FORUM 2015 Key Theme: DYING TO TALK? - CONVERSATIONS ABOUT END OF LIFE IN IRELAND
10th September 2015
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Dublin Castle, Dublin 2
FORUM 2015 Conversations around death are never easy. But they need to be encouraged. This is the aim of Forum 2015 which has the theme: Dying to talk? – Conversations about end of life in Ireland. All of the Forum speakers and events centre round the importance of talking and listening. It is organised by the National Council of the Forum on End of Life in Ireland which was formed in July 2010 following an extensive year-long public consultation. So, you could say that the Forum was founded on a conversation – a national conversation – about what mattered most to Irish people about end of life. A work plan was developed to address the issues raised. This plan includes the Think Ahead project, aimed at encouraging Irish people to talk about what their preferences are around end of life and to tell those close to them. This is a conversation we could all benefit from having. This is the fourth Forum event and, as always, it presents a valuable opportunity to feedback progress being made and some guidance for future work.
DEATH CAFÉ At a Death Café people gather to eat cake, drink tea and discuss death. Founded by Jon Underwood and based on the work of Bernard Crettaz the Death Café objective is ‘to increase awareness of death with a view to helping people make the most of their (finite) lives’. At Forum 2015 we have set aside time to discuss death without expectations in an open, respectful and confidential space where people can express their views safely.
GUEST SPEAKERS: DR KATHERINE SLEEMAN, Lecturer in Palliative Medicine, Kings College London “Let’s talk about death.” Katherine is a clinical doctor and academic in palliative medicine. She has degrees in developmental biology and medicine (University College London), and a PhD in cancer biology (Institute of Cancer Research, London). Katherine currently works at King’s College London’s Cicely Saunders Institute where she uses national datasets to investigate patterns of care at the end of life, particularly in the elderly and frail. Through her clinical and academic work, Katherine aims to improve the quality of life for people who are dying. Katherine writes, speaks, and tweets about death and dying for academic and general audiences. her presentation will explore the meaning of a good death, and the individual and societal barriers to achieving this.
THE MARY HOLLAND COMMEMORATIVE LECTURE in memory of the former Irish Times journalist and campaigner for social justice. (in association with the Irish Times and the Irish Hospice Foundation)
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MICK HEANEY is radio columnist for The Irish Times and a regular contributor to the paper’s Arts pages. As a journalist and broadcaster, he has extensively covered all aspects of cultural issues over the past 20 years for a variety of publications and programmes, including RTÉ 1’s arts magazine The Works. he is a son of the late poet and Nobel laureate Seamus heaney. SENATOR MARIE LOUISE O’DONNELL is an independent member of Seanad Éireann having been appointed by the Taoiseach in 2011. An experienced broadcaster, television presenter and writer, marie Louise writes and delivers a popular weekly colour piece for RTÉ Radio 1 on the Today with Sean O’Rourke programme and is a regular reviewer and media commentator on Tonight with Vincent Browne on TV3. She is a former lecturer in the School of Communications in Dublin City University. In the Seanad marie Louise devised and moved a Private member’s motion calling for an overarching strategy to address the societal issues arising from end of life and bereavement which was accepted by the Government.
F O R U M 2 0 1 5 - D Y I N G T O TA L K ?
PROGRAMME 8.15
Registration & Refreshments
9.00
Musical Introduction
9.10
Opening Address mrs Justice Catherine mcGuinness, Chair, National Council of the Forum on end of Life in Ireland
9.20
Keynote Presentation: “Let’s talk about death” Dr Katherine Sleeman, Lecturer in Palliative medicine, Kings College London
9.50
Mary Holland Commemorative Lecture: (in association with the Irish hospice Foundation and the Irish Times) mick heaney, Journalist
10.20
Think Ahead Progress Report: Sarah murphy, manager, Think Ahead Research & Development
10.25
My Conversations… One family’s experience of using the Think Ahead tool to guide their personal conversations.
