Dying Matters is a coalition of 32,000 members across England and Wales which aims to help people talk more openly about dying, death and bereavement, and to make plans for the end of life.
In 2009, the National Council for Palliative Care (NCPC) set up the Dying Matters Coalition to promote public awareness of dying, death and bereavement.
Every year in May, Dying Matters and their coalition members host an Awareness Week, which gives them an unparalleled opportunity to place the importance of talking about dying, death and bereavement firmly on the national agenda. Their 2016 Awareness Week ran from 9-15 May and had the theme 'The Big Conversation'.
Dying Matters Awareness Week is an unparalleled opportunity to place the importance of talking about dying, death and bereavement firmly on the national agenda. Last year, members held more than 500 events across England and Wales, and had hoped that the message will spread even wider in 2016, with your help.
If you're thinking about what you can do, the following events were all held during this year's Awareness Week and may serve as inspiration.
• Funeral home open days and cemetery tours
• Stalls in shopping centres and supermarkets, hospitals and hospices and even on buses
• Wills workshops
• Talks on everything from Egyptian burial methods to laughter therapy
• "Healing" woodland walks and handfasting ceremonies
• Line dancing displays, quizzes on end of life issues, afternoon teas
• Training sessions for carers, medical professionals and volunteers
• Twitter and Facebook campaigns
Chaired by National Council for Palliative Care and Dying Matters champion Tony Bonser, a sell-out audience at the Holiday Inn Regents Park enjoyed a packed agenda featuring presenters representing a wide variety of organisations and individuals working in health and social care, end of life care, financial planning, and death and bereavement awareness. Tony revealed in his opening address that of those who die in acute hospital settings, only four per cent of people have made an advance care plan, showing just why it is so important to encourage people to talk about what they want for the end of life.
The presenters shared practical tips and inspirational ideas for hosting Awareness Week events, as well as poignant and powerful messages on why talking about dying, death and bereavement is so vital. Attendees were also able to swap information and ideas in a lively workshop. Such was the buzz around the event that our hashtag for Awareness Week, #BigConversation, trended during the morning on Twitter in the UK.
Some of the presentations that were delivered at the launch included:
• The Overview of Dying Matters Awareness Week and launch of 2016 Big Conversation resources, Claire Henry MBE, Chief Executive
• NCPC & Dying Matters, Planning for your care and support and what to discuss with health professionals
• Di Laverty, Nurse Consultant in Palliative Care, St Joseph’s Hospice
• Funeral planning and engaging with funeral directors Fran Glover and Carrie Weekes, A Natural Undertaking
See the following websites for more information:
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