Where older people die: a retrospective population-based study.

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Palliative Medicine
• Public Health

Background:

• Palliative medicine services aim to support individuals at home during end-of-life care.
• Understanding the location of death is crucial for developing effective end-of-life care strategies for older adults.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze trends in the age and location of death over a 20-year period.
• To inform the planning and delivery of end-of-life care services.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of death certificates from Wales between 1981 and 2001.
• Data extraction focused on place of death and age at death.

Main Results:

• Total deaths and overall mortality rates declined between 1981 and 2001.
• Deaths in the community decreased significantly (37.6% to 22.1%), while hospital (56.7% to 61.7%) and care home deaths (5.7% to 16.2%) increased.
• The over-85 age group experienced the largest increase in deaths, particularly in hospitals and care homes.

Conclusions:

• A notable shift in the location of death from community settings to hospitals and care homes has occurred.
• The increasing number of deaths among the elderly, especially those over 85, necessitates a focus on end-of-life care within institutional settings.
• Future end-of-life care planning must address the specific needs of older individuals in hospitals and care homes.