News
Fear of talking about illness & death costs NHS Scotland £23 million a year
THE reluctance of Scots to plan for illness and death is costing the NHS in Scotland an estimated £23m a year.
It is estimated that at any one time 150 NHS beds are taken up by people who don’t need hospital treatment but who can’t be released as they are unable to give their consent to be moved to a more appropriate care setting.
As well as costing precious NHS cash, the problem results in families having to go through lengthy and often costly legal processes to get permission to make care decisions on their loved ones behalf.
The figures have been released as the first ever awareness week aimed at encouraging Scots to talk about death is launched.
The week has been organised by campaign group Good Life, Good Death, Good Grief, who are calling on Scots to give a trusted love one power of attorney – long before they become ill.
The simple legal document allows adults to give another person the right to make decisions on their behalf if they are unable to.
Mark Hazelwood Director of Good Life, Good Death, Good Grief said: “Most people have heard of making a will, but far fewer appreciate the importance of making a power of attorney.
“Yet this simple document can save families so much money and distress and could save the NHS a lot of much needed money.
“Most people just don’t realise that they don’t have any automatic right to make decisions about the care of a loved one, even a spouse, if they are too ill to speak for themselves.
“Having to go to court can take months and can be costly, not to mention very stressful at an already difficult time.
“Often people feel that’s it morbid to think about death and don’t want to talk about it, but none of us knows what is in store around the corner so it makes sense to take this simple practical step now.
“Most people are surprised by how easy and inexpensive it is to make a power of attorney and many people will qualify simply and quickly for legal aid, especially if over retirement age”.
One man who understands the importance of power of attorney is Alan Mees who says his aunt has unnecessarily taken up a bed in hospital for almost six months at a cost of around £50,000.
The 63-year-old’s aunt was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease after being taken into hospital after a fall in autumn last year.
Former business consultant Alan, said: “There is physically little wrong with my aunt but she can’t be moved from the hospital bed.
“Her Alzheimer’s means she is classed as a vulnerable adult and can’t consent to it.
“Legally no one else can decide on her behalf without a court order to appoint a legal guardian over her affairs, however this is proving to be a very long, expensive and frustrating process.
“It’s been a very difficult time for the family with huge costs to the NHS and it could all have been avoided if only she had given power of attorney to someone.
“I think we all want to believe nothing bad will ever happen to us but the truth is that even if you are young, something could happen that will leave you unable to take decisions on your own.”
The aim of the Good Life, Good Death, Good Grief campaign is to encourage Scots to think about death, dying and bereavement.
The organisation also wants people to talk to their loved ones about they would like to die and what kind of end of life care they would want, as well as make wills and give a trusted loved one power of attorney.
For further information making a power of attorney and on all aspects of death, dying and bereavement, visit: www.goodlifedeathgrief.org.uk
Awareness week launched
Over 200
organisations have come together to organise the first ever Scottish awareness
week aimed at encouraging people to be more open about death, dying and
bereavement.
Campaign alliance Good Life, Good Death, Good Grief say that avoiding the topic of death can cause problems including people not dying where they want to, families facing legal battles because loved ones haven’t left wills and bereaved people feeling isolated.
In response the group has organised a week of activities across Scotland to spark conversation, from theatre shows to the installation of temporary walls where the public will be asked to write down what they want to do before they die.
Two of Scotland’s best loved TV presenters and broadcasters Cat Harvey and Michelle McManus, became amongst the first to write on Scotland’s Before I Die walls. Real Breakfast Show presenter Cat showed her positive side saying she’d like “to laugh lots and be healthy”. Ever the optimist she also added she’d like to meet Hollywood star, Bradley Cooper and “introduce him to Nutella”. Pop Idol winner and TV presenter Michelle shared many of Cat’s ambitions but her star-struck wish is to meet JK Rowling. Being an obsessed fan of hers, Michelle added she’d like to “not be arrested when I do meet her”.
Director of Good Life, Good Death, Good Grief, Mark Hazelwood, said: “Everyone in Scotland will die but strangely it can be hard to remember that this will inevitably include our self.
“As a result it is easy to overlook some simple practical steps which can make things easier for friends and family when the time comes.
