92 HealtH Matters
HospiCe Care
Improving the
qUAlITy Of END
Of lIfE CARE
No one should have to face death or bereavement without
appropriate care and support. Eugene Murray, Chief Executive
of the Irish Hospice foundation, explains how the organisation is
working to make this vision a reality.
+ eugene Murray, Chief executive of the Irish
Hospice Foundation
P
ut simply, the Irish Hospice Foundation recognise that the majority of people die this has helped us get a flavour of what
aims to ensure that we all have a good of incurable disease and advanced organ people believe are the main issues at end
death, one that respects our dignity. No one failure. We have to change the culture of of life.
should die alone and in pain. As Bono has how we deal with death. We want palliative Key themes have been emerging:
said, “how we treat dying and death is a care to be extended to all who need it. knowledge/understanding of end of
measure of our humanity.” The actor Gabriel We want to bring hospice principles into life; communications; ethical and legal
Byrne puts it another way, “how we live our hospitals. We want to address the needs concerns, and the suitability of care setting
later life and go on to die is something that of dying children and their loved ones. We for the dying among them.
we should all spend some time considering, want to address the principles and ethical some of this is reflected in the National
if we are to influence what kind of death we issues surrounding life’s end. audit on end of life Care, which will
will eventually have and what situation we Nearly 30,000 people die annually in soon produce its third report. this audit
leave behind”. Ireland with the main places of death is part of the unique Hospice Friendly
In the medical arena, the predominant being acute hospitals (48 per cent), long- Hospitals programme, which has been
focus is on cure. We have, however, to stay facilities (20 per cent) and home (25 working with over 40 hospital settings to
per cent). an [2004] IHF survey shows that enhance how they deal with death and
only 10 per cent want to die in a hospital dying. Irish Hospice Foundation staff
cyclists tO hit the
setting. two-thirds want to die in their members have been co-operating with
saDDle frOm DuBlin tO
own homes, pain-free and surrounded hospitals in assessing their bereavement
paris fOr hOspice care
by their families.
How do we accommodate that? Overall,
Cyclists, either novice or expert, are how do we respect the autonomy of people
being invited take to the road in the who are dying and the wishes of their
Kingspan Irish Hospice Foundation’s families? How do we deal with unexpected
“How we live our later
(IHF) Cycle Challenges this summer. deaths? Do we give special care at the end
life and go on to die is
the 600km trip will start in Dublin on of life?
sunday July 18th and end in Paris on Information on this is emerging from something that we should
thursday July 22nd. the timing will give two sources. One is the forum on end of
participants the opportunity to spend the life in Ireland which was launched last
all spend some time
weekend in Paris and watch the finale of year by the President, Mary Mcaleese.
considering, if we are to
the tour de France on sunday July 25th. the Forum, which is now going into report
Places are limited and people are stage, has been a listening process. influence what kind of
being encouraged to register their Written submissions, 160 in all, have been
interest in participating in either cycle received from organisations and individuals.
death we will eventually
by the end of March. Full details are at 23 workshops there have been 103
have and what situation
available on www.hospice-foundation.ie. presentations and there have also been
nine public meetings around the country. we leave behind.”
HM Iss6.1 p71-128.indd 92 12/03/2010 15:26:52
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