Hospices can support the needs of the UK's ageing population
With the number of people aged 85 and over doubling in the next 20 years, demand for palliative and end-of-life care will surge
Demand for high-quality palliative and end-of-life care is expected to surge in the next few decades, driven by the UK's fast-ageing population. More people are living well into their 80s and beyond, many with multiple, complex health conditions.
The number of people aged 85 and over is expected to double in the next 20 years. In addition, more young people with life-shortening conditions are living for longer. These demographic changes present huge challenges for all involved in planning and delivering end-of-life care.
The view of a national commission into the future of hospice care is that hospices have an important part to play in both shaping and delivering appropriate services to meet these needs.
The hospice sector cares for about 120,000 people each year, at present predominantly those with cancer. However, these numbers are expected to at least double in the next two decades and the reality is that more hospice care will be needed for many more people with a far wider range of life-limiting conditions such as dementia and heart failure.
There is public concern about this rising demand. We commissioned a poll with Populus, which shows that seven in 10 people think demand for hospice care will rocket in coming decades because of the UK's rapidly ageing population.
Almost half of those surveyed (48%) say they are concerned that there won't be enough hospice care available in the future to support them or their loved ones if they need this. This rises to almost two thirds of people (63%) among those aged 65 and over. A further 16% of people are frightened that there won't be enough hospice care available in the future to support them or their loved ones.
The challenges and opportunities facing the hospice sector over the next 10-15 years are highlighted in a new report by the commission. It calls on hospices to adapt and change the way they work so they are fit for the future and recommends a series of actions that hospices need to take over the next two to three years to prepare for this.
Led by Dame Clare Tickell, with support from leaders from across the palliative and end-of-life care sector, the commission recommends that hospices:
• develop new models of care and adapt existing services to meet increasing and changing demands for their services
• work more closely with the NHS, local authorities, care homes and voluntary sector organisations• serve as advocates and champions of change on behalf of the communities that they serve to influence health and social care service delivery in their locality• share their expertise in providing person-centred care more widely with other organisations, including hospitals While the challenges hospices face are considerable, they are well-equipped to meet these because of their history of innovation and adaption to people's evolving needs, their strong and long-standing links with their local communities and their unique contribution to the care system as providers, funders and shapers of services that reflect individuals' needs and preferences.
Through increased partnership working, and by sharing their expertise in delivering compassionate and individualised care more widely, hospices can play a big role in tackling the demands of an ageing population and helping to transform care across all settings.
Heather Richardson is national clinical lead at Help the Hospices, which supports and champions more than 200 hospices across the UK. Guardian
With the number of people aged 85 and over doubling in the next 20 years, demand for palliative and end-of-life care will surge
Demand for high-quality palliative and end-of-life care is expected to surge in the next few decades, driven by the UK's fast-ageing population. More people are living well into their 80s and beyond, many with multiple, complex health conditions.
The number of people aged 85 and over is expected to double in the next 20 years. In addition, more young people with life-shortening conditions are living for longer. These demographic changes present huge challenges for all involved in planning and delivering end-of-life care.
The view of a national commission into the future of hospice care is that hospices have an important part to play in both shaping and delivering appropriate services to meet these needs.
The hospice sector cares for about 120,000 people each year, at present predominantly those with cancer. However, these numbers are expected to at least double in the next two decades and the reality is that more hospice care will be needed for many more people with a far wider range of life-limiting conditions such as dementia and heart failure.
There is public concern about this rising demand. We commissioned a poll with Populus, which shows that seven in 10 people think demand for hospice care will rocket in coming decades because of the UK's rapidly ageing population.
Almost half of those surveyed (48%) say they are concerned that there won't be enough hospice care available in the future to support them or their loved ones if they need this. This rises to almost two thirds of people (63%) among those aged 65 and over. A further 16% of people are frightened that there won't be enough hospice care available in the future to support them or their loved ones.
The challenges and opportunities facing the hospice sector over the next 10-15 years are highlighted in a new report by the commission. It calls on hospices to adapt and change the way they work so they are fit for the future and recommends a series of actions that hospices need to take over the next two to three years to prepare for this.
Led by Dame Clare Tickell, with support from leaders from across the palliative and end-of-life care sector, the commission recommends that hospices:
• develop new models of care and adapt existing services to meet increasing and changing demands for their services
• work more closely with the NHS, local authorities, care homes and voluntary sector organisations• serve as advocates and champions of change on behalf of the communities that they serve to influence health and social care service delivery in their locality• share their expertise in providing person-centred care more widely with other organisations, including hospitals While the challenges hospices face are considerable, they are well-equipped to meet these because of their history of innovation and adaption to people's evolving needs, their strong and long-standing links with their local communities and their unique contribution to the care system as providers, funders and shapers of services that reflect individuals' needs and preferences.
Through increased partnership working, and by sharing their expertise in delivering compassionate and individualised care more widely, hospices can play a big role in tackling the demands of an ageing population and helping to transform care across all settings.
Heather Richardson is national clinical lead at Help the Hospices, which supports and champions more than 200 hospices across the UK. Guardian
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