10/05/2026
Everyone shoukd be able to live as well as possible until the end of their life. What gets in the way, apart from the symptoms of their illness? And what helps? Having people in your life who know you well, who you can trust. Services that listen and really hear what is going on. Respect between everyone involved. Services that are both personal and flexible. Being able to plan because death is expected and people are allowed to talk about it. The READY study is showing those things are as important for people eith learning disabilities who died of causes other thsn cancer or demenyia as for every dying person. Power and communication gaps between family or oaid carers on the one hand, and hospital staff on the other, meant some people died in hospital when they eould prefer to be at home. Some people died when their illness could have been treated. Hospital staff did not always understand just how well family members and paid carers knew the person. They did not always realise how skilled they were or that they did not have medical or nursing training. Sometimes families and carers thought hospitals could do more than would be possible for anybody who was as sick as that person. We heard about some deaths that went well for the dying person and the peopke who cared for or about them, and others that were no so good. We are now talking to nurses and to GPs about what we found, and beginning to analyse the results. Because Dying Matters, whover you are, and whatever yoy die from.
This week is Dying Matters Week 💜
Death, dying and bereavement affect us all, so we should talk about them more. Dying Matters Week is an opportunity to raise awareness and encourage all communities to get talking in whatever way, shape or form works for them.
For more information on grief and support, please visit our website ⬇️
https://www.cruse.org.uk/
