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The 'Art of Dying Well' is exactly four years old and it's fitting we're in the month of November, or, as we call it, 'the month to remember'.Bereavement, grief, memories and remembrance make up the subject matter for this, our last Art of Dying Well podcast of 2020. The P word - pandemic - of course provides a different backdrop this year as we talk about those who have died but, importantly, those left behind.So to tackle this, we have a real expert on grief and bereavement - psychotherapist, author and speaker Julia Samuel. Julia is also founder patron of Child Bereavement UK.Lots of really useful advice offered thanks to Julia's wealth of experience, not to mention the eight pillars of strength to help us with grief and, indeed, all life's major changes. Following that we discuss the Good Grief Festival and the National Grief Awareness Week in 'Death Chatter' before Father George Bowen of the Brompton Oratory gives us the 'Voice from the Chaplain's Chair' - a lovely reflection on the virtues of faith, hope and charity when we pray for the dead.Something for everyone, so, as always, we hope you find it useful.

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We've long said it, but how you live has a bearing on how you die. Dying well starts with living well. Being ready, being prepared, being reconciled, being happy and at peace with the way you treat yourself and others - they're all factors. Everyone has their own version of 'living well'.In these pandemic times, health, fitness and well-being have come to the fore so we have the perfect guest to discuss the drive to live better - Elliott Reid. Elliott is the founder of the Revitalize Health and Fitness Centre in Gravesend, Kent and is an osteopath and personal trainer. He is on a quest to help people deal with pain and walk a better path. 'The Voice from the Chaplain's Chair' comes from Maria Parker. Maria's a Catholic chaplain at Southport and Ormskirk Hospital and Queenscourt Hospice. Hospitals and hospices have come under the microscope in recent months with patient care and accompaniment so vitally important. We take a look at hospital and hospice chaplaincy - something that is as much a calling as a job.

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This 'Art of Dying Well' podcast picks up where Episode 18 left off - counting the cost of COVID19 and how it has touched our lives and communities. Lockdown may be easing but the virus is certainly not a thing of the past. Politicians turn their thoughts to re-firing the economy, restrictions are being removed and the public at large is being encouraged to use its 'common sense'.But many people are coping with grief, separation and isolation in an entirely new way. Some have been denied being at the bedside of a dying loved one or even at the graveside for a final farewell.What mark will this collective trauma leave on a generation?To look at lockdown, loss and trauma, we're joined by three excellent guests.Our first contributor, Stephen Regal, is clinical lead at the Centre for Trauma, Resilience and Growth & Veterans Service in Nottingham. Stephen has a wealth of experience when it comes to sudden acute loss.We engage in a little 'Death Chatter' with Rabbi Jonathan Wittenberg, Senior Rabbi at the New North London Synagogue and a prolific writer and thinker on Judaism to hear how his Jewish community in Finchley has dealt with the challenges of COVID-19.Finally the 'Voice from the Chaplain's Chair' comes from Father James Mackay, a Catholic priest from east London. Father James set up a 24/7 chaplaincy service at the Nightingale Hospital - a huge field hospital using the ExCel conference centre building whilst in operation.

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This 'Art of Dying Well' podcast comes from a state of COVID-19 lock-down but covers an incredible amount of ground by way of an exclusive interview with friend of the show, Dr Kathryn Mannix.Kathryn is a Palliative Care physician, author of ‘With the End in Mind: Dying, Death and Wisdom in an Age of Denial’ and a woman who's on a mission to get us all better acquainted with the idea of dying well. She has returned to work during the COVID-19 pandemic and in this podcast tells us what it’s like for staff, patients and loved ones at this unusual and difficult time. She believes that by the end of the pandemic “there are things we are doing now which will transform - for the better - how we will offer care forever".Listen to Dr Kathryn Mannix talk about:What it's like to care for people dying of COVID-19How the dying can be kept comfortableHow to relate when wearing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Palliative care and assisting with breathingThe remarkable NHS and care workers and how they need protectingStanding alongside those who are aloneHow care homes are copingThe L Word - loveSaying goodbye

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OK so the title of today's podcast sounds like a line from a dodgy science fiction film but actually there's a serious point to be made. We've all heard the one about the certainties in life - death and taxes - and today we're talking about the former. This podcast focuses on confronting the realities of death and remembering that life is temporary and, at some point, we're all going to die. In Latin, the phrase is memento mori - "remember that you will die".Memento mori has preoccupied the minds of artists for centuries and there are many examples for us to look at. To help us get to grips with our mortality through the world of art and culture we're joined by two quite brilliant guests.First we chat to Patrick van der Vorst - an entrepreneur, dealer and art expert and former winner on BBC's Dragons Den. Add to this that Patrick's studying to be a Catholic priest in Rome and you have the weath of experience needed to take on this topic.Today's 'Death Chatter' is a real treat. In the chair is the marvellous Lynne Hanley. Lynne is an art expert and founder of 'Beyond the Palette' art tours. Packed with personality, she has been described as a ‘sassy raconteuse’ with ‘wonderful insight into paintings’. So come with us as we're reminded of our mortality through the paintbrushes and palettes of some of the world's finest painters.

