A blistering Productivity Commission report released in March has found the country’s palliative care services are failing older Australians.

The report noted that tens of thousands of Australians are dying in places that do not reflect their choices or meet their needs.

According to this SBS coverage of the report, the commission has recommended a raft of changes to significantly expand community based palliative care and to improve end-of-life services in residential aged care. It noted that the latter “should be core business for aged care facilities” and that the quality of that care “should align with the quality that available to other Australians”.

In residential aged care facilities, the commission has urged the removal of current restrictions on the duration and availability of palliative care funding.

Conversation starter

What have your experiences been with the provision of end-of-life care or palliative care in an aged care setting? Were you and your family satisfied that all was done to keep your loved one comfortable? Could things have been done differently?