The Art of Dying Well
Our podcast aims to make death and dying something we can talk about openly without discomfort or fear. Presented by James Abbott, our award-winning show features James in conversation with a guest on a key topic related to the Art of Dying Well, taking in everything from being at the bedside of a dying loved one, to receiving a terminal diagnosis. Coping with grief, bereavement, death, dying, and much more are all under discussion.
The Art of Dying Well
Super-aged Asian societies and the D-word | Episode 45
The world is aging rapidly. People are living longer. Everyone wants their death to be calm, peaceful and reconciled - ideally at home, and in the presence of family and loved ones.
End of life care, and in particular, specialised palliative care, is increasingly important and can radically enhance quality of life for both patients and their families. But how can you explain the merits of this compassionate care when in some countries, the sheer mention of the D-word is so taboo it can be interpreted as wishing ill on the very person you want to help?
This is the case in parts of East and South East Asia. Many countries have reached, or will soon reach, super-aged status. That is the UN definition for a country where over 20% of its population is aged 65 or older. Singapore is projected to become a super-aged society in 2026, so extolling the virtues of palliative care in a culture that would, perhaps, rather not have the conversation about death and dying is a significant challenge.
For this Art of Dying Well podcast, we speak to Dr Su Lin Yeo, an Associate Professor of Communication Management at Singapore Management University. Professor Yeo has conducted ground-breaking research on palliative care communication in Singapore. We have a fascinating discussion about how cultural taboos in Asian societies about death and dying can make for difficult end-of-life conversations. We talk about how Professor Yeo's research has provided valuable insights that have improved communication strategies on this tricky subject.
We also investigate how knowledge, attitude, and receptiveness can inform public health communication and advance the understanding of palliative care in Singapore.