There are a number of organisations that can help at these times:

• What to do when someone dies (Government website step-by-step advice) 
• Marie Curie
• NHS Confidential Bereavement Support (operated by Hospice UK). Call 0300 303 4434
• Sudden
• Samaritans Call 116 123 free
• Good Grief Trust
• Cruse
• At a Loss

To learn more, download the six week carer support programme.

In this blog, Bedfordshire Manager, Karen Simpson shares her story about the difficult days surrounding the loss of her daughter Rachael, how hard it was to keep going during lockdown, and useful ways that staff can support a workmate following a bereavement.

Ode to Rachel >>

Dennis had a diagnosis of a learning disability and was 91 years old when he died in August 2021. His carers have kindly shared their experiences of his death and how everyone came together to carry out his wishes to keep him in surroundings familiar to him and with people he knew. This account highlights the importance of talking about end-of-life care to everyone. Read the full account.

You can find resources to support someone with a Learning Disability.

In this blog, Community Palliative Care Nurse Judith Dimmock shares a personal account of working through the pandemic while dealing with personal grief.

She compares the experience and comfort her family derived from carrying out her mum's end-of-life wishes, with the sudden unexpected death of her brother-in-law which left the family flailing. It brought home to her how talking about your end-of-life wishes helps a family cope and brings them comfort. Read the full account.

Director of Nursing, Ruth Bradley, was Chief Nurse at St Joseph's Hospice prior to joining ELFT. Below, she shares her reflections on important conversations at the end of life.

Throughout my Nursing career I have worked in various clinical and leadership roles caring for patients who may be facing the end of their life, supporting their families carers and loved ones as well as their clinical team.    

I have witnessed how and where discussions have taken place when a person is deteriorating and they are facing the end of their life.

This is an emotional and often distressing time for the dying person and loved ones but it can often be a challenging and emotional time for the clinical team concerned.

I believe it is every person's right to be empowered to make decisions throughout their life and end of life is no exception; where possible the timing of conversation is important so that the person has the physical and mental capacity for what they may want to achieve in their remaining life. We are all unique with life experiences including achievements but also loss and relationships which can influence what we may want to achieve and prioritise.

Professionally I believe we should give people in our care the opportunity to state their preferences for how and where they wish to be cared for. This can be challenging but we don't need to do this alone, some of the best conversations I have witnessed have resulted from supportive teamwork and when engaged in one-to-one discussions, seeking advice when on occasions I have found the conversations upsetting or challenging.

My personal experience of conversations about anticipating the end-of- life were with my Father; he started discussions when he was diagnosed with a chronic lung condition and in relatively good health which on reflection was much less distressing than when he was dying from cancer. I was grateful and relieved by  those earlier conversations