What Older People Told Us: A Look at the Telling it Like it is Report
The National End of Life Survey 2024 gave bereaved families a chance to be heard. The new report, Telling it Like It Is produced by The Alliance of Age Sector NGOs highlights what older people and their families say they need most. With 83% of deaths in 2024 among people aged 65+, these insights are crucial as our ageing population grows. The insights gained will help shape the future of care, policy and support.
The themes identified in the report include communication, access to key people, care in the community and bereavement care.
- Communication at end of life: Most older people were not told they were nearing death. Families want honest, timely information about what to expect. Among those not informed, 72% said a conversation would have helped.
- Access to key people: Quick access to healthcare staff strongly influenced families’ perceptions of care quality. Out of hours GP availability varied significantly by county, affecting older people’s ability to receive timely support when most needed.
- Care in the community: Older people—especially those over 80—often lacked essential supports to remain at home at end of life. Access to key healthcare professionals was uneven, shaped by age and geographic location.
- Bereavement support: Relatives who did not receive practical guidance after their loved one’s death rated their overall care experience much lower. Sensitive communication from staff following the death had a major impact on how families viewed the quality of care.
Caru’s core deliverables include:
- training for all staff in palliative, end-of-life, and bereavement care—building confidence and competence across all disciplines in the nursing home.
- Embedding a culture of compassionate communication, ensuring staff feel equipped to have challenging and sensitive conversations with residents and families.
- Supporting advance care planning, enabling residents’ wishes to be understood and translated into daily practice with ongoing discussion.
- Strengthening bereavement supports so families feel supported before, during, and after a death by signposting resources like Bereavement Support Line and Information Support Line
The Caru programme directly responds to the challenges highlighted in the Telling It Like It Is report. Older people and their families deserve compassionate, informed end-of-life care, and healthcare staff need the right support to deliver it. The Caru programme equips nursing home staff with the skills, confidence, and guidance to communicate openly, provide timely care, and support families through loss.