A residential aged care facility (formerly called a nursing home) is a place where people stay who need continual care and help with daily living.
Learn more about:
Overview
These homes cater for people with a range of chronic conditions, and nurses and aged care workers can provide ongoing care. Some aged care homes also provide respite care. For a list of government-subsidised aged care services, visit myagedcare.gov.au.
Some people fear that dying in residential aged care will be unpleasant and perhaps impersonal. But dying in an aged care home can be comforting, particularly if you have been there for a period of time and you are familiar with the people there. Staff will try to make you comfortable and give you and your family privacy.
Ensuring your wishes are respected
If you want to die in a residential aged care facility, consider making an advance care directive so that staff know your choices and preferences about care and treatment. Talk to your care providers about avoiding an unnecessary transfer to hospital at the end of life.
Key points about a residential aged care facility
- It may provide a less clinical environment than some hospitals.
- Experienced staff are on hand to help manage symptoms and needs.
- It may be located close to carers, family or friends.
- It may provide 24-hour care.
- It can sometimes accommodate cultural rites and practices in care.
- Family and friends can go home to get some rest – although some carers may find this difficult.
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Fiona Wiseman, Senior Social Worker, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, VIC; Grace Berwald, Consumer; Peta Brydon, Metastatic McGrath Breast Care Clinical Nurse Consultant, The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, NSW; Kate Bunyan, Social Worker, Psychosocial Lead, Cancer and Palliative Supportive Care, Canberra Region Cancer Centre, ACT; Hayden Christie, Medical Oncologist and Clinical Director Cancer Care Service and Clinical Lead of the VAD Service for Wide Bay Hospital and Health Service, QLD; John Clements, Consumer; Claire Davies, Spiritual Care Practitioner, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, VIC; Joanne Dean, Nurse Practitioner, PEACE Team, Clare Holland House, ACT; A/Prof Michael Franco, Medical Oncologist and Palliative Medicine Physician, Deputy Head – Monash Medical School, Monash University, VIC; Dr Sally Greenaway, WSLHD Director of Supportive and Palliative Care, Senior Staff Specialist Clinical Haematology and Clinical Ethics Service, NSW; Maree Grier, Clinical Psychologist, Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, QLD; Dr Catherine Joyce, National Manager, Advance Care Planning Australia; Mattesse Kitchin, Consumer; Penny Neller, Project Manager, End of Life Law for Clinicians, Australian Centre for Health Law Research, Queensland University of Technology, QLD; Caitriona Nienaber 13 11 20 Consultant, Cancer Council WA; Palliative Care Australia; A/Prof Joel Rhee, Head of Discipline of General Practice, School of Clinical Medicine, University of New South Wales, NSW.
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