8. Place of death

When considering and planning for the future, it is inevitable that many Carers’ thoughts turn to the place of death for their loved one.

Research conducted by the Irish Hospice Foundation (IHF, 2016) revealed that 4,200 people with dementia die in Ireland each year. Of these, about 2,310 people (55%) die in residential care settings and a further 1,680 (40%) die in acute hospitals. 

The findings estimate that 210 people (5%) with dementia die in their own homes and “In over 50% of the sample, the decision to die at home was made in advance by the person with dementia or their families.”

Recent research also shows that, ‘If care at home is possible, this does not mean that death at home is preferred. Rather, there is evidence that the desire to die at home lessens with age and failing health’ Lancet (2021).

Place of death can and should be considered more broadly, and no one place should be seen as the most appropriate.