Death is something we all know is coming, but new research suggests Australians are remarkably unprepared for it.

A major national study has found almost half of Australians have not prepared a will, while almost two-thirds don’t know what to do if someone dies at home.

Researchers from La Trobe University’s Public Health Palliative Care Unit and the Death Literacy Institute surveyed more than 3000 Australians to find out how much people know about planning for death, dying, grief and end-of-life care.

The results make uncomfortable reading – particularly for older Australians who may increasingly find themselves helping parents, partners, siblings or friends navigate the final stages of life.

The 2026 National Death Literacy and Readiness Report found:

• 48 per cent have not prepared a will.
• 54 per cent don’t know how to access palliative care.
• 58 per cent don’t know what paperwork is needed when planning for death.
• 63 per cent don’t know what to do when someone dies at home.
• 74 per cent don’t know enough about voluntary assisted dying to access it themselves or support someone else.
• Just 23 per cent have written down their end-of-life wishes in an advance care directive.
• Only 11 per cent have documented what should happen to their online assets after they die.

Yet many Australians have already had close encounters with death.

More than half – 53 per cent – said they had cared for or kept company with someone close to death, while 42 per cent had witnessed someone’s death.

And 30 per cent said they had been appointed as an enduring guardian or decision-maker for somebody else.

Why talking about death matters

Dr Kerrie Noonan, Acting Head of La Trobe’s Public Health Palliative Care Unit and Director of the Death Literacy Institute, says the findings show that simply experiencing death doesn’t necessarily mean we understand how to navigate it.

“Death happens to everyone but it’s surprising how few people are actually prepared,” she says.

According to Dr Noonan, about two-thirds of Australians have not discussed their end-of-life wishes with their families.

That can leave families trying to make difficult decisions at exactly the time when emotions are running highest.

Knowing what someone wants before they become seriously ill can make those decisions considerably easier.

That might mean having a conversation about where you would like to be cared for, who should make decisions on your behalf, what medical treatment you would or wouldn’t want, or simply making sure your family knows where to find important documents.

It isn’t just about having a will

A will is an important part of planning, but the researchers say “death literacy” goes much further.

It includes knowing how to find palliative care, understanding advance care directives and enduring guardianship, knowing what happens after someone dies and being able to support somebody who is dying or grieving.

It can also involve practical matters many people don’t think about until it is too late — including what happens to photographs, social media accounts, subscriptions and other digital assets after death.

The research team has launched READYConnect, an online tool designed to help Australians identify what they know – and what they don’t – about end-of-life planning.

The short digital quiz provides personalised information and links to resources that can help people have conversations with family members and carers.

You can take the READYConnect quiz at readyconnect.org

Three things you can do now

You don’t have to tackle everything at once.

1. Take the quiz

Use READYConnect to identify gaps in your knowledge and find out what you may need to learn more about.

2. Have the conversation

Talk to your partner, children, siblings or another person you trust about what matters to you at the end of your life.

It doesn’t have to be a gloomy conversation. Knowing what someone wants can actually take pressure off the people they leave behind.

3. Get your paperwork in order

Make sure your will is up to date and investigate an advance care directive and enduring power of attorney or guardianship arrangements appropriate to your state or territory.

And don’t forget the practical details: where important documents are kept, who needs to know about them and what should happen to your digital accounts and assets.

As Australia’s population ages, the researchers say being prepared for death shouldn’t simply be regarded as an individual responsibility.

It is also about families and communities knowing how to care for one another.

And perhaps the biggest lesson from the research is a simple one: you don’t have to wait until someone is dying to start talking about death.