What Is a Better Death? Rethinking How We See the End

We don’t talk about death. Not really. We dress it up in euphemisms - passed away, no longer with us, gone too soon.We hide it behind closed doors, polished funeral homes, and flower arrangements designed to soften the reality.

But what if we stopped hiding?What if we asked: What does a good death look like? And more importantly - what does a better one feel like?

At TURN, we believe the answer lies not in avoiding death - but in transforming our relationship with it.

The Fear of Death Is Often the Fear of Disconnection

For most of history, death was part of life. It happened at home. The body stayed in the room. People gathered, grieved, cooked, cried. Children saw it. Elders guided it. There was a rhythm to letting go.

Modern society disrupted that rhythm.

Hospitals replaced homes. Institutions replaced intimacy. Death became medicalized, sanitized, and eventually-invisible.

And with that came fear.Not just of dying, but of what it means, what it leaves behind, and how utterly alone it can feel.

But here's the quiet truth: Death is not the opposite of life. It's part of it.

And when we start to see it that way, something shifts.

Enter: Better Death

Not faster. Not cheaper. Not “perfect.

Better.

Better Death is about more than biodegradable urns (though yes, we love those).It’s about intention. Design. Awareness. Return.

It asks:

• How do we want to be remembered?

• How do we reduce the weight—emotional, ecological, financial—on those we leave behind?

• How do we celebrate the life lived, without burdening the life that continues?

It’s about giving the same care to death that we give to birth. To birthdays. To weddings. Because it’s just as sacred. Just as real.

What a Better Death Looks Like (According to Us)

🌿 Natural – A process that gives back. That leaves soil healthier, not polluted. Open – A conversation, not a taboo. Something we can talk about without shame or awkward silence. Intentional – Planned, not in fear, but in love. A set of wishes. A shared understanding. Designed – Beautiful. Thoughtful. Not about excess, but about essence.🌌 Meaningful – Something that doesn’t end with a ceremony, but continues in memory, in place, in purpose.

A Better Death Isn't Just Possible—It's Inevitable

Because people are already choosing it.

91% of Europeans consider environmental impact when planning funerals.Natural cemeteries are blooming. Cremation is rising. Grief counselors and death doulas are slowly replacing cold institutions.And more of us are asking: “What would I want when it’s my time?”

At TURN, we’re here for that question.We exist not to avoid death, but to make it softer, wiser, more human.Not just for the person who passes - but for the people who stay.

So… What Does Death Mean to Us?

It means responsibility.It means design.It means humility.

It means understanding that our final act can be regenerative.It can heal soil. Spark a tree. Free a family from debt.It can invite a conversation instead of cutting one short.

It can be a turning point.

Because what we leave behind isn’t just memory.It’s material. It’s legacy.And it can be… better.

Let’s make room for death. Not as something to fear—but as something to reclaim.Let’s talk about it. Design for it.And let’s do it with compassion, clarity, and care.

That’s what we mean when we say:TURN is about Better Death.And a better death begins long before the end.