Palliative care was the one thing my friend regretted after her mother's death

A friend regretted that her mother missed timely palliative care, and the article reports that many older Australians receive specialist palliative support only days before death.

A friend asked for advice about her mother, who had been hospitalised repeatedly and showed steadily worsening function. Doctors were increasingly pessimistic, but the family had not been given a clear plan they understood. A suggestion of specialist palliative care came late in the course, and the mother died three days afterward. The friend later regretted the missed opportunity for earlier palliative support. Key facts: - The article notes that the first specialist palliative care intervention typically occurs a median of 12 days before death. - Current coverage varies by condition: about 60% of cancer patients receive palliative care, compared with 28% of people with organ failure and 22% of those with dementia or frailty. - Many people (reported as 68%) had an unplanned hospital admission in the last year of life, and a substantial share die in hospitals or emergency departments. - Healthcare use in the last year of life is much higher than usual care, cited as roughly 14 times higher overall and 10 times higher for those aged 80 and over. Summary: The article highlights gaps in timely access to specialist palliative care for many older Australians and illustrates how late involvement can leave families feeling they missed an opportunity. The author calls for better funding, awareness and advocacy to reach those who are missing out. Undetermined at this time