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Three quarters of Irish people want to die at home

Most people would like their condition managed by pain medication though almost three-quarters have not written any kind of care directive or given an indication of what they want to family members.

THE MAJORITY OF Irish people want to spend their dying days in their own homes, a new survey has found.

The survey, commissioned by the Irish Hospice Foundation (IHF), found that 74% of people want to be cared for in their last days at home, though, as IHF chief executive Sharon Foley pointed out, in all likelihood, most people will die in a hospital setting.

“This survey clearly shows that there is a growing shift in the number of people whose preference is to be cared for in their dying days at home, up from 67% ten years ago to 74% today,” she said. “However the reality is a lot different and that option is not available to so many people. We need to continue to work to ensure that the services are in place to allow people have that choice.”

The research shows that of those who lost someone close to them in the last two years 38% died in a hospital, 26% at home, 12% in nursing/residential home and 11% in a hospice.

Almost 40% of those surveyed said they are unsure that their preferred location in their final stages of life will be available to them.

According to the results, there is a high level of general dissatisfaction among people about the level of care for people are are dying or terminally ill. Of the 891 respondents, 11% said care is poor and needs to be addressed urgently and 42% believe there is “much or urgent” room for improvement. Only 6% think care is excellent while half said it is good or could be improved.

The survey shows an increase in the appetite in Ireland for talking about death and dying with 57% of people saying there is not enough discussion, up from 51% in the 2004 survey. 23% of people say they are “completely comfortable” discussing death.

However there has been no change to what people think is important in their final days. 82% said their top preference is to be surrounded by loved ones, while 70% would prefer to have their condition managed by medication, to keep the pain at bay. Despite this, almost three quarters of people have not written an advance care directive or give direction on their end of life care preferences and 39% of people have not given any thought to making a will.

Read: You can now put your final wishes securely online for use in an emergency>
Read: Are you comfortable talking about death and dying>

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22 Comments
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    Mute james sullivan
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    Jun 16th 2015, 9:36 AM

    I love all the sporty folk down around the board walk…well I assume they’re athletes with their tracksuits and runners.

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    Mute Alan Kennedy
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    Jun 16th 2015, 9:50 AM

    You’re never far from a medically trained professional either. Someone is always on hand to administer life saving drugs should you need them. What a progressive city. They ever have staff to carry your wallet and phone for you.

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    Mute Kevin Higgins
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    Jun 16th 2015, 1:13 PM

    Thanks to an outdated drug policy, lack of priority for the gardai and lack of social inclusion. everybody loves highlighting the problem but the solutions already exist just need a decent government to get the job done

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    Mute O Swetenham
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    Jun 16th 2015, 9:31 AM

    I’m assuming she didn’t walk along the river on the gouger gauntlet that is the boardwalk. She wouldn’t be comparing it to the Seine then.

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    Mute Baz
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    Jun 16th 2015, 9:35 AM

    You obviously have not been in Paris recently. They’ve went on strike last month on the Eiffel tower site because of the professional pick pockets knocking about that area around the seine.

    The Hawkers round the Parisian baton rouges are notorious for threatening tourists.

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    Mute O Swetenham
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    Jun 16th 2015, 9:58 AM

    I don’t believe you. Dublin is the only capitol city in the world that has lowlifes. I’m assuming that’s why people come to visit us.

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    Mute Baz
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    Jun 16th 2015, 9:27 AM

    She must be talking about the Liffey around Lucan.

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    Mute Allister
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    Jun 16th 2015, 9:37 AM

    Do any of the junk balls staggering around drinking cans of devil’s bit get a mention in the article….

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    Mute Tom Collins
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    Jun 16th 2015, 10:37 AM

    You can’t compare Paris and Dublin.

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    Mute George Hogan
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    Jun 16th 2015, 4:21 PM

    You can. She did.

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    Mute Peter King
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    Jun 16th 2015, 9:28 AM

    What do we always get so excited when foreigners say something nice about us.

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    Mute Kevin M Smyth
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    Jun 16th 2015, 10:10 AM

    Because tourism is very important?

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    Mute I LOVE MY COUNTY
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    Jun 16th 2015, 10:19 AM

    No I agree with Peter, it’s the same when you see lots of social media outlets sharing Twitter quotes from people in England about seeing Hurling for the first time. Ireland is a proud nation, but I think we care too much what people think of us, it’s good to show we care and take pride in our culture and country, but I think it’s more an inferiority complex with some media, in Dublin especially!

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    Mute Dave Cork
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    Jun 16th 2015, 9:40 AM

    I can see the boardwalk as Dublin’s version of the left bank ..
    So many artists .. It’s a pity they all draw the dole ..

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    Mute Integra-Ted
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    Jun 16th 2015, 10:33 AM

    I love Dublin City, but for God’s sakes, what was this writer smoking?

    Both sides of the Quays is basically a motorway separated by a river for starters!

    The Rosie Hackett bridge looks like they bought a bridge kit off Lego, the rest are 3 or 4 lane speedways.

