Aged Care
End of Life Care in Aged Care: What Families Can Expect (2026)
If you are reading this, someone you love may be nearing the end of their life in an aged care home, or you may be trying to prepare for that time. End of life care in aged care is about comfort, dignity and making sure your loved one and your family are supported. Knowing what usually happens, and what to ask, can make an incredibly hard time a little less frightening.
This guide explains what end of life care in aged care involves, how long people usually stay in residential care, what happens in the final weeks and days, what happens when someone dies in an aged care home in Queensland, and where families can find support.
If you need support right now
Carer Gateway 1800 422 737
Griefline 1300 845 745
Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636
Older Persons Advocacy Network 1800 700 600
End of life care in aged care at a glance
FOCUS: Comfort, dignity and the person’s own wishes
NURSING: A Registered Nurse on site 24 hours a day in every aged care home
PLANNING: Advance Health Directive and care conferences with family
TYPICAL STAY: Median of 20.1 months in permanent care (AIHW, 2024-25)
AFTER DEATH: No rush. Families can spend time with their loved one
SUPPORT: Free help for families through Carer Gateway and Griefline
What Is End of Life Care in Aged Care?
End of life care is the care given in the last months, weeks and days of a person’s life. In an aged care home, it focuses on keeping the person comfortable and free from pain, respecting their wishes, and supporting the people who love them. It is not a separate service. It is a change in the goals of care, from treating illness to providing comfort.
Families often hear three similar terms. Here is how they differ:
CAN START EARLY · Palliative care
Care for anyone with a life-limiting illness, which can begin months or years before death and run alongside other treatment.
FINAL MONTHS TO DAYS · End of life care
The part of palliative care given as death approaches, focused on comfort, wishes and family support.
FINAL DAYS · Comfort care
Treatments aimed at curing illness stop, and every part of care focuses on comfort. Care does not stop, it changes focus.
Our guide to the 5 stages of palliative care explains the full journey, and you can read about palliative care at Superior Care Group.
How Long Do People Stay in Aged Care Before Death?
Families often ask this, and it is a reasonable question. There is no way to predict it for any one person, but national data gives a general picture.
20.1 months
Median length of stay for people leaving permanent residential aged care in 2024-25
88 years
Median age when people left permanent residential aged care in 2024-25
According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW), the median length of stay for people leaving permanent residential care in 2024-25 was 20.1 months, the longest of any type of aged care, and death is the most common reason people leave. Earlier AIHW reporting found that most exits from permanent residential care (86%) were due to death, and that people who died in care had a median stay of around 25 months.
A median means half of people stay longer and half stay for a shorter time. Some residents live in aged care for many years, while others move in when they are already very unwell. Your loved one’s GP and the home’s Registered Nurses are the best people to talk with about what to expect in their situation.
What End of Life Care in Aged Care Looks Like
Every person’s journey is different. Some decline slowly over months, while others change quickly. The stages below describe what commonly happens.
In the months and weeks before death
The care team assesses pain and symptoms more often, reviews medications to focus on comfort, and stops tests or treatments that no longer help. A family meeting, often called a case conference, is usually held to talk about your loved one’s wishes and the goals of care. This is a good time to review any advance care planning documents.
In the final days
Care becomes entirely comfort-focused. Your loved one may sleep much more, eat and drink very little, and be less responsive. Staff keep them comfortable with mouth care, gentle repositioning and medications for pain, breathlessness or restlessness. Most homes encourage families to visit as often as they wish at this time.
In the final hours
Breathing patterns often change, hands and feet may feel cool, and the skin may change colour. These are natural signs that the body is slowing down. Staff can explain each change so nothing comes as a shock. Many people believe hearing remains to the end, so talking quietly, holding hands or playing favourite music can be a comfort.
After death
There is no rush. Families can usually spend time with their loved one before the funeral director is contacted. The next section explains the practical steps.
Signs that death may be near
- Sleeping most of the time
- Eating and drinking very little
- Changes in breathing
- Cool hands and feet
- Skin colour changes
- Less responsive
Not everyone shows every sign, and the order varies. Staff can explain what you are seeing.
A note for families
You do not need to say or do anything special. Sitting quietly, holding a hand, sharing memories or playing a favourite song can all be a comfort. If you need a break, staff will stay with your loved one.
What Happens When Someone Dies in an Aged Care Home in Queensland?
When a resident dies, the aged care home guides the family through what needs to happen. The usual steps in Queensland are:
1. Death is confirmed
A nurse or doctor checks and records that death has occurred, following the home’s procedures.
2. The family is told
If family members were not present, staff contact the nominated next of kin as soon as possible.
3. Time with your loved one
Families can usually spend time in the room. Cultural and religious practices can be respected, so let staff know what matters to your family.
4. The doctor issues a cause of death certificate
For an expected death from natural causes, the GP or another doctor completes a cause of death certificate, usually within 48 hours.
