Dying Matters Awareness Week encourages people around the UK to talk about death and dying in a way that is comfortable to them. This year’s theme was ‘The way we talk about Dying Matters’, focusing on the language used and the conversations had about death and dying, specifically between healthcare professionals and patients, their carers and their families.
The Myton Hospices want to take this opportunity to share a piece of language work they have done to encourage more people to access their services and ensure they understand what they are offering. Using a survey, Myton sought feedback on some of the terminology commonly used to describe terminal illnesses.
A key strategy for Myton is to reach people earlier in their illness so they can support them for longer and make a difference to their quality of life. They wanted to identify phrases that would effectively communicate this when describing eligibility for their services. The phrases explored were:
A life-limiting illness
A terminal illness
An incurable illness
A non-curative illness
Palliative care needs
Providing the space to explain their preferences, Myton delved into the interpretations of each phrase as well as opinions regarding the use of the words ‘illness’, ‘condition’ and ‘disease’. Additionally, they welcomed alternative suggestions for helpful terminology that could be used.
With over 1,500 responses from a diverse array of stakeholders including service users, staff, volunteers, referrers, other healthcare professionals, supporters and the public, Myton gained valuable insights to guide decision-making in what terminology to use when talking about services and who they can support.
When ranking the phrases from preferred to least favoured on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being the highest, ‘a life-limiting illness’ proved to be the most commonly chosen option.
Respondents believe this has less intimidating connotations compared to some of the others and has the potential to mitigate initial fears following a diagnosis, highlighting the capacity for decision-making and living life to the fullest.
Based on this valuable feedback, The Myton Hospices has transitioned from leading with ‘a terminal illness’ to ‘a life-limiting illness’ within many of their communications to reflect the perceptions of those surveyed.
By embracing this change, Myton hopes to challenge misconceptions surrounding hospices and palliative care and continue to break down barriers to ensure individuals receive helpful information and support when they need it.
The Myton Hospices was proud to be support Dying Matters Awareness Week to encourage people across Coventry and Warwickshire to get together to have end-of-life conversations.
Because the way we talk about Dying Matters.
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At The Myton Hospices we believe that everyone matters for every single moment of their life; we focus on enhancing life when cure is no longer an option. We are not just about end of life care, we support patients and their loved ones right from the moment they are diagnosed.
We have three hospices in Coventry, Rugby and Warwick, and have the only Hospice Inpatient beds in Coventry and Warwickshire. We care for people aged 18+ living with a wide range of life-limiting illnesses including Respiratory, Heart & Neurological conditions, Cancer and Organ failure.
We are a charity and we have to raise £11 million of the £14.3 million we need this year to continue providing our services free of charge. Just 20% of our funding comes from the NHS. We rely on donations and support from our local communities.
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