10.35 Refreshments & Death Café 11.20
Musical Reflection
11.30
Panel Presentation and discussion: Conversations about… Chair: Claire Byrne – RTÉ • Death, Grief and the media: Matt Cooper, Journalist & Broadcaster • how communities can support a good death: Jim Rhatigan, Milford Care Centre • Talking with your GP: Dr Ciara Kelly, GP • Conversations in the emergency Room: Prof Patrick Plunkett, St James’s Hospital • yOUR conversation. What do yOU want to say? Dr Brendan O’Shea, Trinity College Dublin
1.15 2.15
Lunch Workshops: Exploring conversations in more detail:
A. Conversations at End of Life - maintaining hope to the end. Bryan Nolan, The Irish hospice Foundation In this session we will focus on how we can get to a place after a loved one has died where we can look back without regret knowing that everything that needed to be said was said and everything that needed to be done was done. B. Good Grief – how to facilitate a therapeutic conversation. Dr Susan Delaney, The Irish hospice Foundation This workshop will focus on empathic strategies to facilitate the grief process. C. My Conversations - thinking and planning ahead, ‘Think Ahead’ & the legislation on capacity Patricia Rickard Clarke, The National Council of the Forum on end of Life in Ireland. Aine mcCambridge, Development Officer Think Ahead A two part workshop focussing on the personal conversation we need to have using the Think Ahead tool followed by an explanation of the updated legislation on capacity issues. D. Would you like to be buried with my people? – Everything you ever wanted to know about funerals but were afraid to ask. Graham Gleasure, Irish Association of Funeral Directors & Gleasure Funeral home David Fanagan, Fanagan’s Funeral Directors A 2014 survey shows that 57% of Irish people have discussed their funeral – have you? Will your funeral reflect who you are or represent someone else’s wishes altogether? This workshop will allow room to discuss every aspect of funerals with a view to demystifying the process and the many decisions to be made. 3.15
A Carers’ view: Tom Curran, Advocate for Carers’ rights
3.25
Address: Senator marie Louise O’Donnell will take a personal and professional look at how dying, death and bereavement are our responsibility as human beings and citizens of the state.
3.55
Dr Geoff King Remembered: Professor Gerard Bury, Professor of General Practice, UCD School Of medicine & medical Science, Coombe healthcare Centre
4.05
Closing remarks
4.15
MUSICAL PERFORMANCE
4.30
Close
C O N V E R S AT I O N S A B O U T E N D O F L I F E I N I R E L A N D
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BOOKING FORM Early booking is recommended as previous Forums have sold out. Online booking available at: www.hospicefoundation.ie/shop (Payment must be made at time of booking for online registrations) (* indicates required field) *Name *Address
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*Workshops: (please choose one) I would like to attend the following workshop: (please note that while we will do our best to accommodate you in the workshop of your choice we cannot guarantee to do so.) A. Conversations at End of Life - maintaining hope to the end B. Good Grief - how to facilitate a therapeutic conversation C. My conversations - thinking and planning ahead, ‘Think Ahead’ & the legislation on capacity D. Would you like to be buried with my people? – Everything you ever wanted to know about funerals but were afraid to ask
Cost: (includes lunch and refreshments) Standard Rate: €60 Concessionary Rate: €25 (Limited availability for students, non-working and senior citizens. Payment MUST accompany booking to avail of the reduced rate) Late Comers Rate: €70 (a late booking charge will apply to all bookings after 26th August 2015)
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(Card payments can also be made by visiting: www.hospicefoundation.ie /shop or by calling 01 6793188) • I enclose a cheque made payable to The Irish hospice Foundation (Forum) • I wish to be invoiced: Please address invoice to: Name: Address: Please send your form to: National Council of the Forum on End of Life 4th Floor morrison Chambers, 32 Nassau Street, Dublin 2 Queries to: + 353 1 6793188 or aedamar.torpey@hospicefoundation.ie Your place is not confirmed until payment has been received. CANCeLLATION POLICy: No refund for cancellations advised less than 3 weeks prior to conference Professional accreditation under application from all relevant professional bodies