End of Life Accompaniment and Lone Deaths | Episode 23

The Art of Dying Well

In recent years we've seen signs that more and more people are able to talk about death and dying. However, many more list death - and particularly dying alone - as their number one anxiety.This podcast juxtaposes two end-of-life realities - one commonplace, the other far less so. And it's the 'far less so' we're starting with. Lone deaths.Nobody chooses to die alone, right? Wrong. Some people plan very carefully to make sure they die alone. But why? Helping us to answer that question is sociologist Dr Glenys Caswell from Nottingham University's Centre for the Advancement of Research into Supportive, Palliative and End-of-Life Care.We then move on to an exciting partnership that brings together the Centre for the Art of Dying Well and the Society of St Vincent de Paul. We believe that nobody should die alone unless they choose to do so and this is why we're working on an End of Life Companionship programme. This podcast, with the help of Dr Lynn Bassett and broadcaster Julie Etchingham, will bring you up to speed with our plans.We finish with the 'Voice from the Chaplain's Chair' which once again comes from Fr Mark Paver - a Catholic priest who, as a new hospital chaplain, was thrust into the frontline when the COVID pandemic took hold in 2020.So a packed podcast but hopefully some nuggets of wisdom and consolation for everyone.