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What is Dying Matters Week?

Conversations around dying have always been a touchy subject in ‘stiff upper lip’ Britain. Unlike countries in South America where a loved one’s death is honoured with festivals and remembrance, end of life and bereavement have always been touchy subjects in the UK. 

Death is part of the natural cycle of life, that’s a given. So why, is there such a stigma around talking about it. From 14th to the 20th May, Dying Matters, a coalition of 32,000 members across England and Wales, will be helping people to talk more openly about dying, death, and bereavement.    

The coalition’s mission is to drive a fundamental change in society in which dying, death and bereavement will be seen and accepted as the natural part of everybody’s life cycle. They believe that the way that people view death has an impact on the experience of people who are dying and bereaved and that the lack of openness around the subject results in patients not getting the choice to die where or how they wish.

The Dying Matters coalition wants people to start the conversation around what they want at the end of their life, including organ donation, funeral plans and where they want to die.

What can you do?

The campaign for 2018 is focusing on ‘what can you do… in your community?’ There are many ways to get involved in the week, including:

Running a coffee morning to encourage people to talk about their wishes, talk to their family about their future care or register as an organ donor.

Organising an afternoon of activities, including talks from funeral directors and local bereavement associations.

Visit a Death Cafe in your local area and meet other like-minded people who want to discuss the end of life with no agenda, objectives or themes.

Put together an anonymous post box in a local place (library, village hall) where people can write down their wishes and how they think services could be improved.

Share informative articles and support groups on social media sites to encourage people to chat.

Support

During the week, people will also be encouraged to write a will, record their funeral wishes, plan for future care and support and simply start the conversation around death and bereavement.  

At Nurseplus, we believe that discussing what your wishes are when coming to the end of life is a crucial factor in ensuring that you get the peace and comfort you desire. Not only will it benefit you in talking about your care plans, but it will also provide peace of mind to family and friends knowing that your wishes were met at the end. 

Our team provide tailored support for peopled needing end of life care, striving all the while to ensure that they receive all the assistance needed to manage their condition and maintain the life that they are most accustomed to.  

Find our more about the awareness week, visit the Dying Matters website, or check out the Find Me Help directory, the UK’s most comprehensive directory of services for people in the last years of life, their families, carers and friends.

Posted on May 10, 2018 by Nurseplus