The option on where and how you choose to die is becoming a sleeping giant of the federal election.
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A Fairfax-Ipsos poll has revealed aged care to be among the top of readers’ concerns before voters go to the poll on July 2.
It comes as the brave wife Carolyn Keast, who lost popular Riverina man Rick Keast to cancer in 2009 when he was 42 years old, told her story about discussing palliative care options with loved ones.
Labor candidate for Riverina Tim Kurylowicz said a co-ordinated national approach to end-of-life care was needed.
He said palliative care fell under both ageing and health portfolios.
“Even though we know the bulk of patients prefer to die at home, the number of people dying in hospitals is on the rise,” Mr Kurylowicz said.
“We need to ensure a minimum level of comfort, and we haven’t established on yet.”
The Nationals candidate for Riverina Michael McCormack said he would continue to push for more public palliative care beds.
“I will continue to work closely with the Murrumbidgee Health District,” Mr McCormack said.
“It’s good that Calvary and the Forrest Centre have come on board (with a palliative care facility).
Mr McCormack said it was important to give people the choice to die at home.
“When it is not possible, we need a public facility to allow people to die with dignity,” he said.
“I will continue to work to achieve that goal.”
The federal Labor Party has announced a $21.7 million plan to help allow people to choose to die at home.
The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare released a report last week saying Medicare payments for palliative care have spiked to 80 per cent over the past five years due to our ageing population driving up service demand.
A Fairfax report last week revealed NSW has the lowest number of palliative care nurses per population of any Australian state or territory.
