Irish Hospice Foundation’s Hospice Friendly Hospitals programme has developed the following resources to promote dignity and respect for end of life in all healthcare settings. From hanging the End-of-Life Symbol on patients’ doors to presenting an End-of-Life Keepsake Pouch to families, hospitals can incorporate these resources into their practices to offer better end-of-life care for patients and their families.
End-of-Life Symbol
The End-of-Life Symbol was developed by Irish Hospice Foundation’s Hospice Friendly Hospitals (HFH) programme to be a universally recognised symbol that indicates end-of-life care and to respectfully identify items connected with the end of life. It is now used in healthcare settings nationally.
Inspired by ancient Irish history, it is an inclusive symbol for universal use and is not associated with any one religion or belief system. The three stranded white spiral represents the interconnected cycle of life: birth, life and death. The white outer circle represents continuity, infinity, and completion. Purple is the background colour as it is associated with nobility, solemnity and spirituality.
The End-of-Life Symbol appears on a number of end-of-life care resources used in healthcare settings to signify when a person is dying or has died. Adult wards generally use the symbol on a purple background, and some paediatric settings display it on white (they are interchangeable).
There are additional resources available for affiliated Hospice Friendly Hospitals. For further information, email the team on [email protected].
Downloadable resources:
- End-of-Life Symbol Guidelines
- High-quality graphic of our End-of-Life Symbol (white on purple)
- High-quality graphic of our End-of-Life Symbol (purple on white)
Acrylic desktop versions of the End-of-Life Symbol are available to order from:
Cotab Europe
T: (021) 451 0488
E: [email protected]
W: https://cotab.ie/
End-of-Life Keepsake Pouch
The Keepsake Pouch is for the return of small personal items like jewellery or a watch, religious artefacts like prayer beads, medals, etc. These items are placed in the pouch, with the strings securely fastened and given to the family member.
Available to order from:
NCD Medical Ltd
Dublin
T: (01) 883 4299
E: [email protected]
W: www.prestigedirect.ie
End-of-Life Family Handover Bag
Our family handover bag has been developed to enhance care after death, in particular the return of the deceased person’s possessions to their family. These items like clothes and personal belongings can have huge sentimental value. Hospital staff are encouraged to handle and record these possessions with care and return them to the family in a dignified and respectful manner.
Available to order from:
Cotab
Cork
T: (021) 451 0488
E: [email protected]
W: www.cotab.ie
End-of-Life Ward Locker
The End-of-Life Ward Locker is a bespoke piece of hand-crafted furniture to support the delivery of spiritual care at the end of life in hospitals. The locker has the End-of-Life Symbol etched on the top, which, along with it’s unique shape, distinguishes it from standard hospital furniture. The locker was designed to house the various religious and spiritual artefacts that may be needed to support people at the end of life.
Available to order from:
Aaron Nicholson
Coolaney
Co. Sligo
T: (086) 310 4881
E: [email protected]
Gerry Gaule, Celtic Commemorations
Kilkenny
T: (086) 257 7143
E: [email protected]
End-of-Life Drape
The purple drape is used to place over the trolley that transports the deceased person from the place of death to the mortuary. Using the drape promotes a sense of dignity, respect and ceremony for this important care practice. The drape can also be used in the mortuary for viewing of the deceased person.
Available to order from:
NCD Medical Ltd
Dublin
T: (01) 883 4299
E: [email protected]
W: www.prestigedirect.ie
End-of-Life Candle
The End-of-Life Candle has an image of the End-of-Life Symbol and the words:
Those we love don’t go away.
They walk beside us every day.
Unseen, unheard but always near.
Still loved, still missed and very dear.
It is available in 2 sizes: small (10mm x 60mm) and large (150mm x 60mm) supplied in boxes of 20.
Available to order from:
Duffy & Scott Candlemakers
Tullamore
Co: Offaly
T: (057) 935 1089
E: [email protected]
W: www.duffyscott.com
Requesting Print Resources
If you would like free printed copies of any of our resources, please call us on 01 679 3188 or email [email protected].