Good Death Week

Providing good quality care for someone as they approach the end of their life and after death is very important not only for patients but also for their families, loved ones and those important to them.

This year, Good Death Week will take place from 13 – 19 May 2019. This awareness week aims to give individuals and organisations the opportunity to promote the positives of living in a society where people can be open about dying, death and bereavement.

People across Scotland will be hosting events to promote the week; highlighting the importance of more open and supportive attitudes to death, dying and bereavement.

As part of this year’s Good Death Week our Palliative Care Team along with students and staff from Edinburgh Napier University are hosting an event at the Haining House in Selkirk on the 16 May 2019.

A host of activities will be available including pebble painting, creative writing and a Tea and Taboo Death Café. The aim of the café is to engage the local community to have wider discussions around end of life issues, in an informal setting over a cup of tea.

Geraldine Finnan, Palliative Care Quality Improvement Facilitator at NHS Borders, said: “Having open and honest conversations about death and dying can be difficult for some people. At our events we want to create a safe and relaxed space for folks to start the flow of conversation around aging, dying, bereavement, funerals, memorials and anything else that comes to mind. 

"Everyone is welcome to drop in and meet the team and chat over a cup of tea.”