“It’s easier to get this stuff sorted out whilst fit and well, and then get on with living life to the full.
“Important actions include legal stuff like making a will and a power of attorney and personal things like considering what music you might like at your funeral and reflecting on what you really want to have done before you die.”
Events to promote the message that talking about death is a good thing have been organised across the country by members of Good Life, Good Death, Good Grief including charities, NHS boards, individuals and local community organisations.
One of the most unique conversation starters will be the installation of temporary walls covered with the words “Before I die I want to.....” that will be scattered across the country.
Members of the public will be asked to finish the sentence with the one thing they most want to do before they die.
The project has been inspired by an art project started in New Orleans that spread across the USA and across the world.
Other events include death cafes, a film screening, shopping centre displays, workshops, drop-in sessions, and a theatre performance.
Barbara Chalmers, Founder of Final Fling and organiser of Glad to be Alive, a death cafe taking place in Glasgow said: "I expect Glad to be Alive to appeal to ordinary folk who want to share thoughts about a subject that we are told is a taboo. It's not a counselling session. It's not a goth-fest. It's just a friendly place to talk openly - shrug off any notion of taboo. With cake!"
Mark added: “We hope these events will lead to people having conversations about death who perhaps would have felt the topic was off limits before.
“We think the Before I Die walls will be especially popular as they allow people to have a bit of fun and think about what they really want out of life while hopefully also thinking about the more serious issues.”
So, what do you want to do before you die? Share it with Scotland.
Before I Die walls appear across Scotland
‘Be cut in half by a magician in Vegas.’ ‘Swim
naked.’ ‘See
my grandchildren grow up.’ ‘Sing
a duet with Rufus Wainwright.’ What do you want to do before you die?
These are just a few of the responses to the question being asked this week by Good Life, Good Death, Good Grief, to mark Scotland's first ever death awareness week. Across Scotland, people who believe that Scotland should be a place where we can be open about death, dying and bereavement are constructing 'Before I Die' walls.
Before I Die is a global public art project that invites people to reflect on their lives and share their personal aspirations in public space. Begun by artist Candy Chang (after losing someone she loved) and friends on an abandoned house in the New Orleans neighbourhood, the project is about remembering what is important to you.
From urban locations like Glasgow and Edinburgh to more remote locations like Stornoway and Torphins, people across Scotland will have the chance to share their hopes and dreams in public space. Find a Before I Die wall near you here.
Good Life, Good Death, Good Grief have also opened up the public space that is their website to create a virtual Before I Die wall.
All of this is to raise awareness of the need for Scotland to be a place where people can be open about death, dying and bereavement.
Awareness Week approaches...
Good Life, Good Death, Good Grief Awareness Week will take place 13th-15th May. Members across Scotland have been organising awareness week events with fantastic energy and enthusiasm, and usually very little time or money! From interested individuals to established organisations, all over Scotland people have been taking action to promote more openness about death, dying and bereavement.
We expect to see Before I Die walls popping up across the country, and will publish a list on our website next week. Other activities include shopping centre events, workshops, drop-in sessions, a death café, a film screening and a theatre performance. A list of events is available on the Good Life, Good Death, Good Grief website. We would love to be able to list all relevant events on our website, so please get in touch if you're planning something.
Funding Announced
We are pleased to announce that a small grants programme has been set up to support GLGDGG members to undertake activities, events or projects aimed at helping Scotland to become a place where people are more open about death, dying and bereavement.
Specifically, we are looking to fund projects that:
- Help people to find ways of dealing with their own experiences of death, dying and bereavement.
- Help individuals and communities to support those who are experiencing difficult times associated with death, dying and bereavement.
- Support NHS and social care staff and volunteers to work compassionately and constructively with those who are dying or have been recently bereaved.
- Help people to make practical preparations for their death, for example Will, Power of Attorney and Advance Care Planning.
- Promote openness/discussion of death, dying and bereavement.
Member organisations can apply for a maximum grant of £500, and the closing date for applications is Monday 8 April to allow applications to be processed and relevant money distributed in time for Awareness Week. (Applications are also accepted for activities scheduled outside Awareness Week.) We appreciate the timescale is tight and with this in mind the application form is designed to be straightforward to complete.
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