CHARM ENCOUNTER
Ageing, End-of-life and Bereavement Care
Cultural, Ethical and Existential Reflections
How do care, dependency, and meaning evolve during the final stages of life and the bereavement process? This interdisciplinary CHARM Encounter brings together ethical, psycho-social and anthropological perspectives on ageing, dying and bereavement. We explore cultural differences and shared vulnerabilities, as well as the roles of narratives and identity in end-of-life care.
Tuesday 20 January 2026, 09:00-13:00
Venue: Blandijnberg, 2.23 Panopticon and online
Contact & registration: zoe.ghyselinck@ugent.be
Programme
08:30 – 09:00: Welcome & Coffee
09:00 – 09:10: Introduction (Dr. Zoë Ghyselinck, Ghent University)
09:10 – 09:30: Prof. Jun Jing (Tsinghua University)
“Reflections on Chinese Death Narratives”
09:30 – 09:50: Min Song (Tsinghua University)
“Reverse Care at the End of Life”
09:50 – 10:10: Indra Albrecht (Ghent University)
“Reduce Patients Burden of Caring for Family by Using Family Reported Outcome Measures in End-of-Life Care”
10:10 – 10:30: Thomas Van Gestel (VUB)
“Cultural Humility and Bereavement Care”
10:30 – 11:00: Coffee break
11:00 – 11:20: Dr. Mieke Matthyssen (Ghent University)
“The Psychosocial Role of ming 命 (fate/allotment) in Late Life: Ethical Reassurance, Consolation, and Identity Construction,”
11:20 – 11:40: Tongtong Zhao (Ghent University)
“Understanding Existential Loneliness in Chinese Older Adults: A Reflective Lifeworld Approach.”
11:40 – 12:00: Mingyue Yue and Wenjing Zhou
“Bringing Death Back into Life”
12:00 – 12:15: Closing Remarks