Promote Healthy Aging in Finland

During this year we are collecting stories of people who have lost their loved ones due to substance abuse. The stories can be submitted through the attached link before 31.8.2017. http://www.sininauha.fi/keraamme-kokemustarinoita-paihdekuolemiin-liittyvasta-surusta-tulossa-kasikirja-ammattilaisille  We want to raise this difficult issue to public awareness in order to help those who suffer in silence.  According to last statistics during 2015, there were 1700 people who died due to alcohol abuse in Finland. Although, the number of alcohol deaths has reduced, the number of over 65's alcohol mortality is increasing. Finland and Nordic countries are sadly amongst the countries with highest mortalility rates for this group of people. Amongst the drug users the rate is much higher and people grieving for the deaths of their loved ones is yet many times higher.

Dr Mari Pulkkinen has noted grieving as a bigger tabu in Finland than the actual death. ' Many people are worried of being labeled as grieving, as it changes other people's ways of relating to them.'(HS 17.2.2017) If grieving itself is stigmatizing how hard is the stigma when the death is related to substance abuse. This project shows special empathy and sensitivity towards substance abuse related grieving and hopes to bring the topic to more open discussion. Your support to this work makes a real difference and we thank you for your continued commitment to supporting healthy ageing in Finland!

Links:

• http://www.sininauha.fi/keraamme-kokemustarinoita-paihdekuolemiin-liittyvasta-surusta-tulossa-kasikirja-ammattilaisille