The Culture of Dying Matters - Compton Care asks ‘what matters to you?’ during national awareness week

The national campaign encourages open and honest conversations about death, dying and grief. This year’s theme focuses on how different communities and cultures in the UK feel, talk about, and deal with death and dying – and what brings them together.

Throughout the week, Compton Care will be at various locations in the community chatting to members of the public about what’s important to them. They are also sharing expert advice on how to start important conversations around death and dying, planning ahead, and the specialist services they offer.

Staff from the charity will be in Wolverhampton’s Queen Square on Friday, 9 May between 10am and 2pm. Their specialist bereavement team will also be on hand at the charity’s Wolverhampton city centre store on Tuesday, 6 May and their Dudley store on Thursday, 8 May.

The charity has also produced a series of videos and helpful resources giving guidance to help people approach this difficult subject, which can be found on its website, comptoncare.org.uk/dyingmatters

Rachel Overfield, Chief Executive Officer at Compton Care, said: “Every year, Dying Matters Awareness Week helps to encourage people to get talking about death and dying in whatever way, shape or form works for them. Talking about death and dying can be really hard, but honest, timely conversations are essential to good end of life care and to help ensure your wishes are met.

“This year the campaign is focusing on the diverse cultural approaches to death and dying within the UK and how those perspectives can inspire more open, meaningful discussions in every community. Our colleagues will be out in the community, finding out what matters most to the people in the communities we serve, and offering expert advice on how to start these important conversations.”

Compton Care has been providing specialist, accessible care to the people of Wolverhampton, the Black Country, South Staffordshire and east Shropshire for over forty years. Palliative and end of life care has advanced significantly in this time. As well as running its 18-bed Inpatient Unit, Compton also provides a wide range of high-quality services tailored to each person including a Virtual Ward that provides hospital-level care at home, and enhanced care services including psychological therapies, complementary therapies and bereavement support that helps patients and families through every aspect of their palliative care journey and beyond.

For more information and help with how to start conversations around death and dying visit comptoncare.org.uk/dyingmatters. To find out more about Compton Care’s services, please contact its 24-hour Advice and Referral Line on 01902 774570.