Next week is Dying Matters Awareness Week and this year in particular we want to recognise this and raise the profile of how much Dying Matters and how important it is to be #InAGoodPlace when the time comes. The past year and more has been like no other, and while death and dying is significant no matter when it happens, this year has brought its impact to everyone’s attention.
To mark this awareness week, we have been asking our colleagues in the Integrated Specialist Palliative Care and End Of Life services, together with supporting colleagues from wider teams, to think about the question ‘Why does dying matter?’ These will be shared next week, so check back then.
Where people die is changing. More people than ever are dying at home in recent years, and the pandemic has seen this number leap by tens of thousands. It is more important than ever for us to talk about death, dying and bereavement. There is no right or wrong place to die; it will be different for everyone.
We know that when asked, more than four in five people say they would prefer to die at home. It is important for families to think about it, to talk about it and to plan for it. Planning for death is more important than ever in a time when the COVID-19 pandemic has taken so many lives at such short notice, and in circumstances that are beyond our control.
We want people of all ages to be in a good place when they die – physically, emotionally and with the right care in place. Getting there means having some important conversations, and taking some careful decisions. Make sure that you and your loved ones are in a good place to die – join the Dying Matters movement.
See below some useful resources to help inform you about these matters:
Talking about dying with children
Talking about dying with people affected by dementia
You can find out more about Dying Matters Awareness Week on the Dying Matters website.
Search the hashtags #InAGoodPlace and #DMAW21 and follow @DyingMatters on social media to learn more about the campaign.
You can find out more about our Integrated Specialist Palliative Care and End Of Life services on our website
