Programme – Forum on End-of-life conference 2017

Professor Jenny Kitzinger, University of Cardiff

In her exploration of Advance Decisions (England/Wales) and Advance Healthcare Directives (Ireland), Professor Kitzinger will examine the challenges around how decisions are made when the patient has lost the ability to make choices for themselves (e.g. due to acquired brain injury). She will discuss how Advance Decisions to refuse treatment have played out in England and Wales, and invite reflection on the situation in Ireland and the potential of Advance Health Directives.

Panel discussion.  Chair:  David McCullagh RTE journalist and broadcaster

• Pain and what it means: Dr. Stephen Higgins
• Grief and support: Helen Lambe
• Dying at home: Dr. Tony Foley
• What is the State’s role: Senator Marie Louise O’Donnell
• Dignity and Resilience: Micheal O Muircheartaigh
• Questions and answers from the audience

1. A. A Taste of Death Café: Having Your Say here and now Eat cake drink tea and share thoughts on dying, death and bereavement. Founded by Jon Underwood and based on the work of Bernard Crettaz the Death Café objective is ‘to increase awareness of death with a view to helping people make the most of their (finite) lives’. This workshop, facilitated by Limerick Death Café, will set aside time to discuss death without expectations in an open, respectful, creative and confidential space where people can express their views safely. Facilitators: Jennifer Moran Stritch and Sinead Dinneen.
2. B.Planning for your future: What should we ask ourselves ? A workshop facilitated by Ann Marie Atkins and Deirdre Shanagher focusing on the personal conversation we need to have to have our say and plan for our future care and end-of-life plans using the Think Ahead tool and an explanation of the updated legislation on capacity and advanced health care directives.
3. C. Children grieve too: Helping children cope with grief. A workshop facilitated by Brid Carroll, Chair of the Irish Childhood Bereavement Network, will explore how children grieve and how they can be supported.
4. D. Working with grief: Supporting staff through loss and grief Grief and loss are part and parcel of the workplace environment and cannot be left at the door when we come to work.  Breffni McGuinness will lead the workshop on creating a supportive work environment for people who are bereaved.
5. E. Ageing Matters: Living and dying well in residential care Marie Lynch and Kate Steele will facilitate this workshop, and as well as addressing some of the taboo’s associated with this topic, it will also seek to address what we can do to prepare ourselves for living and dying well in residential care settings.

Sharon Foley (CEO of The Irish Hospice Foundation)