Background
The ‘aWake Before Death’ (ABD) project came about through a collaborative partnership process based on existing relationships between:
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Clarence City Council’s Positive Ageing Network (PAN) for service providers, the Clarence Positive Ageing Advisory Committee (CPAAC), and the Clarence Community Volunteer Service;
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Fairway Rise Retirement Living Village;
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Salmutations - Music Therapy;
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Community Conversations; and the
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Warrane Mornington Neighbourhood Centre (WMNC)
With the Warrane Mornington Neighbourhood Centre as the auspice organisation, the partnership group applied for and received a grant from the Better Access to Palliative Care Program through the Tasmanian Association of Hospice and Palliative Care (TAHAPC) Inc. Council also contributed funds from its Positive Ageing Plan towards the project.
Aim of the project
The aim of ABD is to engage people of all ages in Clarence in the promotion and education of end-of-life planning, through the use of stories, music and the arts, to help build knowledge, awareness and capacity across the community in a sustainable way.
Project Outcomes
aWake Before Death was planned and led by a partnership group within the Clarence area of Tasmania, Australia.
The group worked together with local residents over seven months conducting conversations on death and dying, grief and bereavement and end-of-life planning. A very moving film clip was produced with some residents.
The film is part of a suite of flexible resources to promote awareness of death and dying and to encourage other communities to have conversations about end-of-life planning. The film can be uploaded on websites and social media and used globally in a variety of settings for education and training.
The kit of resources is designed by the community group to be sustainable and ongoing beyond the life of the project.
aWake Before Death was promoted at MOFO, January 2016 and through the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Clarence City Council is a member of WHO Age Friendly Cities and Communities Network and Age Friendly Global Database of programs and activities.
Resources
Acknowledgements
The aWake Before Death partnership group gratefully acknowledges funding from:
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Pallative Care Tasmania. “Networking for End of Life Care Across Tasmania: Integration, Innovation and Inclusion” Project; and
Thank-you to Doublesee Media and Film-maker Andrew Del Vecchio and Salmutations and Music Therapist Sally Mollison for putting the film together from many hours of conversations.
The Awake Before Death Film is a film by Andrew Del Vecchio with Sally Mollison.
Camera and Edit by Andrew Del Vecchio.
Interviews by Sally Mollison. Group conversations facilitated by Cath Schlyder.
To all of the participants who were involved in the filming of this project. You shared your grief and fears, talked about death choices, wishes for wakes or funerals, the music you wanted played, and the way you wanted to die. Our working group is honoured to have captured your contributions, which is what make this project so unique and powerful.
Copyright permission
aWake Before Death is the property of the Warrane Mornington Neighbourhood Centre Inc (WMNC). To screen this film in public, you will need permission from the owners of the copyright. Email (info@wmnc.org.au) or call 6244 6346.