MUCH TO its credit, the Irish Hospice Foundation is continuing to open new vistas on dying, death and bereavement with its call for submissions from the public on end-of-life issues. This is the first stage of a national listening exercise aimed at highlighting what matters most in relation to issues surrounding death and its aftermath. The Forum on End of Life in Ireland is an ambitious and distinctive programme and is inviting participation from all sectors of Irish society.
It is seeking the opinions of organisations involved in health and social services, advocacy, finance and business, religion, culture, illness, medicine and nursing, caring, government, trade unionism, politics, media, law and human rights. It also wants to hear from individuals and families on how they believe the experience of death and bereavement can be improved. The list of potential participants is not limited: end-of-life matters concern everyone.
The forum will begin officially in March. In the meantime, it is inviting written submissions regarding end of life from a wide range of perspectives: social, health, economic, legislative, administrative, educational, cultural and religious. Organisations are also being encouraged to outline their views at workshops chaired by prominent people. For example, trade unions might want to raise issues on pensions and retirement. Architects will be concerned about design and dignity when people are dying. Religions will outline how they deal with death in an increasingly secular Ireland. Human rights and legal groups will make observations on advanced care directives. Carers will propose supports to alleviate their often lonely task. Specific illness groups will stress their problems in championing clients.
Funeral directors who make their incomes from the inevitable death of everyone will have their unique perspective, as will the emergency services which are often in the frontline when death occurs. Bereavement groups are expected to have much to say on the extent and quality of supports offered to those who have lost loved ones. There will be particular poignancy in the testimony of individuals who have cared for dying relatives.
The forum's work is in the context of palliative and hospice principles: life is affirmed, dying is seen as a natural process, death is neither hastened nor postponed, and pain and other distressing symptoms are relieved. No one, according to the Irish Hospice Foundation's vision, should face death or bereavement without care and support. No one should die alone and in pain.