CHRISTUS Children's’ Post

Advocacy is one way I engage regarding death, dying, and grief. Creating ripples awaken us to live more consciously. Normalizing conversations about death, dying, and grief requires some vulnerability to put our fears out there or share our stories. But bit by bit, with each conversation, uneasiness is replaced by caring, loving, and honest conversations about our wishes. Monthly, I offer a free virtual space for talking about all things life, death, and grief. Join us as we gather in this brave and healing space. Here is the link. https://bityl.co/QVDr

At Centrica Care Navigators, we help people navigate end-of-life care for themselves and their family members. We make them feel comfortable and answer their questions. But the person who is dying, the patient, isn’t the only one included in our circle of care. Learn more about Centrica Grief Support on our latest blog post: Where to find the grief care you need - Centrica Care Navigators

This week, we are observing Dying Matters week – a campaign run by Hospice UK which encourages people to get talking about death in whatever way, shape or form works for them. It can be difficult to know what to say when someone loses a loved one - including in the workplace. It is totally normal to worry about saying the wrong thing and that it will make your colleague feel worse. Our latest Blog offers you a wealth of practical steps to take and things to say (or not to say) to someone who is grieving: https://buff.ly/4drFMcv

Gain clinical and practical insights from three new resources published by our End of Life and Palliative Care Network. 🔹 An evidence report on end-of-life care decisions (focusing on goals of care and resuscitation planning) summarises local experiences and insights from healthcare professionals and consumers across NSW, and outlines the international evidence: https://bit.ly/3Xq0WSv 🔹 A toolkit of practical information and considerations for providing virtual palliative care has been added to support the Clinical Principles for End of Life and Palliative Care Guideline, aligned to nine key actions: https://bit.ly/45usHvj 🔹 Clinical Principles for Specialist Bereavement Care in NSW describe the minimum principles of specialist bereavement counselling practice and services for the state: https://bit.ly/4b59nG3 Vanessa Evans Kate Lloyd Tara Dimopoulos-Bick Donna Parkes Stacey Hutchinson Maaike Allard Bruce Czerniec Vanessa J Alexander Maysaa Daher Thu Vuong

I’m a hospice doctor—here’s my best advice for making each day count: We are 25% done with 2024 so it’s a perfect time for reflection Most people only truly reflect on their lives when tragedy strikes or if it’s New Years If you want to make each day count, ask yourself these TWO questions every day: Waking up: 1️⃣ “How can I live as the best version of myself today?” Asking yourself this first thing in the morning Puts you in charge so you focus on what you most want to do rather than reacting to everyone else Before bed: 2️⃣”How did I do today?” The more often you ask this question, The easier it is to get back on track when you stray off course Be honest but not punitive with yourself If you’re lucky, you get to try again tomorrow How often are you currently asking yourself one or both of these questions?

There's no one-size-fits-all approach to grief- everyone grieves differently. For this reason, grief is incorporated into our patients’ plan of care. Learn more at https://nuvi.me/5dbw4l.

Dying Matters Awareness Week ❤️ Open and honest discussions about death and dying can make sure that someone's wishes for end of life care are known and respected. We should avoid using euphemisms like 'passing', 'passed away', 'gone', or 'lost their battle' when discussing the death of a loved one. These terms obscure the reality of death and hinder our ability to cope with the loss. While it may seem blunt, it's crucial to use direct language such as 'dying', 'died', or 'death'. These words enable us to confront the reality of death, fostering open discussions and allowing individuals to express their emotions effectively. The video below helps to explain the importance of speaking about death: 📽️ https://bit.ly/4dwb95K #DyingMattersWeek #TheWayWeTalkAboutDyingMatters

It's the last day to apply for Understanding Grief and Loss, our six-week introductory course led by Bevin Campbell, PsyD, and Nicole Alston, MSW, on how to offer culturally responsive and person-centered care to people who are grieving: https://bit.ly/49gO7gg

Today, we are proud to launch our joint manifesto for palliative and end of life care with our friends at Marie Curie UK, Sue Ryder, Together for Short Lives and The National Bereavement Alliance. Together, we represent the people who deliver brilliant end of life and bereavement care up and down the UK. And together, we understand some of the significant challenges we are facing to ensure that we can continue to provide that care to all who need it, no matter who they are, where they are or why they are ill. That's why ahead of the next election, we're calling on all political parties and candidates to commit to a set of policies that will mean that everyone is well looked after at end of life, long into the future. From ending the postcode lottery in end of life care, to ensuring everyone gets the compassionate leave they need from work - we know that these are priorities that people across the UK are right behind. We hope you'll support us too. Read more about our five manifesto asks at: https://ow.ly/ftRp50PRVRC

At the European Association for Palliative Care World Research Congress in Barcelona last week, Torsten Schwalbach presented a poster on "A mixed-methods systematic review of bereavement support in palliative care: One size does not fit all". The poster focuses on the importance of supporting families during death, dying, and bereavement as an essential element of specialized palliative care. The current state of evidence on family support and its impact on bereavement outcomes in adult palliative care remains insufficiently understood. The aim was to synthesize evidence around the impact of end-of-life and bereavement support on post-loss coping and wellbeing, and perceptions around its usefulness and benefits. The review found that interventions are generally beneficial but need to be tailored to individual needs.   #EAPC2024 #PalliativeCare #BereavementSupport #EndOfLifeCare #FamilySupport #HealthcareResearch #uzh Torsten Schwalbach, Lotte Germans-Verweij, David Blum, Rahel Naef