This week is Dying Matters Awareness week, which gives us all a chance to come together and open up the conversation around death, dying and bereavement. This year, the week will focus on the importance of being in a good place to die. There is very little evidence about the quality of deaths at home, and whether the right care and support was in place. There is no right or wrong place to die; it will be different for everyone. But it is important for families to think about it, to talk about it and to plan for it. Dying Matters want people of all ages to be in a good place when they die – physically, emotionally and with the right care in place. Getting there means having some important conversations, and taking some careful decisions. Make sure that you and your loved ones are in a good place to die by joining the Dying Matters movement. What to expect when someone important to you is dying If you are caring for someone who is in the last stages of life, or who may be soon, this information is for you. It is designed to help prepare you for what to expect in the very last days and hours of a person’s life. Find out more here. Bereavement support services Did you know that hospices are the largest provider of bereavement care in the country? Your local hospice can provide bereavement support to you and your family. Find your nearest hospice here. Ataloss. Help for people who have been bereaved. Includes a search tool for local support, griefchat service, Grablife activity support weekends, bereavement support for men, and support for young people. Bereavement Support Service. Information and signposting to support on bereavement due to COVID-19 for ethnically diverse communities is available from this organisation: Nafsiyat Intercultural Therapy Centre, which offers therapeutic support in over 20 different languages. Telephone: 020 7263 6947 Child Bereavement UK Provides information and support (including a helpline) when a baby or child of any age dies or is dying, and when a child is facing bereavement. Cruse Bereavement Care A national charity, which provides support, advice and information to children, young people, and adults when someone dies. The Good Grief Trust help all those affected by grief in the UK. They aim to find the bereaved, acknowledge their grief and provide reassurance, a virtual hand of friendship and ongoing support. Marie Curie. The Marie Curie Support Line provides practical and emotional support for anyone who has been bereaved, whether it happened recently or some time ago. You can also get ongoing support from a bereavement volunteer. Support Line: 0800 090 2309 Online information and support Booklets and resources, including easy read versions: mariecurie.org.uk/publications My Wishes A free online platform that helps you get started thinking about your end of life. It leads you through funeral plans, care plans, bucket lists and more. SANDS is the leading stillbirth and neonatal death charity in the UK. Sands exists to reduce the number of babies dying and to ensure that anyone affected by the death of a baby receives the best possible care and support for as long as they need it. WAY (Widowed & Young) Foundation. WAY is the only national charity in the UK for men and women aged 50 or under when their partner died. It is a peer-to-peer support group run by a network of volunteers who have been bereaved at a young age. It runs activities and support groups for people coping with grief. Winston’s Wish A child bereavement charity which offers specialist practical support and guidance to bereaved children, their families and professionals. 08088 020 021. Healthwatch Local Healthwatches have produced a guide to provide an overview of some of the resources available to support people who have lost someone to illness or Covid-19, including bereavement support. See the document here. For more information visit: dyingmatters.org