The aim of a Compassionate Community is to help people to feel ready, willing, and confident to talk about death and dying and to be able to support each other in times of crisis and loss.

Would you be surprised to hear that the people who say they are most satisfied with their health care are often those who have planned for what might happen? It makes sense really doesn’t it.

There are lots of different ways you can plan for your future. A good place to start is by making sure people around you know what you would want in your life if your health changed suddenly.

Think about, talk about and document important information about your life. This booklet might help: All-about-Me

Free, interactive site you can use to write your Last Will & Testament, safeguard your Digital Legacy, plan your Funeral, curate a Bucket List, leave Goodbye Messages and make plans for your future health and social care within an Advance Care Plan: MyWishes: Free Will Writing, Digital Legacy, Advance Care Plan & Funeral Software

It can help to ask yourself three questions:

·         Who do I want involved in my care if I need someone to speak for me?

·         What do I want to happen?

·         What do I definitely not want to happen?

It might be good to start by reading the leaflet ‘Planning for my Future’ and to talk about its contents with family, friends and clinical staff. Planning-for-your-future-care

Always remember you can change your mind.

There are lots of documents that can help you think through the important questions and plan your care. Usually your health professional will help you to complete these and some need the signature of your GP.

When someone’s capacity to make their own decisions starts to fail it can feel hard to know what to do next. Here are some links to ways to organise things for the future so your family don’t have to worry about how to make decisions. Make and register your lasting power of attorney: a guide

Information for you, your relatives and carers about Do Not Attempt Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (DNACPR) decisions: CPR_NHS_North_West_Patient_Information_Leaflet.pdf (eolp.co.uk)

Many people, understandably, feel ill-equipped to deal with the issues around end of life and are concerned that with no clinical knowledge, they will not be able to do what is needed. Many people with life shortening conditions and their families and friends told us that they are nervous about starting difficult conversations, others can feel nervous about looking after their loved ones at home.  Most courses about end-of-life care are designed for health professionals. St John’s Hospice worked with community colleagues to design a programme: Last Days Matter. This is a programme to support people without clinical qualifications to help look after their loved ones, be they friends or family, at home. The Compassionate Communities working group are rolling this out across Lancashire & South Cumbria. Read more about the programme here: Last Days Matter – St John’s Hospice (sjhospice.org.uk)