A person with dementia declines gradually over a number of years. Over time, they are more likely to experience episodes of acute illness, such as chest infections, and these may cause other functions to decline. At Dementia Support Australia we receive referrals related to confusion over behaviours which relate to terminal agitation and a person palliating rather than other behaviours.

Palliative care plays a crucial role in supporting a person with complex needs like these, with the principle focus of keeping them comfortable, more than ever as they approach end of life.

It's important to everyone to have choice in how we are cared for, never more so than when we are approaching our last days. By encouraging early decision making and greater understanding of end-of-life preferences, we can work together with the people in our care, and their families, to help them achieve a good death. This is no different when we are supporting people with dementia as it would be for someone with other terminal illnesses.

Dementia Palliative care is just good care
If palliative care is unfamiliar or daunting to you, there are some great resources available to improve your understanding and help you support people living with dementia as their needs increase.

These include tools and education both for healthcare professionals and for the friends and families of someone they care for, helping them to make choices together and have open conversations about death and dying.

Plan for what’s ahead
The Advance Project is designed to help health and aged care professionals have conversations about end-of-life for the people with dementia in their care and encourage them to think about advance care planning or palliative care. The free program offers free, practical resources and training that enables a team-based approach to making advance care planning and palliative care part of your everyday care. The Advance Project is led by HammondCare and funded by the Australian Government. 

Understand the last stages of life
Nothing in life prepares us for the end, including the grief and loss that accompanies the death of a loved one. Not-for-profit Violet has helped more than 12,000 people care for someone in their last months, weeks and days or manage their grief and loss. Aimed at friends and families it provides guidance on honest and open conversations, where to find support and how to prepare for the end of life.

Navigate the last days
The Last Days Program helps families and carers understand what’s ahead when someone is at the end of their life, creating space for open conversations about their wishes and preferences and providing practical knowledge to help plan and prepare. Run by HammondCare as face-to-face or online workshops, it covers topics like how we die, what a good death is and the choices we have, and ritual, rules and regulations surrounding death.