Twenty-one people from all walks of life joined together last Wednesday to particpate in a discussion group hosted by Hospice Taranaki focused on "planning for life".
"Talking about death doesn't bring it any closer, but by planning for life and being open to things like defining what a good death would be for you, you can become more comfortable with the subject."
Hospice Taranaki chief executive Kevin Nielsen says while he would have liked to see the War Memorial Hall "absolutely packed" with people, he understands that people do have a reluctance to talk about some topics.
On the day, participants were split into small groups and encouraged to share their thoughts and responses to questions such as "what would be a good death for you, if you were told you had six months to live?" or "what care and support do you understand that Hospice Taranaki provides?"
Kevin says the organisation will continue to work with the community to encourage people to talk about death and dying in a positive environment such as the one provided by the event last week.
