The Circle of Life project
The Circle of Life project supports people at any stage of their life to reflect on their past and present and consider what will matter to them at the end of life. This developing understanding is seen as a first step towards more formal Advance Care Planning.
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What does the project aim to do?
Circle of Life project participants attend two, 2-hour workshops, designed to help them to:
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- understand death as a natural part of life
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- think about who they are now and how this might change in the future
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- live their lives well, though developing a deeper understanding of what matters to them
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- maintain control of their lives through planning for the future, including for the end of life
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- talk more openly about their wishes with family members and healthcare professionals, using their Circle of Life to prompt conversations or as part of more formal ACP processes
How does the project work?
In workshops, participants are provided with a large blank paper copy of a Circle of Life, divided into quadrants reflecting the four seasons.
Facilitators encourage participants to tell stories of early childhood (Spring), early adulthood (Summer) and their present lives (Autumn). They reflect on what has been important to them and what it has meant for them to live well. They begin to explore their wishes for the final part of their life, Winter, to answer the question, what do you think will matter to you in the future, as the end of your life approaches?
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Participants express their ideas through abstract drawings, including comic-style stick figures with speech bubbles to show dialogue or thoughts.
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They take their finished Circle of Life with them at the end of the session, and use it to prompt other conversations about life and death.
Could this be a useful intervention for individuals/groups within your service? Connect with us or join the pilot.
