Palliative care not provided in many nursing homes

Many elderly sick people at the end of their lives are not cared for in their nursing homes, and they are transferred to public hospitals often dying in the taxi on the way,” says Professor Margaret O’Connor, Chair of the Palliative Care Council of Australia.

Professor O’Connor said that each year 135,000 Australians will die and there is virtually no planning for how that happens.

Although nursing home beds cost a tenth of acute care beds, the lack of advance-care planning resulting in unwarranted intervention in Australia means that many elderly patients are occupying the most expensive facilities unnecessarily.

“Before the aged population doubles as projected within the next 20 years – we have the time to get some real partnerships going” says Professor O’Connor.

“We have the opportunity to break down the illogical barriers between community, hospital, aged care and private practice services.

“We need more community linked palliative care in private hospitals. At the moment it is almost minimal.

We need more nursing home beds in nursing homes. Too many people are ending their lives in hospital for no other reason than the gaps in smarter thinking, planning and resourcing.

The available funds can be better spent to meet the needs of the community at the end of their lives.