Of the 29% who were not told by healthcare professionals about what they could expect when their loved one was dying, 72% said that a discussion about this would have been helpful .
When healthcare staff took the time to clearly explain someone’s condition and care plans , this led to significantly higher overall satisfaction ratings for the care and support received by relatives.
The communication with medical staff was not what I would have expected there were mixed messages about my mother’s prognosis. If I had truly understood how unwell she was I would have taken off more time from work to be with her.
Mother, died aged 70-79, in Hospital, County Dublin
There was also a clear difference in whether individuals were told they were likely to die, according to which conditions they had . For example, the vast majority (90%) of individuals with dementia were not told by a healthcare professional that they were likely to die, compared to around a third of individuals with cancer (35%) who were not told about this (Figure 3) .
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Experiences of Older People at End of Life 2025
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