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The last 'Art of Dying Well' podcast of 2019 sees us focus on the painful subjects of loss and grief at a time of year that can be particularly hard for those of us spending Christmas without a loved one. Simply getting from one day to the next can be a major challenge while all around you are seemingly in party mode.Today we hear from former Sky Sports and Blue Peter presenter Simon Thomas who talks about the pain and grief of having to cope with the death of his wife Gemma two years ago. Dr Lynn Bassett brings her years of experience in palliative care and chaplaincy to 'The Voice from the Chaplain's Chair', reflecting on just how we can accompany people who are grieving.Main interview recorded originally for Premier's Christianity Magazine by Marcus Jones.

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In a packed and powerful 'Art of Dying Well' podcast we're bringing you the insight and experiences of three really interesting people. First up is the talented actor and writer Harriet Madeley - the main creative force behind a unique play about death and dying called 'The Colours'. It's based on interviews Harriet conducted with palliative care doctors and patients in Welsh seaside hospices and creatively moves through fantasy, memory and reality. 'Death Chatter' sees long-term friend of the show and palliative care guru Dr Kathryn Mannix join us to discuss medication - the three-step analgesic staircase and, in particular, the 'M' word - morphine.We finish by listening to a new 'Voice from the Chaplain's Chair' - that of Dr Lynn Bassett. Lynn has years of experience as a hospital and hospice chaplain and gives us a wonderful spiritual reflection. We also discuss the place of silence at the bedside. Fascinating stuff. Hope you enjoy it!

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Today’s podcast focuses on the launch of a new 'Deathbed Etiquette' resource - a guide to help friends and relatives prepare to be at the deathbed of a dying loved one. Dr Amy Gadoud - a palliative care professional and lecturer in palliative medicine - helps us explore deathbed etiquette. As well as being an expert in the field, she has her own personal experience to share with us. 'Death Chatter' features the award-winning LBC presenter Shelagh Fogarty who explains that the death conversation isn’t something new, but that we are entering a new phase, turbo-charged by social media. Finally, today's 'Voice from the Chaplain’s Chair' belongs to Sr Liz Farmer who offers a reflection on ‘finding the spirit’ - with one of her engaging, illustrative stories.

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Caring and accompanying people along the very human journey of dying lies at the heart of our podcasts - not to mention how we honour and remember our friends and family. Today, however, we're looking at animals and bereavement. We start by discussing the difficult task of talking to children about the death of a much-loved pet. Daniella Dos Santos - a veterinary surgeon who is as much at home talking to people as caring for animals - joins us to talk about how the professionals help animals facing death and how to explain what's happening to the grieving owners. We then engage in a little 'Death Chatter' with our newest podcast contributors Daniella Ballard and Sophie Reed who talk about their experiences of loss after the death of a pet. Finally we listen to 'The Voice from the Chaplain's Chair' - a reflection from Fr Philip Connor, a Catholic priest in Lancaster who has a dog called Bosco. Bosco brings great comfort to the patients Fr Philip visits in his local hospice.

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I can’t believe it has almost been a year since the last Art of Dying Well podcast but we’re back talking death and dying and all the issues surrounding this difficult but very human journey.Our main interview this month is a really interesting conversation with an actor – the very charming and engaging Greg Wise. If you’ve been watching The Crown on Netflix you’ve probably seen Greg playing Lord Mountbatten. But we’re not talking acting, we’re talking about his sister Clare. Clare died in 2016 after a long, hard battle with cancer and along the way kept an intelligent, witty and moving blog about what she was going through. When she became too sick to go on, Greg finished the story – continuing, in a brutally honest and engaging fashion, what they went through as brother and sister during those hard months.‘The Voice from the Chaplain’s Chair’ is a fascinating chat with a really interesting guy. It’s rare you come across someone who’s so passionate about what they do that it’s not a job it’s a calling. I spoke to hospice chaplain Fr Peter Scott from St Joseph’s Hospice in Hackney.