First Death Café in Döbeln: Open conversations about death and dying

First Death Café in Döbeln: Open conversations about death and dying

An exciting and unusual event will take place in the quiet town of Döbeln: On November 20th at 4:30 p.m., Doris Walther, the department head of the Meißen Caritas Association, and Claudia Sanne, the coordinator of the outpatient hospice service, invite you to Tina's Café. The occasion is the first “Death Café”, an event that not only aims to answer questions about death and dying, but also promotes an open dialogue about it. Dialogue about death, the organizers emphasize, is of great importance in increasing both awareness and acceptance of this inevitable part of life. DNN reports that many people often do not know that outpatient hospice services can be used free of charge.

The Caritas hospice service in Döbeln, which has existed since 2011, offers support to people in the final phase of their lives. The team supports around 30 to 35 people every year, although they do not always support them until the end of their lives. There are currently around 20 volunteers who have previously completed 100 hours of training. This training covers essential topics such as self-reflection and attitude development in order to best prepare volunteers for the emotionally challenging task of caring for the dying. Many people don't know that end-of-life care can also take place in a family or neighborhood environment, which is always an important seminar topic.

Last aid courses for everyone

Another interesting aspect in the debate about end-of-life care are the so-called “last aid courses”. These courses aim to regain lost knowledge about end-of-life care, which has been pushed into the background due to the mechanization and industrialization of recent years. lasthelp.info emphasizes that it is not just about theoretical knowledge, but also about very practical steps that everyone can use in their personal environment.

Topics in these courses include the normality of dying, living wills, alleviating suffering in the dying process, and dealing with various emotional situations. Over 102,000 citizens in Germany have already dedicated themselves to this important topic. The courses are free because they are supported by various funding sources. Doctors and nursing staff can also take part in special “last aid professional” courses that are tailored to their professional requirements in order to be able to competently respond to patients in the last phase of life in their everyday lives.

A space for open conversations

The “Death Café” in Döbeln creates a space in which the normal and at the same time often difficult topic of dying is removed from taboos. The organizers hope that this meeting will not only generate a lot of interest, but can also be repeated quarterly if there is a good response. The topic of dying is thus brought back into the conscious thinking of the community, which goes far beyond the content of the courses and puts humanity in the foreground. In fact, dying is a part of life, and it's time to talk about it.

For further information about end-of-life care courses and hospice care options, we recommend the website Mainz Hospice, which provides comprehensive information and other offers.