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SOME PEOPLE WHO wish die at home can experience “traumatic deaths” as a result of a lack of proper care and support, according to a new report.
The Dying Well at Home report released today from the Irish Hospice Foundation highlighted a number of systemic gaps in the provision of end-of-life care in Ireland.
These include a lack of proper support, inadequate access to care, and a lack of resources to provide proper care in the community.
The report was conducted by holding online focus group discussions with 49 participants from 15 different organisations representing paid or and unpaid end-of-life care providers in Ireland.
Previous research has shown that 74% of people in Ireland want to die in their home, but only 23% have home deaths.
While the report noted that many people die well at home, the discussions raised a number of barriers that people have in accessing proper end-of-life care. These include:
According to the report:
Participants reflected that, despite the tireless work of families, carers and medical teams, systemic gaps in the provision of end-of-life care in Ireland can lead to unmet patient wishes and traumatic deaths.
Commenting on the report, CEO of Irish Hospice Foundation Paula O’Reilly said that while it was not possible for everyone to die at home, the IHF said that more could be done to “enable greater choice about where people are cared for as death approaches”.
“This report identify the gaps in services that need to be filled if everyone in Ireland is to have the opportunity to be supported to die in the right place, at the right time with the right care,” she said.
As part of the report, a good death was described by participants as one that is comfortable, calm, and free from pain and suffering, and one that honoured the end-of-life wishes of the patient, allowing them to die with dignity in the place of their choosing, with those they wanted present.
The IHF made a number of recommendations on the back of the report to increase participants access to quality end-of-life care. These include scoping and developing an information and support line for carers, creating a map with information on available resources, and conducting further research.
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As someone who works in the care sector, the above lack of everything is not just palliative care its across the board, it dose not matter what service there is simply no staff – or support for the staff they have.
@Kiara: Ireland is a cost-saving exercise.
My mother died in Blanchardstown hospital seven years ago and her death was the most traumatic event in my families lives, we still have nightmares how she died. We were told from the moment she was admitted to the room where she died that no medical staff would attend her, no doctor called to see her all day, only a single nurse on duty to attend to a corridor of people in single rooms who were dying. She died in my arms , worse day and memory in my life. We had asked to bring her home when they told us she was dying but were told she could not be moved. When I am at that point then if possible I will not die in a hospital. RIP Mam, you deserved better.
Stephen Donnelly, the chocolate teapot will sort it all out
@Big Haus: After the next election, David “Up the Ra” Cullinane will have all the answers. Can’t wait.
@Justin Gillespie: oh here we go…..
@Big Haus: We’re not able. 100s of years of subservience have made the base level for societal vision too low for us to crawl out of. Dont see a change in any of the current infrastructures in our lifetimes.
Some traumatic stories here. My true condolences. To have a parent die peacefully, whatever the environment, and to be granted a simple ‘Goodbye and thankyou’: is an eternal gift to the child.
Ffg would rather leave dying people in agony as they play to a shrinking religious base that’s soiled itself in disgrace.
@Robert Halvey: Incorrect. The FFG (and SF) death cult will soon be introducing assisted suicide legislation so people can legally kill themselves.
@Robert Halvey: FFG (as well as SD, PBP, Greens & Labour) will leave you to rot, or at the very least give you a good incentive to commit suicide. Sinn Féin would just kill you execution-style long before you reach that stage.
@Science: bring it on
@Robert Halvey: perfectly put
Vote FFG for more of the great content…!
The reality is access to ‘home care’ be it carers, community nurses or palliative care in the home is very ‘hit and miss’ at the best of times. Very few of these services are available 24/7. GPs are not inclined to undertake ‘home visits’ (system overload) so that level of care is usually delivered remotely or by OOH services. Leading to lack of ‘continuity of care’ when it is s needed most by patients and family. I think In patient care in the appropriate setting with access to the best of specialist staff , facilities and medication would my preferred option if available.
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