Families Begin Receiving Lessons On The Art Of Dying Well

It is curious but true – families unable to be physically present with their loved but dying ones can now lesson the pain with prepared lessons.

Called “The Art of Dying Well”, the curious innovation is capitlisaing on the reality of the times when deaths by coronavirus has become common without relatives by the bedsides.

It is the initiative of The Centre for The Art of Dying Well at St Mary’s University, London, and relatives unable to be physically with their loved ones to communicate with them virtually, can entrust the responsibility.

The guide also said relatives should speak from the heart, remember to say important last words and reassure them that you ‘will be ok’.

End-of-life care experts Dr Lynn Bassett, a retired healthcare chaplain, Dr Jo Elverson, a consultant in palliative medicine at St Oswald’s Hospice in Newcastle, and Dr Amy Gadoud, a consultant at Trinity Hospice and Blackpool Teaching Hospitals, compiled the guide to help families hit by fatalities at this time.

‘There are no rights or wrongs about the way we feel and react; no definitive map to navigate through the loss and pain,’ the guide says. ‘If these thoughts are helpful, use them; if not, trust your instincts.’

Dr Elverson said families should ‘feel free to talk to staff’ at hospitals to find out the best way to keep in touch and get updates.

‘So at least you’re not feeling completely out on a limb,’ she said. ‘with no idea what’s going on.’

She recommended sending in messages be they written, texts, emails or to ask the staff to pass on messages of love.

Dr Gadoud said: ‘The thing to remember is that the healthcare professionals are never going to desert the dying, that is something that I can categorically say would not happen.

‘So the contact would still be there, it might be a little bit different in that they might have to wear a face mask and the equipment you might see on television, but they will be there, and the contact will be there.’

The Daily Mail reports that the UK has recorded 16,509 deaths from Covid-19 since the outbreak began, the majority of which are in individuals more than 60 years old.

As many as 124,743 cases of the virus have been identified following testing.

The guide was released by The Art of Dying Well at St Mary’s University, London. It advises families during the coronavirus crisis thus:

‘There are no rights or wrongs about the way we feel and react; no definitive map to navigate through the loss and pain,’ the guide says. ‘If these thoughts are helpful, use them; if not, trust your instincts.’

Dr Elverson said families should ‘feel free to talk to staff’ at hospitals to find out the best way to keep in touch and get updates.

‘So at least you’re not feeling completely out on a limb,’ she said. ‘with no idea what’s going on.’