together | p. 10
Dying Matters Week 2021 Dying Matters Awareness Week was held in May, an annual event to encourage communities, individuals and organisations to come together and open the conversation around death, dying and bereavement. This year, Dying Matters Week focused on the importance of being 'in a good place to die.' To mark the occasion, Compassionate Communities East brought together members of our Palliative Care research group, St Nicholas Hospice Care, St Helena Hospice, and St Elizabeth Hospice to host a number of online events in collaboration with various organisations and inspiring individuals across the region to create a space for us to think about what it means to be in a good place to die. The facilitated events, mostly online, helped participants develop compassionate conversation skills, how to help grieving children as well as discover more about funeral directors and their important role in supporting those grieving. Compassionate Communities, supported by UEAHSCP, is a community-led initiative that encourages people to talk openly about improving services, approaches and support available for end-of-life care. Find out more about Dying Matters week here.
Image: Rebecca Goddard
Compassionate Communities are defined as “enhancing the activities of naturally occurring supportive networks combined with the wealth of community resources to be found in neighbourhoods, workplaces, educational institutions, or any place where people gather. Activating these communities can bring immense benefit to the people involved, both those receiving and giving support. Professional health and social care services can work in union and harmony with compassionate communities. If they do so, they will have an enormous resource which will help the people they serve in ways not possible for professional services alone.’ (from https://www.compassionatecommunitiesuk.co.uk/what-are-compassionate-communities).
