There has been a seismic shift in the way that funeral ceremonies are conducted in the wake of Covid-19. The effects of this on the bereaved are yet to be meaningfully understood. This conversation between a funeral celebrant and a mourner (at separate events) acknowledges the disruption caused. The impact of these changes, particularly the… Continue reading
‘Total Pain’ as the Pain of a Lifetime This post looks at Cicely Saunders’ influential term ‘total pain’ in terms of endings and limits. ‘Total pain’ articulates how pain for someone whose life is ending is a whole overwhelming experience which combines physical, psychological, social and spiritual elements. My own PhD project looks at how… Continue reading
I’m ridiculously pleased to announce that I have been appointed Program Convenor of the new End of Life Studies Degree Program starting in January 2021 (MSc/PgDip/PgCert). As many of you will be aware, for the last three years I have had the distinct privilege of being a research fellow with the End of Life Studies… Continue reading
Dr. Caroline Cupit This blog sits at the intersection of my professional and personal experiences. I am a social scientist at University of Leicester, and I use ethnographic and qualitative interview methods to study the social organisation of healthcare, and to support quality improvement. I also have previous experience in hospice care. This blog is… Continue reading
Our investigation into the barriers to dying at home for people living in poverty in the UK has become even more important considering the Covid-19 pandemic. This is because Covid-19 and the resulting lockdown has increased levels of poverty and worsened conditions for those already experiencing poverty. As of September 2020, we have begun recruitment… Continue reading
To mark David Clark’s retirement at the end of September 2020, I thought it would be fitting to take a moment to reflect on his career from the perspective of a range of colleagues who have worked with him in different ways over the years. David has achieved so much over his long career in… Continue reading
Praxis Orientated Research During the Covid-19 lockdown a common lament from colleagues and friends working for charities and voluntary projects has been the increased number of approaches they have had from researchers hoping to recruit the people they have been assisting on a daily basis, and how inappropriate this has felt for them. Comments such… Continue reading
Cicely Saunders died on 14th July 2005. I was running an international end of life care summer school at Lancaster University at the time. That evening, staff and students gathered in the home of a colleague: the summer school party had turned into a wake. I read out a draft of an obituary I had… Continue reading
