The Art of Dying Well St Vincent de Paul England and Wales (SVP) End of Life Companionship An evaluation report
Downey, John (2023) The Art of Dying Well St Vincent de Paul England and Wales (SVP) End of Life Companionship An evaluation report. [Report] (Submitted)
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Abstract
Due to the increasing number of people facing long term illness and death, there is a growing demand for support during this phase of life. The pressure on the health and social care system means that the holistic needs of the dying and their families are often neglected in the death experience. Medical outcomes can inadvertently be prioritised meaning peoples’ wishes, emotional, psychological, social, and spiritual needs are sub-optimally supported. The Catholic faith has a long tradition of providing love and accompaniment during dying. Many Vincentian values are a good fit with qualities associated with supporting people though death and bereavement. Previous research on end of life volunteer-led companionship, however, is underdeveloped and innovative methods are needed to capture what is valued in companionship, what people do, and how it influences beneficiaries. The current project undertook research to accumulate an understanding of how companionship works, for whom, in what circumstances and why. Interviews, forums extracts and catch ups with companions, observations, and brief narratives from beneficiaries helped answer the research question. In brief, end of life companions can support people to prepare for death, live well until they die, and experience a good death. These outcomes are achieved in various ways captured under four labels namely: practical support and accompaniment as a loving friend; a holistic presence with the ability to respond to the individual; a non-judgmental intermediate with a listening ear; and wrap around care and being the voice of the person. These areas of support can achieve the purported positive outcomes contingent on certain conditions including the family dynamic, the level of consciousness of the beneficiary, and the characteristics of the companion. The report also summaries the experiences of those who attended the end of life companionship training. The evaluation showed overwhelming support for the training and that volunteers can be inspired, equipped, and enlightened to provide end of life companionship. The evaluation demonstrated upskilling of volunteers, increased confidence, increased awareness, and a strengthening of their motivation and value to undertake this ministry
| Item Type: | Report |
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| Depositing User: | Ms Raisa Burton |
| Date Deposited: | 21 Sep 2023 11:38 |
| Last Modified: | 21 Sep 2023 11:38 |
| URI: | https://marjon.repository.guildhe.ac.uk/id/eprint/17758 |
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