Talking about death matters: Dying Matters Awareness Week
Talking about death isn't easy, but it matters.
Dying Matters Awareness Week (4 -10 May) is led by the charity Hospice UK and the theme is: let's talk about death and dying .
Death, dying and bereavement affect us all. Having conversations about death and dying, with family, friends, employers, anyone in your life, is important. It can help you get to things organised, let the people closest to you know your wishes and make the most of the time you have together.
We are all likely to experience death, dying and bereavement at some point during our lives. Talking about this with family, friends, colleagues or anyone important to us can make a huge difference. These conversations help us get things organised, share our wishes, and make the most of the time we have together.
In Northamptonshire, our Specialist Palliative Care Service provides specialist support and advice to patients who have been diagnosed with progressive, life-limiting illness. We help patients and their families to talk about death, dying and grief, and we highlight why planning ahead truly matters.
Across the county, our services work together to provide compassionate, holistic end of life care that meets physical, psychological and spiritual needs. NHFT provide specialist support at two hospices, Cynthia Spencer Hospice and Cransley Hospice, and alongside our inpatient units, our palliative nurses, doctors, therapists and wider teams deliver community care in clinics and, where appropriate, in people's homes.
Our community teams aim to support people with life-limiting illnesses by helping manage difficult symptoms, offering emotional and psychological support, and providing therapies that help them stay as comfortable and independent as possible.
Our End of Life Practice Development Team also provides education, training and support for health and social care staff, helping them deliver the best possible care.
In this video we spoke with Harri, Ward Sister and Jean, Healthcare Assistant, who share what it means to work in a hospice and why spending time with patients and families is so meaningful to them.
Plan ahead for peace of mind
Thinking about the care or treatment you might want in the future isn't always easy. But advance care planning gives you the opportunity to record your wishes, outline what matters most to you, and decide who should be involved if you become too unwell to make decisions yourself.
Having these conversations and writing things down helps your family, friends and health professionals understand your wishes and ensure you're cared for in the way you would want. We call this advance care planning.
There are lots of ways you can plan for your care, including:
- Advance care planning booklets to document your preferences
- Safeguarding your digital legacy - deciding what happens to your social media accounts, cloud storage and online presence
- Emergency ReSPECT planning, which guides clinical care in urgent situations when you cannot express your wishes
- Setting up a Lasting Power of Attorney - a legal document that appoints someone you trust to make decisions on your behalf
In this video, Amanda Taylor, Specialist Palliative Care Nurse, talks about the different ways you can prepare for your future care.
Thank-you to our hospice volunteers!
Across Cransley Hospice, Cynthia Spencer Hospice and our community teams, around 119 volunteers support us in countless ways - tending our gardens, welcoming visitors at reception, providing transport, offering companionship, and giving vital wellbeing support. Every role matters, and every contribution is truly invaluable.
We recently caught up with Jane, who has been a volunteer receptionist at Cynthia Spencer Hospice for 6 years.
To find out more about volunteering at NHFT visit www.nhft.nhs.uk/volunteer
What do families say about our services?
We're proud to share some of the heartfelt feedback we've received from families and loved ones who have spent time with us in our hospices:
"You allowed us the space to come and go as needed and your respect helped bring a real sense of calm and comfort to our family."
"Thank you for the remarkable work that you do and for the difference you make in the lives that you care for."
"In one of the most difficult seasons in our lives, you brought comfort, peace and reassurance. You cared not only for his medical needs but for his spirit and ours as well. Your gentle presence, patience and understanding made an unimaginable time more bearable."
"Your compassion and attention to even the smallest details made such a difference during a very difficult time."
Have those conversations
Our Specialist Palliative Care Service are sharing some tips from Hospice UK on things you can do to make having a conversation about death easier.
- Choose your moment - make sure you're not rushed or stressed. Make sure you give the conversation your full attention.
- Start with a question - Have you ever wondered This can be a more natural way to start a conversation sometimes.
- Be reassuring and honest about how you feel - be open and kind. Listen to what everyone has to say and let the conversation flow.
- Take it one step at a time - you don't have to cover everything in one conversation, It might be easier to speak about things a few times.
You can find out more from Hospice UK resource 'How to talk about death and dying'
Find out more
If you feel someone may benefit from inpatient hospice care, please speak to a healthcare professional. Referrals can be made by a GP, community nurse, hospital doctor, or palliative care clinical nurse specialist.
To find out more about NHFT's Specialist Palliative Services visit www.nhft.nhs.uk/spc