**3.1 The** *Last Aid course*

A model to teach the public about palliative care is the *Last Aid course*. The *Last Aid course* is a clearly structured approach (like a first aid course) where knowledge is provided, but in addition, a discussion about death and dying and a reflection of one's attitude is encouraged. An international Last Aid working group with participants from different European countries works during regular meetings every 1–2 years on a consensus about the course curriculum and content. This ensures that the *Last Aid courses* in different areas and countries are based on the same curriculum based on actual scientific knowledge and practice of palliative care. The consensus of experts from different countries ensures evidence-based and updated knowledge to be delivered to the public. An important task of the working group is to ensure that the educational format uses an everyday language in order to address the whole public. **Table 1** shows my first ideas about the topics to teach as first presented in 2008 [7].

Usually the *Last Aid course* includes four modules (each lasting 45 minutes) only. Topics included in the four modules are care at the end of life, Advance Care planning and decision making, symptom management, and cultural aspects of death and bereavement. The course is given during one afternoon or evening with four teaching units (45 minutes each). It usually consists of two parts with 1.5 hours and a 30-minute break. At present, nine European countries participate in the International *Last Aid* working group. These countries include Germany, Denmark, Austria, Switzerland, Slovenia, Scotland, Lithuania, Estonia, Bulgaria and Latvia. At present, talks with more countries about participation in the international Last Aid working group are ongoing. Some countries have already functioning systems


**9**

**Table 2.**

*Palliative Care Education for Everybody DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.85496*

for teaching *Last Aid courses* on a regular basis, while others are still in the starting

The first results from a German pilot-study [10] from 2015 were very positive which lead to several awards including an invitation to the chancellor Angela Merkel (**Figure 4**) [24, 25]. The scientific evaluation of the *Last Aid course* is at present ongoing in different countries and includes both teaching of the public and the use of *Last Aid courses* to teach nonmedical staff in hospitals [26]. In Germany, work with courses for children starting at the age of 8 years is in the testing phase. First results will be published on the congress of the European Association for Palliative Care [27]. In 2019, the European Association for Palliative Care has established a taskforce on Last Aid [28]. **Table 2** shows the timeline of the development of the Last Aid course project

2008 First presentation of the Last Aid concept in the Master Thesis of Georg Bollig

Danish Associations for Palliative Care with Letzte Hilfe Deutschland

2015 Participation in the project startsocial–Invitation to chancellor Angela Merkel

2016 Symposium of the Paula-Kubitschek-Vogel Stiftung München on Last Aid 2016 Publication of a German handbook for Last Aid Course participants

2016 Lecture on Last Aid on the International Palliative Care congress in Montreal, Canada

2017 Lecture on Last Aid on the Scottish Palliative Care congress in Edinburgh, Scotland

2018 Last Aid courses recognized and recommended by German Hospice Association (Deutscher

Hospiz und Palliativvverband-DHPV) and the German Association for Palliative Medicine

Cross and the IFF Vienna, University Klagenfurt/Graz

First pilot courses in Norway, Germany and Denmark

International Palliative Care Network conference

and the pharmaceutical company Grünenthal

2017 1. German Symposium on Last Aid in Hamburg

2018 2. German Symposium on Last Aid in Kassel

*Timetable of the milestones and awards of the Last Aid Course project.*

Last Aid International as EUPCA project

(Deutsche Gesellschaft für Palliativmedizin-DGP)

2018 Publication of a Danish handbook for Last Aid Course participants

2018 Meeting of the International *Last Aid* working group in May in Frankfurt 2018 Relaunch of the German and English homepage www.lastaid.info

2018 Lecture on Last Aid on the 1. Baltic Palliative Care Conference in Liepaja, Latvia

2009 Posterpresentation 11th Congress of the European Association for Palliative Care, Vienna

2012 Honorable mention for the lecture "The public knowledge approach as educational concept for bringing Palliative Care to the public" International Palliative Care Network conference

2015 Honorable mention for the posterpresentation "Teaching Palliative Care to the Public: The Last Aid Course—An International Multicentre project from Norway, Denmark and Germany"

2015 Reception of an award for Palliative Care from the German Association for Palliative Medicine

Development of a Last Aid Course with 16 teaching hours in cooperation with the Austrian Red

Development of a Last Aid Course with 4 teaching hours in cooperation of the Norwegian and

phase of implementing *Last Aid* education for the public.

and the International Last Aid working group.

2010 Master thesis published as a book

2009– 2011

2013– 2014

2014– 2015

2017– 2019

**Figure 4.** *Invitation to chancellor Angela Merkel 2015. (Photo: startsocial/Thomas Effinger).*

#### *Palliative Care Education for Everybody DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.85496*

*Palliative Care*

presented in 2008 [7].

• Dying as a normal part of human life

• Treatment of troublesome symptoms

decisions

*Topics Last Aid course.*

**Table 1.**

• Bereavement and grief

is provided, but in addition, a discussion about death and dying and a reflection of one's attitude is encouraged. An international Last Aid working group with participants from different European countries works during regular meetings every 1–2 years on a consensus about the course curriculum and content. This ensures that the *Last Aid courses* in different areas and countries are based on the same curriculum based on actual scientific knowledge and practice of palliative care. The consensus of experts from different countries ensures evidence-based and updated knowledge to be delivered to the public. An important task of the working group is to ensure that the educational format uses an everyday language in order to address the whole public. **Table 1** shows my first ideas about the topics to teach as first

Usually the *Last Aid course* includes four modules (each lasting 45 minutes) only. Topics included in the four modules are care at the end of life, Advance Care planning and decision making, symptom management, and cultural aspects of death and bereavement. The course is given during one afternoon or evening with four teaching units (45 minutes each). It usually consists of two parts with 1.5 hours and a 30-minute break. At present, nine European countries participate in the International *Last Aid* working group. These countries include Germany, Denmark, Austria, Switzerland, Slovenia, Scotland, Lithuania, Estonia, Bulgaria and Latvia. At present, talks with more countries about participation in the international Last Aid working group are ongoing. Some countries have already functioning systems

• Problems around dying, e.g., troublesome symptoms, total pain concept, medical and ethical end of life

• Medical and nonmedical treatment options, fluid and nutrition at the end of life

**8**

**Figure 4.**

*Invitation to chancellor Angela Merkel 2015. (Photo: startsocial/Thomas Effinger).*

for teaching *Last Aid courses* on a regular basis, while others are still in the starting phase of implementing *Last Aid* education for the public.

The first results from a German pilot-study [10] from 2015 were very positive which lead to several awards including an invitation to the chancellor Angela Merkel (**Figure 4**) [24, 25]. The scientific evaluation of the *Last Aid course* is at present ongoing in different countries and includes both teaching of the public and the use of *Last Aid courses* to teach nonmedical staff in hospitals [26]. In Germany, work with courses for children starting at the age of 8 years is in the testing phase. First results will be published on the congress of the European Association for Palliative Care [27]. In 2019, the European Association for Palliative Care has established a taskforce on Last Aid [28]. **Table 2** shows the timeline of the development of the Last Aid course project and the International Last Aid working group.


**Table 2.**

*Timetable of the milestones and awards of the Last Aid Course project.*
