| We have kept a
register of cause of death since 2001, here is an analysis of the last
year to November 2007.
Myocardial infarction is the medical term for a heart attack.
The average age of death was 79, but five of the twenty people who
died were under the age of 75. Compared with the period 2004 - 2006,
more people died of cancer and less of heart attacks. It may be that we
are preventing heart attacks and therefore people are living longer and
getting cancer instead. However the numbers are too small to tell at the
moment.
Place of death
We would like to enable those who are dying to spend their last
days at home if that is what they and their families would like. This
chart shows where people died in the last year to November 2007
In
the last year or so our district nursing team and Macmillan nurse have
implemented a policy of helping people to choose in advance where they
would prefer to die. The aim is to prevent people being admitted to
hospital when they would prefer to stay at home. Our nursing team can
discuss this with someone who is in their last illness. It is hoped this
will increase the proportion of people who die in the place of their
choice. |
