Research context

Several factors, some long-term and others the result of more recent changes, have given rise to the need for this research to be carried out. These include:

• Changing demographics
• The rising incidence of chronic illness
• Co-morbidity, disability and extreme general frailty
• Challenges of living towards end of life
• Awareness of inappropriate care that is out of step with needs, wishes and preferences
• Increased interest in ‘dignity’ in practice
• Calls for improvements in palliative care.

The research is set in the context of UK government policies:

• to shift emphasis from secondary to primary and community care in order to make cost savings
• to increase the proportion of deaths at home because that is regarded as the ‘ideal’ environment .

This is a cross-disciplinary research project associated with gerontology, sociology, medicine, palliative care and social policy.