Background to this report Approximately 35,000 people die each year in Ireland, leaving those close to them bereaved. As Ireland’s population ages, we will see a projected increase of 68% in the total number of deaths over a 30 year period, from 2016-2046. Three out of four deaths currently are from an illness indicating a need for palliative care. 1 It is often said that the Irish ‘do death well’, and the evidence internationally would appear to support this. For example, Ireland ranked fourth in the world in the 2015 Economist Quality of Death Index. 2 However, we know that this experience is not equal for everyone, and there are gaps in the care received, for individuals and for loved ones, at this critical time. Death comes to us all; however, we know that any issues relating to end-of-life care will disproportionately affect older people. People aged 65 and over account for more than four out of five (83%) of all deaths in Ireland, and more than a third (36%) of all deaths are people aged over 85 years 3 . Everyone deserves a positive end-of-life experience. For Ireland to truly achieve excellence at end of life, access to the supports that are proven to most shape this positive experience should be available to all. The National End of Life Survey, published in 2024 4 , was the first nationwide survey that asked bereaved relatives about their experience of the care provided to their loved one in their last months and days of life. This survey represents a major milestone as the first of its kind on a national scale, however, it is not the first survey of bereaved relatives to be undertaken. In 2017, the Mater and St James’s Hospitals undertook the Survey of Bereaved Relatives: Voices MaJam 5 , which helped lay the foundation for this national project. The purpose of the National End of Life Survey was to learn from people’s experiences to improve the services provided both to people who are dying, and those who care for them. Between September and December 2022, 4,570 bereaved family members and friends completed the survey. 6 A report of the survey findings was published by the National Care Experience team in HIQA in April 2024. However, there is more to explore from this valuable dataset, particularly in telling the story of the end-of-life experiences of older people.
1 National Adult Palliative Care Policy , Department of Health, 2024 2 The 2015 Quality of Death Index , The Economist Intelligence Unit, 2015 3 Vital Statistics Yearly Summary , Central Statistics Office, 2024, 4 National End of Life Survey , 2024 5 Survey of Bereaved Relatives: VOICES MaJam , 2017 6 National End of Life Survey , 2024
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Experiences of Older People at End of Life 2025
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