Palliative Care, End of Life Care and Bereavement

Spirituality and religion at the end of life

© CHANGE 2016

This booklet uses easy wordsand pictures to help you getinformation about cancer.

You might want someone tohelp you look at the bookletso you can talk about it.

This booklet can help youlearn about cancer. But this is not the same as talking toyour doctor. If you are worried about your health, you should talk to a doctor or nurse.

There is a Word Bank at theback of the booklet to helpwith hard words. Any wordsin bold you can find in theWord Bank.

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Spirituality and religion at theend of life

When people come to theend of their lives theysometimes think aboutwhat will happen afterthey die. No one reallyknows what happens afterwe die.

Religion and spiritualityare beliefs and ideas thatpeople have to help themunderstand life anddeath. Each person mayhave different ideas aboutspirituality or religion.

Different faiths and religions each have theirown ideas of what happens when people die.

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People like priests orspiritual advisors cansupport people at difficulttimes in their lives.

You may have your ownspiritual ideas that giveyou personal comfort.

Spirituality and religion at theend of life

If you have a religion thenyou might find it helpful totalk to someone fromyour religion for support.

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Some people find thatdoing things like walkingin nature makes themfeel more spiritual.

Some people find that listening to music makesthem feel more spiritual.

Spirituality and religion at theend of life

Word B a nk

Drawing by Tracey HarrisonVolunteer and Illustrator with learning disabilities

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BereavementBereavement is the feelingof loss and grief thatsomeone may feel whensomeone they loved, orwere close to, has died.

Word Bank

Religion and spiritualitySpirituality and religionare beliefs and ideas thatpeople have to help themgive meaning to life andunderstand death.

End of life careThis is care and supportto help a person duringthe last weeks and daysof their life until they die.

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Word Bank

Palliative careThis is the support andcare people have whentheir illness can’t becured. It means makingthe person as comfortableas possible with medicines.

It also means helpingthem with their feelingsand any spiritual needs.

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Notes

Us eful conta cts

Drawing by Tracey HarrisonVolunteer and Illustrator with learning disabilities

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Helpful organisations

Useful contacts

Cancer Research UKA charity that is researching treatments for cancer. Its website has lots of information about cancer.Phone: 0808 800 4040Web: www.cancerresearchuk.org

Hospice UKGives information about hospices in the UK. Phone: 020 7520 8200Web: www.hospiceuk.org

Macmillan Cancer SupportA charity that helps people who have cancer. They give practical, medicaland financial support. They try to make cancer care in the UK better.Phone: 0808 808 00 00Web: www.macmillan.org.uk

Marie CurieA charity that helps people who are dying.Phone: 0800 090 2309Web: www.mariecurie.org.uk

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NHS ContactsThese contacts give you information about your health and health services:England and Scotland Phone: 111Wales Phone: 0845 46 47Northern Ireland Web: www.hscni.net

Palliative Care for People with Learning Disabilities Network (PCPLD Network)A group of people sharing information to improve end of life care forpeople with learning disabilities.Email: info@pcpld.orgWeb: www.pcpld.org

Paul’s Cancer Support CentreGives help, information and complementary therapies to people withcancer. Phone: 0207 924 3924Web: www.paulscancersupportcentre.org.uk

RESPONDGives therapy to people with learning disabilities after trauma or abuse.They also offer training and support to carers.Phone: 0808 808 07 00Web: www.respond.org.uk

Useful contacts

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Written and audio materialBooks Beyond WordsA series of picture books for people with learning disabilities. The bookstalk about cancer, health and bereavement.Web: www.booksbeyondwords.co.ukPhone: 020 8877 9799Email: admin@booksbeyondwords.co.uk

FAIR MultimediaPublishes a range of health leaflets, audio discs and CDs for people with learning disabilities. This includes a series on cancer.Email: fair@fairadvice.org.ukPhone: 0131 662 1962Web: www.fairadvice.org.uk/health-publications.php

SamaritansHelps anyone who is in distress or suicidal. They are open all the time - 24 hours a day.Phone: 116 123Web: www.samaritans.org.ukEmail: jo@samaritans.org

Useful contacts

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Videos and DVDsLeeds Animation WorkshopHas animated films on social issues for people with learning disabilities. Thereis one called ‘Getting Better’ about going to the doctor and the health clinic.Phone: 0113 248 4997Web: www.leedsanimation.org.uk/index.html

Speak Up Self AdvocacyHas DVDs and booklets for people with learning disabilities about health and illness.Web: www.speakup.org.uk

Online help

Useful contacts

www.easyhealth.org.ukHas lots of online health information that is easy to understand.

www.macmillan.org.ukHas lots of information aboutcancer and where to get help.You can also talk to other people with cancer in the online community.

Macmillan Cancer Support has reviewed the information in thisbooklet and paid for it to be produced. They are a charity whohelp people with cancer. They have nurses and other healthworkers. They try to make cancer care in the UK better. Theyhave experts who can answer your questions about cancer andhow it affects your life. You can call Macmillan on 0808 808 00 00or textphone 0808 808 0121 (Mon–Fri, 9am–8pm). Or go tomacmillan.org.uk

CHANGE is a leading national Human Rights organisation led bydisabled people. We work for equal rights for all people withlearning disabilities. The cancer books and booklets thatCHANGE have produced are part of an ongoing campaign toraise awareness about the issues of cancer for people withlearning disabilities. You can call CHANGE on 0113 242 6619,email info@changepeople.org or find us at www.changepeople.org

This easy read booklet was produced by CHANGE © CHANGE 2016