Using Death Cafés as a method for discussing death and dying with third year student nurses.

Background: Death Cafés are increasingly being held to facilitate discussions around death and dying and end-of-life issues with the public. They are thought to provide a safe, confidential and interactive space in which sensitive and supportive conversations about death and dying and end-of-life are shared.

Aim: To explore nursing students' experiences of participating in a modified Death Café and its impact on their learning about death and dying.

Palliative care for people with dementia: a literature review.

With growing numbers of people dying with, and from, dementia there is a need for professionals and health-care organisations to review the access to and provision of palliative care. This literature review has identified several key themes in relation to the person dying with dementia including: diagnosis of the dying phase, appropriate timing of referral to specialist palliative care services; ethical decisions in relation to medication and nutrition; the environment; undertreatment especially, for pain relief; over and burdensome treatment interventions; carer involvement; collaborative working and advance decision making.

Reducing social isolation in a rural community through participation in creative arts projects.

This article reports the initial findings from the evaluation of four creative arts projects involving groups of older people living in a rural community. The purpose of the projects was to reduce social isolation among participants through providing direct access to arts and social activities. The view was that these activities would improve life skills and independence, increase levels of activity and improve the health, wellbeing and quality of life of participants.

Self-care management education models in primary care.

Self-care management for people living with long-term conditions aims to assist the individual in taking responsibility for their own health. This literature review explores the value and content of the large range of educational models currently in use. Although no single model was found that addressed all the issues, several themes arose.

Using a storyboarding technique in the classroom to address end of life experiences in practice and engage student nurses in deeper reflection.

This paper evaluates the use of storyboarding within a classroom setting as a means of addressing end of life issues and engaging second year student nurses in creative, critical thinking and deeper reflection on practice. Storyboarding is a process that was developed to encourage learners to use the creative right brain and the critical left brain to formulate ideas in front of a group and then to look at those ideas critically (Lottier, 1986). The session was evaluated using a questionnaire and group discussion to elicit perceived learning from students.

Community matrons and case managers: who are they?

In 2005 John Reid, the then Secretary of Health, announced the need for 3?000 community matrons to be appointed to coordinate the care of the growing numbers of people living with long term conditions. Although by the date agreed there were only 1?348 in post, according to Snow (2007), some PCTs have decided not to recruit further community matrons. Following the first evaluations of the role there also appears to be some confusion as to the title used by professionals who case manage this client group.

University of life or academia? A review of community matrons/case managers continuing professional development; accessing a post-graduate programme without meeting the current academic entry criteria.

Aims: To inform managers and gatekeepers of the pre-requisites for staff engaging in post-graduate level study. To acknowledge the support students in new roles require in clinical practice and continuing professional development (CPD).

Background: A post-graduate course for case managers/community matrons was developed as a rapid response to government policy.

Fear of social isolation: results of a survey of older adults in Gloucestershire.

A lifestyle survey of older adults living in Gloucestershire was carried out by Birmingham City University (formerly The University of Central England) and Age Concern Gloucestershire last year. Participants were asked to identify three main areas of concern for their retirement and while fears about health topped the list, fear of social isolation was cited by 11 per cent of participants, forced through events such as lack of mobility, loss of their partner and closure of community facilities such as post offices. Public involvement and inclusion schemes, such as befriending, may provide some solutions to this problem, but healthcare professionals need to be aware of these issues and to work towards community-focused solutions to avoid greater demands on health and social care resources.