In 2018-19, the Academy will be addressing death and dying in a new public engagement project.
Evidence from the scientific community suggests the UK is reaching a tipping point. For many years, we have seen the annual number of deaths decrease, as scientific advances improve life expectancy. However, this trend cannot continue indefinitely, and we will soon be facing a sharp increase in the number of deaths each year.
Research into death and dying has been accompanied by a growing cultural interest, and increasing awareness that we must be prepared for the changes to come.
As a result, the Academy is working with the Liminal Space, a public engagement consultancy, to produce an immersive experience which allows people to explore their views about death and dying in in the context of current research.
The public will be invited into an interactive, imaginative environment to engage with research into death and dying, and explore how our ageing population will impact on why, when and where we die.
They will be encouraged to think about and share views on what death means to them and how the health service might need to adapt to support a ‘good death’ as much as a healthy life.
The project is currently in the scoping phase, and we would be interested to hear from researchers or organisations working in this space who may be interested to contribute.
If you would like to discuss the project further, please contact Holly Rogers, Communications and Engagement Manager, holly.rogers@acmedsci.ac.uk.