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Dying Matters Awareness Week
To mark Dying Matters Awareness Week 2015 we are promoting new resources that help people know what to expect and how to help when someone they care about is dying.
What to expect when someone important to you is dying was produced by the National Council for Palliative Care, Hospice UK and Sue Ryder. With their kind permission, we've put this well-written and approachable document into a Scottish context and made the information available to members of the public via the NHS Inform website.
Designed for carers, families and friends of dying people, this new online resource tries to answer some of the questions people may have about what happens in the very last days and hours of a person's life...
What happens when someone is dying?
Will a person's pain get worse as they get closer to dying?
Should I be worried?
What can I do to help?
Mark Hazelwood, Chief Executive of the Scottish Partnership for Palliative Care said:
"When a person you care about is dying, you want to do what is best for that person. Not knowing what to expect or how to help can make a distressing time even worse.
"Dying is unpredictable. It is not always possible to know for sure that a person is in the last days of life, or to predict exactly when a person will die.
"However, there are certain bodily changes that show a person is likely to be close to death. Some of these changes may be distressing, but it can be reassuring to know what to expect and how to help.
"This resource aims to provide information about some of the common changes that occur when someone is near the end of life, and some suggestions of how friends, family and carers might provide support during this time - a situation which will affect nearly everyone at some point."
Access the new resources here: weblink.
Thanks to the National Council for Palliative Care, Sue Ryder and Hospice UK for their kind permission to reproduce content from their publication What to expect when someone important to you is dying, which can be downloaded or purchased from the NCPC website.
Scottish Charity Award Finalists
We are delighted to find out that To Absent Friends has been shortlisted for the Cracking Campaign category in the 2015 Scottish Charity Awards.
Organised by Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO), the Awards celebrate the amazing work of charities, community groups and people across Scotland who dedicate themselves to making Scotland a better place to live.
Being shortlisted for this award is fantastic recognition of the work of Good Life, Good Death, Good Grief members across Scotland.
To Absent Friends, a people’s festival of storytelling and remembrance, provided opportunities for people across Scotland to remember and tell stories about dead loved ones. It was born out of a desire to address some of the social isolation experienced by people who’ve been bereaved.
Martin Sime, Chief Executive, SCVO, said:
“All the finalists have shown that they go the extra mile to help others. So much of that work goes unseen and unheard, but the Scottish Charity Awards shines a light on it so we can all say a big thank you.”
Your vote counts
All shortlisted entries will also compete for the People’s Choice Award which will be decided by the public. Winning this award would be a great boost to the profile of the important work underway across Scotland to build a culture that is more open and supportive when it comes to death, dying and bereavement. To make sure To Absent Friends is in with a chance of winning, please go to the SCVO website to cast your vote.
Awareness week coming this May
Dying Matters Awareness Week will take place from 18-24 May, encouraging people to take a few simple steps to make end of life experiences better, both for themselves and for their loved ones.
Across Scotland people will be getting involved by putting on their own events. For example, after a successful event last year, students at the University of Dundee will have the opportunity to contribute to Before I Die walls, giving them an opportunity to reflect on what is important to them. They'll also have the chance to discuss issues relating to death, dying and bereavement in informal cafe-conversations, using conversation menus as framework to support and encourage conversation.
In recent years, death cafes have become increasingly popular, and this year's awareness week will see the first ever death cafe in Ayr, in Restaurant D'vinity on May 18th, starting at 7pm. Final Fling will also be hosting a death cafe to mark the awareness week, in Glasgow's Gallery of Modern Art on Sat 23 May from 1-3pm.
Talk, Plan, Live
The theme of the Awareness Week is 'Talk, Plan, Live', using the hashtag #YODO, which stands for You Only Die Once.
There are a huge variety of ways you can get involved. From sending a tweet to running a high-profile event. Even just having a chat with family, friends or colleagues about the importance of preparing for death can change perceptions.
Dying Matters have produced postcards, posters and banners, all of which can be ordered from their website.
For more information about Dying Matters Week and how you might participate, check out the Dying Matters website. If you are planning to put on an event in Scotland, do get in touch and we can help to promote it through the Good Life, Good Death, Good Grief networks.
Publication of A Whole School Approach to Loss and Bereavement
A group of organisations have jointly published A Whole School Approach to Loss and Bereavement, a reference toolkit, providing information to help teachers support children and young people during times of loss, change and bereavement.
NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde, Glasgow City Council Education Services, the Prince and Princess of Wales Hospice, St Margaret of Scotland Hospice and Marie Curie have produced the resource to support teachers from early years to secondary education environments. It has been developed to support teachers to increase their knowledge and understanding of loss, change and bereavement.
The project was initiated after a scoping exercise highlighted that many teachers felt that training on loss, change and bereavement was an area requiring further development.
The toolkit sets out a vision whereby schools are supportive, prepared and informed in relation to both the needs of children and young people and loss, change and bereavement. It includes case studies, examples of good practice, lesson plans and direction to further resources.
The full toolkit can be accessed here: weblink
Can death get any better? A lecture series.
The Scottish Partnership for Palliative Care and Marie Curie present a new winter lecture series:Can death get any better? The lecture series will highlight ongoing challenges and unmet needs in death and dying.
In the opening lecture, Dr David Reilly, Director of the Wellness Enhancement Learning Programme, will explore Uniting love and skill in the art of human caring.
The February lecture will feature Dr Bee Wee, National Clinical Director for End of Life Care for NHS England speaking on the subject of Care for older people towards the end of life: tensions and challenges.
The lecture series closes with a lecture on Living and dying in very old age: the limits of choice by Professor Tony Walter, Director of the University of Bath Centre for Death & Society.
Full details of the lectures are below. To RSVP for any of these events please contact Susan Lowesat Marie Curie.
Uniting love and skill in the art of human caring
Dr David Reilly, Director of the Wellness Enhancement Learning and The Healing Shift Programmes.
Wednesday 21 January, 6pm, MacDonald Holyrood Hotel, Edinburgh
Care for older people towards the end of life: tensions and challenges.
Dr Bee Wee, National Clinical Director for End of Life Care for NHS England
Wednesday 25 February, 6pm, The Lighthouse, Glasgow
Living and dying in very old age: the limits of choice
Professor Tony Walter, Director of the University of Bath Centre for Death & Society.
Wednesday 25 March, 6pm, MacDonald Holyrood Hotel, Edinburgh
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