Talking about dying can be difficult – but discussing it with your loved ones could help you make the most of your life to the very end and help your family too.
That’s the message for this year’s Dying Matters Awareness Week, an event to get people talking about end of life care.
It covers all manner of practical things you might want to think about, including making wills, funeral wishes, palliative and end of life care and support, organ and tissue donation and telling your loved ones your wishes.
But it also emphasises the need to have ‘the big conversation’ with your loved ones so that they know what you want to happen at the end of your life.
Salford Royal is again supporting Dying Matters, which runs from 9-15 May.
Who will be hosting a ‘National Dying Matters café’ in Hope Building on Monday 9 May where you can meet up with experts such as our bereavement nurses, organ and tissue donation advisers, solicitors and undertakers.
There will also be a chance to take a tour of Salford Royal’s mortuary on Sunday 8 May from 2-4pm. This will not take in any of the private spaces but will allow visitors to see the family support rooms. Mortuary staff and bereavement nurses will be on hand to answer questions and offer support.
Mortuary manager Mike Coombes said: “People sometimes get the wrong idea of mortuaries from TV and films and we think they will be interested to see what it is really like. We want visitors to know that when a loved one dies, they will be really well looked after.”
Fiona Murphy, Assistant Director of Nursing Bereavement Support, said: “Death is inevitable but we can control the way we treat the dying and the dead. Less than a third of people have discussed their wishes around dying, which can make the time even more difficult for their loved ones.
“Helping patients and their families at their time of greatest need is hugely important us and we work really hard to make sure patients can make the choices they want and that they are treated with dignity and compassion at the end of their lives.
“But everyone can play their part by being brave enough to have those conversations that matter.”
