Hales Homecare supports National Day of Reflection

Hales Homecare is supporting a national day to remember those who have died during the pandemic, and to show support for everyone who has been bereaved.

Spearheaded by end of life charity Marie Curie, and set to take place on Tuesday 23 March – the anniversary of the UK going into the first national lockdown – Hales Homecare is committed to supporting the National Day of Reflection, alongside a host of organisations, MPs, and celebrities who are backing the day.

Marie Curie estimates that over three million people have been bereaved since the pandemic began, yet many have been unable to properly say goodbye to loved ones or grieve.

The National Day of Reflection will give the nation and communities a moment to remember, grieve and celebrate everyone who has died during this time and show support for our families, friends and colleagues who are grieving.

Nicola Mewse, Hales Group Managing Director commented: “The past 12 months have been incredibly challenging for both our colleagues and our service users, and whether they have lost someone personally or not, we recognise that we have each been touched by the loss of so many people from our communities and particularly from our healthcare profession.

We want to give our staff a moment to breathe and reflect, not purely on loved ones they may have lost, but also on all that they have achieved. Taking time to reflect and regroup is vital to the emotional and physical wellbeing of our teams as they continue to work tirelessly to support those most vulnerable in our society.”

Marie Curie warns that without the right support for people who have been bereaved, the devastation that the pandemic has caused will impact the lives of people for generations.

Marie Curie Chief Executive Matthew Reed said: “We need to mark the huge amount of loss we’ve seen this year and show support for everyone who has been bereaved in the most challenging of circumstances. We cannot simply stand by and not recognise the effects the pandemic has had on the bereaved. We know people are in shock, confused, upset, angry and unable to process what has happened.

“The National Day of Reflection on 23 March gives us a moment to reflect, remember and celebrate the lives of everyone that has died, as well as show our support to family, friends and colleagues who are bereaved during these challenging times – from Covid and other causes.”

We are calling on everyone, our Hales Heroes, service users, the public, staff, local community and colleagues, to take a minute to reflect at 12 noon on the National Day of Reflection on 23 March for those who have died during the pandemic; and take a moment to connect with someone who has been bereaved.

To find out more about the National Day of Reflection and how to get involved visit www.mariecurie.org.uk/dayofreflection. #DayofReflection

References
1 – Supporting Celebrities include: Alison Steadman, Greg Wise, Megan McKenna, Laura Hamilton, Mark Lewis Jones, Dean Burnett, Dr Ranj Singh, Dame Judi Dench, Paul Chuckle, Sherrie Hewson, Jason Isaacs, Gaby Roslin, Chris Kamara, Jim Carter, Bonnie Tyler, Nina Nesbitt, Hamza Yassin, Amy Dowden.
2 – Number of people bereaved, based on deaths (Covid and all other causes) w/e 27 March 2020 – w/e 29 Jan 2021). Based on an average of 5 people impacted by every death – Shear, K et al (2005). Treatment of Complicated Grief: A randomised controlled trial. Available at: http://complicatedgrief.columbia.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Shear-et-al.-2005.pdf
– 3, 097, 690 (UK)
– 2, 569, 625 (England)
– 167, 360 (Wales)
– 282, 300 (Scotland)
– 78, 405 (Northern Ireland)
Data sources:
o England and Wales: Office for National Statistics (2021). Deaths registered weekly in England and Wales, provisional statistical bulletins. Available here.
o Scotland: National Records of Scotland (2021). Deaths involving coronavirus (COVID-19) in Scotland. Available at: https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/covid19stats.
o NI: NI Statistics and Research Agency (2021). Weekly deaths bulletin. Available at: https://www.nisra.gov.uk/publications/weekly-deaths