Practicalities
What to do when someone dies
With the end in mind – helping your loved ones plan ahead
When supporting an older loved one, it’s important to know if they have opinions about what treatment they would or would not want towards the end of life. The subject of what happens to our family members if they get unwell is not an easy one to think about, and we may understandably be reluctant […]
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What to do when a loved one passes away
Collaborative Post The difficulty of losing a loved one cannot be expressed in words. It is enough to say it is the worst thing you can experience. Unfortunately, it is also a time when much needs to be organised. You may want to shrink into your shell, but the realities of death require you to […]
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How can an end of life doula help my family?
While doulas are becoming more well-known in the UK, they’re usually associated with the process of giving birth. Yet today there’s a growing band of end of life doulas, whose role it is to help people with life-limiting conditions and those they love to get the most out of the time they have left together. […]
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What to do when a parent dies
Losing a parent is an emotional time. Yet there are numerous practical tasks to be undertaken – some quickly, some over time. Here’s a step-by-step guide to what you need to do when a parent dies, written by Louise Pearce from her own experience and her work as a family solicitor at Morrisons. This article […]
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Dignity in dying and care for the living
Campaigner Amanda Waring explains why approaches to dignity in dying need to change in the UK, and offers some tips for caring for the living. Renowned filmmaker, comedian and actress Amanda Waring is a staunch campaigner for dignity in dying, after experiencing what she describes as the horrendous end-of-life care received by her mother, actress […]
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10 questions to ask your parents before it’s too late
Written by Kathy Lawrence There are some questions that are really hard to ask, but knowing the answers can greatly relieve the pressure in times of emergency or end of life. We’ve put together 10 questions to ask before it becomes necessary. How you ask them is up to you – but probably not as […]
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Talking about death over dinner
Written by Rebecca Lenton This week’s storyteller has chosen to be anonymous. Our storyteller shares how broaching the subject of dying with your parents doesn’t have to be hard, especially when your mum brings up her own death at the dinner table. When Sunday lunch turns into a talk about keeling over you know that […]
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How dad’s humour eased his death
This week’s storyteller is Gill. A terminal illness is hard for anyone to come to terms with but when Gill’s dad was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease he dealt with it in a surprising way – through humour. She tells us how his jokes eased the pain of his passing and ensured his family remained […]
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Talking about dying with your parents
Joe Levenson, Director of Communications for the Dying Matters Coalition shares practical advice for starting the conversation with your parent about the future. When it comes to dying, no one wants to talk about it, but sometimes thoughts left unsaid are final wishes left unheard. Despite encouraging signs that older people are increasingly making their […]
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