What is Dying Matters?
Dying Matters is an annual campaign driven by Hospice UK to create an open culture in which we’re comfortable talking about death, dying and grief.
The way we talk about Dying Matters
This year’s theme, The way we talk about Dying Matters, focuses on the language that we use, and conversations we have, around death and dying – specifically between our incredible healthcare professionals and our patients, their carers and their families.
Honest, timely conversations about death and dying are essential to good end of life care. Yet all too often barriers, including lack of confidence, taboos around discussing death, and confusion about who should be having these conversations mean patients, carers and families may not understand what is happening, or get all the information and support they need.
We are passionate about ensuring that our patients and their families receive the right communication from us, at the right time and in a way that works for them. If they understand what may happen and when, they can turn their attention to making memories. Especially when time is precious and every moment matters.
This short film by Hospice UK goes someway to explaining how the way we talk about dying matters.
How to get involved
We are so privileged to have an amazing multicultural city to care for. As your local hospice, we are committed to ensuring that everyone in Milton Keynes gets access to the care that’s right for them and their family. We understand that the meaning given to illness, death and dying differs between cultures and faiths. But we have much to learn from each other and have many conversations to start.
We’ll be inviting you to join in our discussions on Social Media and we’ll be also be sharing the experiences of our clinical teams and the language they use in their conversations about death and dying.
Roundtable Discussion event 8 May
High Sheriff of Buckinghamshire, Kurshida Mirza
During Dying Matters Awareness Week we’re inviting members of our many diverse community and faith groups to start those conversations at the Hospice with us. The roundtable event will take place at our Hospice cafe on Wednesday 8 May 6-7.30 pm.
We’re thrilled that the High Sheriff of Buckinghamshire, Kurshida Mirza, will be taking part in the event as we seek to learn from one another through open conversations about death, dying and bereavement. Kurshida is a passionate advocate for bringing together diverse communities and ensuring that different voices and perspectives are heard.
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Books to help with death and griefHere's a selection of books recommended by Hospice UK to help support
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Tips for being a good listenerSome people find it hard to talk about death, dying and grieving. The way we respond when people bring up the subject can make a big difference.
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How to talk about death and dyingThere’s no perfect way to talk about dying, but there are a few things you can do to make it easier.
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Talking to someone who is grievingIt can be difficult to know what to say when someone loses a loved one but it’s usually better to do something than say nothing.
