Last Aid

Many people want to die at home, yet in western countries most die in institutions like hospitals and nursing homes. The Last Aid project helps to educate the community about the basics of palliative care and care for dying people. These courses are delivered using materials developed by Last Aid International.

More than 8,500 people have already participated in Last Aid courses and more than 1,000 trainers have been trained across many European countries including Denmark, Switzerland, Germany, Slovenia, Lithuania, Austria and Scotland.

Last Aid is a simple course delivered either face-to-face or on the Zoom platform. Last Aid aims to create awareness and discussion on topics related to Death and Dying. It is an interactive course, with two instructors and up to 20 participants. The instructors will aim to give practical tips on how you can provide comfort to someone who is dying, and what you can do to plan for your own and your family's future.

The topics discussed are delivered in 4 sections:

1. Dying as a normal part of life
2. Planning Ahead
3. Relieving Suffering
4. Final Goodbyes

Opportunity is provided for participants to get involved with the discussions.

The course is currently licenced for anyone over the age of 16yrs. The programme was written as an overview course for those providing ‘Care for Seriously Ill and Dying People at the End of Life’. The course is therefore primarily aimed at people who find themselves in this situation, or those anticipating this situation.

Employers, care givers, voluntary sector workers who come into contact with families who may find themselves in the above situations, are well placed to sign post family members to a Last Aid course. Within a work environment which is Last Aid trained, it is hoped that employees can be of greater support to each other. Last Aid is an ideal initiative to assist company HR partners as outlined in CIPD literature.

We are currently developing avenues with primary care and community organisations. We will have more information shortly.

An education for all citizens and an ingredient of compassionate communities 2019

Mixed methods study in rural Scotland 2022

This topic was most interesting for me:

• “death plan/funeral plan, recognition that end of life care can be difficult and stressful”
• “Normalising death can only be a positive and increasing the awareness around final stages of life”

I have gained confidence with:

• “those in the last stages of life, and more importantly, those attempting to come to terms with relative in the last stages of life”
• “broaching the subject of death and dying”
• “end of life care, supporting colleagues, friends and families. Also got me thinking about my own personal circumstances”
• “what I need to do for myself and my family”

For more information or if you have questions please contact LastAidTraining@highlandhospice.org.uk.