Bereavement Support Line 1800 80 70 77 Main Navigation Donate Start to Talk Home > I Need Help > I Want To Think Ahead > Start to Talk Conversations about thinking ahead are something we would like to encourage in every household in Ireland. Especially when death and illness feel closer to us, and we are thinking about it more often. We hope it won’t happen to us, or those we love. Yet, the experiences of illness, dying, and death are all around us. At any time, any of us, our families or friends could be touched by dying, death and bereavement. Dying and death are something that happens. It’s in everybody’s interest to decide now for their future. Share your wishes while there is still time to talk about them together before there is a crisis or problem. Seize the opportunity to share thoughts and feelings, make plans and decisions. Talking Together We may not always have the chance to say the things we want to say, and the last thing we want to do is upset someone close to us, but, if we can talk together, to support one another, it can make a great difference to how we cope. It can help to: acknowledge that dying and death are part of life. recognise that talking about death doesn’t bring it closer, but it can help us plan for life. choose the right time and place to talk, especially if you, a family member, or a friend, are ill or have experienced bereavement. There are reports and stories about death and dying every day on TV, on the radio and in the newspapers. Use these to help start conversations with family and friends. Look for signs that someone you’re close to may want to talk. Remember, if the conversation becomes emotional, we can support each other best when we share what we are thinking and feeling. We can’t always promise one another that everything will be fine. Through listening and sharing what’s happening, we can give reassurance that we’ll offer the best care and support we can. Sharing concerns, worries, and fears can help us find ways of coping and make things more manageable. Talking about things we find difficult doesn’t make them happen, nor will it make them go away. But we can find ways of coping together. Conversations Over a Cuppa We have developed a series of guides to help you have conversations with those people important to you. Whether it is you, someone you love, or someone you know who wants to talk about the future – these little guides might help. Conversations Over a Cuppa Volume 1Download Conversations Over a Cuppa Volume 2Download Conversations Over a Cuppa Volume 3Download Conversations Over a Cuppa Volume 4Download Get your Think Ahead form I Want To Think Ahead Get Your Think Ahead Form How to Fill in Your Think Ahead Form Start to Talk Advance Care Planning Legal Decisions Healthcare Decisions Personal Decisions Dying to Talk Dictionary About Me Grief doesn't have an end date. If you or someone you know is struggling at this time, we are here to help you. It is free to call our Bereavement Support Line Mon - Fri 10am -1pm 1800 80 70 77 Information Library Research Publications IHF FAQs About Us Who we are Our People Our Board Our Strategy Our Partners Governance Funding & Accountability Annual Report Working in IHF Contact Us Contact Us Form Media Contacts Irish Hospice Foundation Morrison Chambers (Floor 4) 32 Nassau Street Dublin 2 D02 YE06 T: 01 679 3188 E : info@hospicefoundation.ie Terms and Conditions Privacy policy Registered Charity Number: 20013554 CHY 6830 © Irish Hospice Foundation 2020 We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However you may visit Cookie Settings to provide a controlled consent. Cookie settingsACCEPTREJECT