    Not to mention the Irish Zombie Olympic squad openly robbing, dealing, drinking and injecting with impunity!

    107
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    Mute Kevin Slater
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    Jun 16th 2015, 10:15 AM

    Two guards on the beat is all it would take to clear the scangars away. C’mon guards

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    Mute Kevin Higgins
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    Jun 16th 2015, 1:14 PM

    There’s a lot more than 2 guards patrolling the dublin 1/2 area. policing won’t solve an addiction and homelessness crises

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    Mute Ruth McCann
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    Jun 17th 2015, 4:34 AM

    Come to Vancouver and you’ll see what being homeless really is..
    Vancouver has the highest rate of homeless people in Canada and its shockingly bad to see that in a first world city. I would like the police force and the politicians to do something about it otherwise they’ll end up with a Vancouver 2.0 in Dublin
    I agree with your points though.

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    Mute stopit
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    Jun 16th 2015, 9:33 AM

    For me, the liffey is something you cross to get to the posh shops of the southside and come back over without having bought anything, not somewhere to stop and enjoy the city.

    I reckon if DCC start moving traffic away from the quays and pubs/cafes etc. start opening out on to street/boardwalk it will be much much better. It would be great to be able to sit out and feel like the liffey is the heart of the city.

    the first sap to post about “junkies” deserves a slap.

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    Mute Dog Standard
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    Jun 16th 2015, 2:14 PM

    Could not agree more. No traffic on the quays would really open up the whole area around the river. Dublin is such an amazing city, so vibrant, so full of fun and friendly people. You can go to a pub and chat with a stranger and its not weird. So many free museums, galleries, amazing bars, great clubs and gig venues, brilliant cinemas like the Lighthouse, great places to eat. You’re never more than 300 feet from a public park in Dublin. I’ve been to well over a hundred cities at this stage and Dublin is right up in the top ten. If you only see junkies you really are missing out. It’s no wonder so many Europeans are coming here to live, we punch well above our weight, the positives far outweigh the negatives. We even have mountains 10 minutes away. Amazing.

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    Mute Tertullian
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    Jun 16th 2015, 9:33 AM

    She may perhaps have had a couple ot Guinnesses too many when she wrote that piece. Dublin is a dump.

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    Mute Dog Standard
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    Jun 16th 2015, 2:16 PM

    Dublin is a dump and against the marriage referendum. You need to get out and party. Dublin has the best parties.

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    Mute Niall Scully
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    Jun 16th 2015, 10:17 AM

    For a capital city Dublin is an embarrassment, with a big stupid needle in the middle.

    31
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    Mute Dog Standard
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    Jun 16th 2015, 2:16 PM

    Far superior to Galway. By a long shot. We can do a comparison if you like, kinda like that bit in Lethal Weapon 3 where Reno Russo and Mel Gibson compare scars.

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    Mute Kevin M Smyth
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    Jun 16th 2015, 10:16 AM

    I’m guessing that the writer wasn’t robbed in any of the bars in Temple Bar.

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    Mute Showbiz Babyyy
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    Jun 16th 2015, 9:44 AM

    The river Lee is better. Hup oul dat

    28
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    Mute Sean Johnston
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    Jun 16th 2015, 9:49 AM

    Once a tourist has been to Dublin and realizes what a steaming pile of sh!t the place is and leaves after spending outrages amounts of money in the process, the image of Ireland is forever tarnished in their eyes. They tell anybody who will listen not to go anywhere near Ireland. Dublin airport should be used as an exit

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    Mute Sean Johnston
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    Jun 16th 2015, 10:13 AM

    point only.

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    Mute Dog Standard
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    Jun 16th 2015, 2:17 PM

    Such a spanner.

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    Mute Ray Farrelly
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    Jun 17th 2015, 6:24 AM

    Is somebody keeping you here against your will

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    Mute Bearsass Hairyarse
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    Jun 16th 2015, 10:10 AM

    What in the name a jayzzzzus was she smokin??

    27
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    Mute Richard boyle
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    Jun 16th 2015, 10:29 AM

    Cool the North side is the left bank then! Always knew it

    26
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    Mute Bobby Quarantine
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    Jun 16th 2015, 12:27 PM

    Managed to avoid the zombie junkies then? Good girl.

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    Mute Qwerty
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    Jun 16th 2015, 10:18 AM

    Didn’t forget to pack her rose-tinted glasses when visiting then.

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    Mute FastBuck
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    Jun 16th 2015, 3:23 PM

    “Like a hip version of the Seine” – obviously visited the tracksuits and sampled their wares

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    Mute Colin Forbes
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    Jun 16th 2015, 6:10 PM

    Utter rubbish

    4
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    Mute grumpyoldtroll
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    Jun 16th 2015, 12:15 PM

    I read that as ‘kip’ version. I was right the first time.

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    Mute Michael Sands
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    Jun 17th 2015, 1:56 PM

    Try swimming in it then?

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