The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has published a report examining how end-of-life care may be improved, including in the areas of workforce, quality, funding and governance. The report found that end-of-life care does not always reflect the wishes of the person and that, across OECD countries, hospitals account for the place of death in more than 50% of cases deaths. Key findings of the report include:
• Too many people receive sub-par care in their last days or months of life, with access to services often being insufficient and unequal, especially at home
• Professionals often fail to discuss choices that provide people a dignified end of life
• Care provided at the end of life often fails to alleviate suffering, nor limit unnecessary treatments
• Costs at the end of life are high for both the public purse and families, while not necessarily delivering quality of life
• Putting end-of-life care higher in the policy agenda and implementing a more comprehensive set of policies would make the end of life a more meaningful and humane experience for people and their relatives.
The report also examines the subject in relation to a number of conditions, including dementia. The report identifies the growing number of persons living with dementia, as well as the specific challenges which arises in relation to providing appropriate care. The full report is available:
https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/sites/722b927a-en/index.html?itemId=/content/publication/722b927a-en