Life Matters: Who are funerals for?

DeathTech member, Dr Hannah Gould, spoke with the Radio National Life Matters team about the changing nature of funerals in Australia, and what happens when conflicts emerge between the wishes of the deceased and the bereaved.

The program features a number of wonderful stories from members of the public calling in, who describe how they are “doing death differently” and bucking tradition.

From Radio National:

What happens when a loved one tells you they don’t want a funeral when they die, but family members feel compelled to mark their passing with a service? It is tradition, but are we honouring the deceased, or are these ceremonies really to allow the bereaved to grieve? The whole process came into sharp focus during the pandemic, when many funerals were held over zoom, condolences could only be accepted over the phone and, in some cases, burials were conducted with no one at the grave site. Has COVID-19 changed the way we think about death rituals? And whose wishes should you follow, the deceased or the bereaved?

To listen to the full episode and read the accompanying article, visit: https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/lifematters/has-covid-modernised-our-death-rituals-for-better-or-worse/13813124