life by the Beatles
- Heaven by Talking Heads
- A Little Help From My Friends by Joe Cocker
- Imagine by John Lennon
- I’ve had the time of my life by Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes
- Defying Gravity from Wicked
- I wanna dance with somebody by Whitney Houston
- One More Last Song by the Kaiser Chiefs
- Alexandra Leaving by Leonard Cohen
- Glory Days by Bruce Springsteen
- Hasta Mañana by Abba
- Just Like Heaven by the Cure