Instructors’ Views on and Experiences with Last Aid Courses as a Means for Public Palliative Care Education—A Longitudinal Mixed-Methods Study

Background and aims: The Last Aid Course (LAC) has been established to enhance the discussion about dying, death and grief and to raise the public’s awareness of palliative care. The aim of this study was to explore the views and experiences of German Last Aid Course instructors with the LAC as means for Public Palliative Care Education (PPCE), including their opinion about the course content and format and practical aspects of teaching in different settings. Methods: A longitudinal mixed-methods approach was used to explore the views and experiences of the Last Aid Course instructors over a period of five years. Social space orientation was used as the framework for the data analysis. Results: The LAC participants felt empowered after the LACs. Continuing development was a characteristic of the LAC project. The positive effects of the LACs included empowerment and positive interactions between the instructors and participants. In addition, the LACs had a positive impact on all five principles of social space orientation. Conclusions: LACs can contribute to raising public awareness about dying, death, grief and palliative care and empower people to participate in caring for those who are serious ill, dying and grieving.