A new Australian platform is revolutionising how people prepare for death, making end-of-life planning not just accessible and practical, but deeply personal.
Critical Info, a Melbourne-based death-tech startup and social enterprise, has launched its much-anticipated online planning tool designed to help Australians document and share every detail of their legacy—from legal paperwork and health wishes, to pets, passwords, and even personal philosophies. Already attracting support across the aged care, palliative care and grief sectors, the platform is being hailed as a “game-changer” for easing grief outcomes and transforming how Australians talk about — and plan for — death.
With only 18% of Australians believing their family understands their end-of-life wishes, and just 15% of funerals classified as pre-planned, Critical Info aims to close the gap between what people want at the end of their life and what actually happens.
Inside Ageing spoke with Critical Info founder Catherine Ashton earlier today, who explained that after launching the Don’t Be Caught Dead podcast series, the time is right to provide a platform with all the information and support in one place.
“Until now, there’s been no easy, holistic way to plan for death that feels good to use and reflects who you are as a person. We’ve changed that. Death admin is now easy—and dare I say it, even beautiful.”
Catherine Ashton
The Critical Info Platform guides users to capture over 150 pieces of personal information across 15 life areas — from spiritual beliefs and digital life, to pets, parenting wishes, finances, and heritage. Users can upload notes, videos, or audio, and everything is safely stored until released to two nominated loved ones, either after death, hospitalisation or when the user decides it’s time to talk.
Its seamless integration with accessibility tools like AccessiBe ensures that people of all ages and abilities can use the platform, which is already being piloted by leading aged care provider Melville Cares – a Perth-based aged and community care provider.
“Most clients express a desire to die at home—but few achieve that due to a lack of planning,” said Maria Davison, CEO of Melville Cares. “We’re excited to be the first aged care provider in Australia to introduce the Critical Info platform to our clients. It’s a compassionate and practical way to ensure people can live out their final days in alignment with their values and wishes.”
The platform’s potential to reduce complicated grief has also gained strong backing from grief support services.
The need for a shift in how Australians approach death is clear. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the number of Australians aged 85 and over will more than double by 2042, making end-of-life literacy and planning more urgent than ever.
Ms Ashton said the platform only takes about 10 minutes a day for 15 days to complete, giving users an achievable path to peace of mind.
A launch event will be held tonight at Frankston Arts Centre. A livestream of the event can be watched below:
