St Giles Hospice has announced plans to begin recruiting patients for a groundbreaking research study exploring spirituality at the end of life.
The announcement comes as Dying Matters Awareness Week (5-11 May) encourages people across the UK to break down taboos around death and dying.
The study, led by Adrian Millard as part of his PhD programme at the University of Birmingham, will examine what spirituality means to patients receiving hospice care, how it has been approached in their care journey, and how their own spirituality changes as death approaches.
Professor Cara Bailey, who works at St Giles Hospice and is supervising the research alongside Dr Katharine Weetman and Dr Ping Guo, from University of Birmingham, said: "Spirituality is considered important to many people, particularly as they approach their own death or the death of somebody close to them. Yet healthcare professionals often avoid the subject in care planning despite agreement that spirituality contributes positively towards what many would consider a 'good death'."
This year's Dying Matters Awareness Week theme, 'The Culture of Dying Matters', explores how different communities and cultures feel, talk about, and deal with death and dying – making it the perfect backdrop for launching this important research.
Previous research has shown that healthcare professionals often struggle to ask patients about their spirituality, resulting in inadequate care planning or misinterpretation of spiritual needs as solely religious beliefs.
"Spirituality is not clearly defined and is often confused with religion," explained Professor Bailey. "Adrian’s work so far over the last 50 years has shown that definitions have moved away from a religious foundation and have become increasingly complex, referring to a sense of self or connection to the world. As our communities become more diverse, our understanding of spirituality must also diversify."
The research team hopes to identify how spiritual needs can be appropriately captured for more patient-centred, holistic, high-quality care. Findings will be used to develop valuable training resources to support organisations in incorporating spiritual assessments and enhancing spiritual care at the end of life.
St Giles Hospice is supporting the research, understanding its importance to patients and their families. The hospice encourages everyone during Dying Matters Week to consider what spirituality means to them and how that may shape their views towards death and dying.
"Talking through your wishes with people you are close to can help them cope better when you die," said Adrian Millard, PhD researcher. "Discussing your values and preferences, including your spiritual needs, with people who care for you can help them provide more patient-centred care."
Dying Matters Awareness Week aims to encourage people to talk about death and dying in an attempt to break down stigma, plan for care for those approaching the end of life, and communicate preferences and values. While differences may exist between cultures, faiths, and backgrounds, we all feel the impact of loss, although we may express and manage it in different ways.