Dying Matters: Where there’s a will, there’s peace of mind

All week, in conjunction with other partner organisations, Prospect has planned a Dying Matters Roadshow which saw them travel to various parts of Swindon and Wiltshire to help raise awareness with the public about issues related to dying.

Yesterday saw funeral director Ian Hanks discuss the role of the funeral director to an audience in the day hospice. Andrea Davies, family support team leader at the hospice, talked with families and children about dying. Natural burials were also addressed.

Julie Dart, mental capacity act programme manager for Swindon Council and NHS Swindon, discussed the issues around preparing for the future, from her own personal perspective.

She spoke of the importance of preparing a will, a statement of wishes and preferences, a lasting power of attorney for welfare and treatment as well as for finances, and an advance decision to refuse treatment.

She said: “I am a natural control freak. I don’t naturally trust other people to do things in my best interest.

“I have brought my son up in a way that I hope he will know what to do when I am approaching dying and I am perhaps not able to make my voice heard. A lot of people haven’t got around to the first stage of making a will, but it is essential.

“I keep mine in my cupboard at home, but I keep changing the music I want played at my funeral .When I was younger I didn’t think I would die for another 100 years and I thought I would want some nice peaceful music played, but now I want something a bit more like drum and bass, the louder the better.

“I’d ask people to think about the complications they may leave behind if they don’t make a will.

“I’ve got strong feelings about the music I want played and what I want to be wearing and I think gradually more people will do this, more people will soon want to influence what happens to them.”

For more information about Dying Matters, visit www.dyingmatters.org