Embracing Death as Part of Life
It’s hard to imagine anything more difficult than supporting someone in their final days and yet for those who volunteer with the charity NODA (No-one Dies Alone Ayrshire), it’s an act of service which they see as a privilege. For CEO Linda McCurrach, their purpose is clear:
“People regularly ask ‘how can you do that work; helping people to die?’ However, we see our work as helping people to live! Helping people embrace death as a part of life and as one of the most important rites of passage we experience. Death, and the processes involved in creating a good death, can also be a beautiful experience and witnessing this can have a transformative effect on those left behind and on their grieving process. Reflecting on the life we have lived, from its end, is one of the most expansive periods of growth we experience. Now, as a not for profit, we are also helping people to live better prior to any diagnosis through facilitating release and healing with our therapies and through being a part of the community we are building.”
Established in October 2018, and achieving charity status one year later, NODA is now in the process of becoming a community interest company/not for profit organisation. With 47 volunteers now working together to support individuals and families across Ayrshire, the end-of-life training offered to volunteers is inspiring and uplifting and has taught even well-seasoned carers and healthcare workers new ways of working with the emotional and spiritual care of the dying.
The support offered by volunteers takes many forms. Keeping a bedside vigil for those in their last days and hours, offering quiet companionship and comfort to those who might otherwise die alone, is the organisation’s primary aim. The associated services built around that aim are all encompassing, making sure that from the moment of diagnosis there is help available for individuals and their families. Very often family members who are supporting a loved one need support themselves and that’s when volunteers step in to offer a much needed break and a listening ear whether through telephone support, one to one on-line support or in-person support.
For those who have experienced loss, the support available through NODA continues after their loved one has died. Wellbeing bereavement groups have been established to offer peer support to those who have been recently bereaved or who are struggling with their grief. The groups offer a safe space which is expertly facilitated to allow those attending to share feelings and experiences of their grief and loss with others who understand. Sessions also include an opportunity to participate in health and wellbeing exercises such as guided meditation which allow group members to focus on strategies which can help them navigate their grief and loss within and beyond the group. Regular walks are also scheduled to bring those involved with the organisation together and to build a community focused on supporting healthy living and healthy grief.
Accessing the services offered by NODA is done through phone referral. Individuals, families, or concerned members of the public can contact the organisation to request support for themselves or for someone they know. Referrals are handled sensitively and securely and volunteers who are located across the three Ayrshires respond within a few hours. From there, support is agreed and tailored to suit the needs of the individual and/or their family and great care is taken to ensure that services offered align with existing care plans.
Being the person who sits with someone in their last hours, witnessing their final journey is an honour for those who volunteer: it’s a rewarding and much valued service. As the organisation grows so does the interest in their compassionate approach to death and the potential to positively impact the lives and deaths of more people across Ayrshire. Those interested in supporting the work of the organisation in any capacity, whether holding someone’s hand in their last moments or planning a fundraising event, are encouraged to get in touch.
Support can also be offered through donations and investments which enable the organisation and its volunteers to continue, and further expand, the valuable services they offer. There are several ways to offer this support; through one off or monthly bank transfers, by joining the organisation’s lottery, by donating via their JustGiving page, by making financial investments in the organisation or by organising fundraising activities and events.
The organisation’s ethos is to make a difference in the local community by training, empowering, and supporting members of the community to help each other at the end of life. It’s an organisation which strives to break down barriers around the subject of death, bringing a sense of normality to grief and loss as a natural part of the life cycle. In doing so NODA has supported many of those within our own communities to take their last breath with a friend by their side.