5. A funeral director is contacted
The family chooses a funeral director, who arranges to collect your loved one and helps with the death registration paperwork.
6. Belongings and next steps
The home will talk with you about collecting personal belongings, and about any final fees and the refund of an accommodation deposit if one was paid.
When is the coroner involved? In Queensland, deaths from natural causes such as disease or old age are generally not reportable to a coroner. A death must be reported under the Coroners Act 2003 in certain circumstances, for example if it was unexpected, violent or unnatural, if it was related to health care, or if a doctor cannot determine the probable cause of death. If a death is reportable, the doctor cannot issue a certificate until the coroner allows it. The Coroners Court of Queensland explains these rules.
If you are unsure about any step, ask the Registered Nurse in charge. Staff deal with these situations regularly and can explain what is happening.
AGED CARE HOME: Confirms death, contacts family and the GP, and guides you through next steps
DOCTOR: Completes the cause of death certificate, or reports the death if required
FUNERAL DIRECTOR: Collects your loved one and helps register the death
FAMILY: Chooses the funeral director and shares any cultural or religious wishes
Planning Ahead: Advance Care Planning in Queensland
Advance care planning means thinking about, talking about and writing down what matters to your loved one, and the care they would or would not want if they could no longer speak for themselves. It is far easier to do before a crisis, ideally soon after moving into aged care.
| Document | What it does |
|---|---|
| Advance Health Directive | Queensland’s legal document recording a person’s directions about future health care, including treatments they would or would not want. |
| Enduring Power of Attorney | Appoints one or more trusted people to make personal, health or financial decisions if the person loses capacity. |
| Statement of Choices | A Queensland form recording a person’s values and preferences. It guides care but is not a legal directive. |
| Statutory health attorney | If there is no directive or appointed attorney, Queensland law sets out who can make health decisions, such as a spouse, an unpaid carer or a close relative or friend. |
Tip: Keep a copy of each document at the aged care home, one with the GP, and one at home with the person’s other important papers. Review them whenever health changes.
Make sure the aged care home has copies of any documents, and that they are discussed at care conferences. Our guide to advance care directives explains each one in more detail.
Comfort and Symptom Care at the End of Life
Relieving discomfort is the most important part of end of life care in aged care. Under the strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards, clinical care standards include requirements for palliative and end of life care, so homes must recognise when a resident is approaching the end of life and provide care focused on their comfort and wishes. Common areas of care include:
Pain
Regular assessment, including for people who cannot say they are in pain, and medication adjusted as needs change.
Breathlessness
Positioning, a calm environment, gentle airflow and medication where needed.
Restlessness
Quiet surroundings, familiar voices, gentle touch and medication if distress continues.
Mouth care
Keeping the mouth moist and clean once eating and drinking stop. Families can help with this if they wish.
Skin
Gentle repositioning and pressure-relieving equipment, balanced with what feels comfortable.
Emotional and spiritual care
Support from pastoral care, spiritual leaders or counsellors, according to the person’s beliefs.
Questions to Ask About End of Life Care in an Aged Care Home
Whether your loved one already lives in an aged care home or you are choosing one, these questions can help:
- How do you recognise when a resident is approaching the end of life?
- Will we have a family meeting to talk about goals and wishes?
- Can my loved one stay in their own room until the end?
- Can family visit at any time, and stay overnight in the final days?
- How do you work with GPs and specialist palliative care services?
- What support do you offer families afterwards?
Looking After Yourself as a Family Member
Supporting someone at the end of their life is exhausting, emotionally and physically. Many families feel grief long before their loved one dies, particularly after a long illness. It is also common to feel relief when someone dies after a long decline, and then to feel guilty about that relief. All of these feelings are normal, and none of them mean you loved the person any less.
It is okay to feel grief before death.
It is okay to feel relief, too.
It is okay to take a break.
It is okay to ask for help.
Try to rest when you can, accept help from others and talk with someone you trust. Carer Gateway offers free counselling and support for carers, and Griefline provides support for people who are grieving. Our guides on carer fatigue and the ageing carer in Australia may also help.
End of Life Care at Superior Care Group
Superior Care Group is a family-owned aged care provider that has cared for older Queenslanders for over 45 years. At Wellington Park in Wellington Point and Merrimac Park on the Gold Coast, our Registered Nurses are on site around the clock, and we provide palliative care as part of residential care. If your family is facing this time, or wants to plan ahead, we can talk you through how end of life care is provided at our homes and answer your questions gently and honestly.
We are here to talk
Call the residence nearest your family, or send us a message.
Wellington Park, Wellington Point: (07) 3822 1876
Merrimac Park, Gold Coast: (07) 5618 1111
Related guides
Sources: AIHW GEN: People leaving aged care · AIHW: Older Australians, aged care · Coroners Court of Queensland: Reportable deaths · Queensland Law Handbook
