With an exceptional line-up of local and international speakers, the Caring, Dying & Grieving: Encouraging and Supporting Action in Communities winter get-together took place on Thursday 1 December at the Renfield Centre in Glasgow.
For more information, please see the programme and speaker biographies, and read more about the sessions below:
As part of the No-one Grieves Alone initiative in Inverclyde, Alison Bunce has been encouraging and supporting local organisations to take action to become more bereavement-friendly employers.
In this session, Alison shared some of her experiences from this work, including ideas of how others can support similar work within their own organisation or locality.
The session included information about the Bereavement Charter Mark for Employers and the Bereavement Friendly Workplaces Toolkit, and how they can provide a template and tools to support managers, HR staff and colleagues to take practical action to support more bereavement-friendly workplaces.
Download Alison's presentation slides here.
There's growing consensus that creating a culture where people can talk about, plan ahead for, and support each other with death and dying is really important. But how do we make that happen here in Scotland?
Drawing on theory relating to 'public health approaches to palliative care', 'health promoting palliative care' and 'compassionate communities', Rebecca Patterson looked at some of the efforts that have been made in Scotland over the last decade to improve people's experiences of death, dying and bereavement. Referring to policy, practice and the work of Good Life, Good Death, Good Grief she'll explore attempts to move from theory and good intentions towards actions that have resonance and impact for individuals and communities in Scotland.
Download Rebecca's presentation slides here.
Since 2020, five Scottish communities (in Perth, North Berwick, Highland, Ayrshire and Tayside) have been participating in the Truacanta Project, working to improve local experiences of death, dying and bereavement through a community development approach.
Three years on, those involved in the project shared what they’ve learned about creating more compassionate communities.
Download the presentation slides here.
“In Ireland we still talk to the dead, speak to the birds and wave away that one Magpie.”
Singing songs charged with a sense of social responsibility in a career spanning over 25 years, Karan Casey has released 11 albums as well as contributing to numerous other artists’ projects. She has toured extensively throughout the world, performing with her own band as well as diverse collaborations.
In this session Karan Casey explored the songs that have helped her to find a pathway through grief.
A team of researchers in Belgium are exploring the creation of compassionate cities in Belgium, combining academic and practical approaches. As a result of this work, Bruges is now officially designated a ‘compassionate city’, and this year the City Festival Nodes took place in Bruges from 17-25 September, highlighting various initiatives around grief and loss.
In this session Bert Quintiens and Louise D’Eer shared their reflections from this work so far – the barriers they faced, their successes so far and the learning they’d share with others trying to support compassionate communities.
Download their presentation slides here.
A series of short presentations on a variety of work underway from all across Scotland, including:
A chance to discuss the practicalities of encouraging more supportive communities relating to death, dying and bereavement.
Delegates had the chance to hear from others who are actively encouraging compassionate communities and share your own experiences.
This session included contributions from: Caroline Gibb, Truacanta Project Manager; Deborah Ritchie and Charli Prime of North Berwick Compassionate Community; Anne Macdonald and Karrie Marshall from Highland Truacanta; and Linda Sterry from Say Something Dundee.
See the breakout session slides here, the session notes here, next steps here, and a creative visioning exercise here.
Planning ahead for ill health and death encompassess many aspects, including the medical, the practical and the legal. It can include anticipatory care planning, DNACPR documentation, RESPeCT, legal forward planning or informal discussions.
This session explored how people can be supported and encouraged to plan ahead for ill health and death. Jennifer Watt shared work underway in NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde to support and encourage anticipatory care planning. Mireille Hayden explained the work Gentle Dusk does to help people to document their emergency and future care wishes, financial and legal affairs. There were opportunities for questions, discussion and together delegates explored and shared their experiences, barriers and successes.
In this workshop we discussed why death and bereavement are relevant issues for education communities and showcase a range of current Scottish examples of work in this area. We specifically focused on three elements that can help advance education and support related to death and bereavement, including: Bereavement Awareness Training, Death and Grief Education and Targeted Bereavement Support. Delegates heard different speakers talk about the why and how of each of these topics and the ways in which we can support related initiatives moving forward. There were lots of practical tips and resources to take away that aim to improve experiences in education settings for young people, staff and the wider education community.
This session explored the idea of public health approaches to palliative care from the perspectives of those providing palliative care services
The recently published JRCPTB palliative medicine curriculum 2022 explicitly references public health and health promotion in end of life care. Libby Sallnow will look at what this means for palliative medicine clinicians and service provision.
There is growing recognition of the harm that can come from over-medicalising death, and of the role formal services can play in handing power back to communities. Susan High will share key reflections from the work of Strathcarron Hospice's Compassionate Communities Team which works alongside the local community using an asset-based community development approach.
The session included opportunities for questions and discussion, providing a space for delegates to explore what role formal services and the people who provide them have to play in public health approaches to palliative care.
Download Susan High's presentation slides here.
There was a chance in the morning for delegates to attend one of these optional early-bird sessions before the first plenary session.
Kate Clark and Lin Carruthers, Pushing Up the Daisies
Jennifer Watt, Anticipatory Care Programme Manager, NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde
Photo by Manish Upadhyay on Unsplash
Throughout the day there were opportunities to meet up informally over a cup of tea, to chat, to learn about what others are doing, and for delegates to share work:
Stalls: Talking Mats & Coffin Club Caledonia; Soul Midwives Scotland; Marie Curie Scotland; Pushing up the Daisies; Child Bereavement UK and Scottish bereavement networks; Social Security Scotland’s National Engagement Team; End of Life Studies at University of Glasgow; Good Life, Good Death, Good Grief
End of Life Aid Skills for Everyone: a preview of some of the resources from EASE, the End of Life Aid Skills for Everyone public education course.
It Takes a Village: A powerful and challenging series of portraits and personal stories, It Takes a Village explores the idea that as people’s health deteriorates, care and support comes in many guises.
Noticeboard of opportunities: Are you seeking others to get involved in a local project? Would you like to work with others to get something done? Put a notice on the noticeboard advertising your project, or check out the notices put there by others.
The event was designed for anyone interested in this field, whether professionally, personally or in a volunteer capacity.
We welcomed volunteers, community members, social care staff, nurses, doctors, funeral directors, death doulas, academics, policy workers, community development practitioners, service planners/managers and more.
A programme is available here: Caring, Dying and Grieving Programme
Photo by Claudio Schwarz on Unsplash
