End-of-life choices: Only 1 in 6 aged care homes tell you about THIS life-altering choice

Content Warning: This article discusses end-of-life care and voluntary assisted dying.

Aged care in Australia is on the brink of a transformation, but one glaring problem has been exposed.

Most residential facilities are failing to provide older Australians with essential information about their legal end-of-life options.

Families are being left in the dark, often learning about crucial choices far too late.

With major reforms to the Aged Care Act set to commence on 1 November 2025, residents will soon gain stronger rights and protections than ever before.

Just two days later, voluntary assisted dying (VAD) laws will come into effect in the ACT, completing the legal framework across every state and territory except the Northern Territory.

Yet a disturbing new study presented at the Ageing Australia Conference revealed that despite VAD being legal nationwide, only 15 per cent of residential aged care providers offered access to VAD or supplied any information about it to residents.

Conducted by Go Gentle Australia in partnership with OPAN (Older Persons Advocacy Network), the research exposed critical information gaps that are leaving older Australians to make life-altering decisions without full knowledge.

The shocking scale of the problem

The study examined 72 providers responsible for caring for almost 70 per cent of the national residential aged care population, making it one of the most comprehensive investigations into this issue.

Only four providers—just 5 per cent—gave residents and their families 'comprehensive information and full access to VAD.'

This means 85 per cent of aged care homes either do not provide VAD access or fail to inform residents about the legal option, despite it being available across the country.

Dr Linda Swan highlighted the human cost of this information gap, recounting conversations with residents who only discovered VAD when it was 'too late,' and families whose loved one's suffering was prolonged unnecessarily.

The lack of information has forced some frail and ill residents to move from their homes simply to access VAD—a traumatic disruption that could often be avoided with proper planning and transparency.

Understanding the legal landscape

These findings come as the aged care sector prepares for its most significant legal overhaul in decades.

The new Aged Care Act, effective 1 November 2025, will introduce a rights-based framework designed to place residents’ choices at the centre of care delivery.

Currently, residential facilities must allow all residents—whether temporary or permanent—to access information about VAD, including facilitating it if a resident requests details.

They are also required to provide access to qualified health practitioners or other relevant individuals who can explain VAD or respond to requests.

Real-world impact on families

Craig Gear, CEO of OPAN, stressed that the issue is not about taking a stance for or against VAD, but about ensuring older Australians and their families have the clarity needed during profoundly personal times.

'Residential aged care is someone's home,' he explained, noting that inadequate information is particularly harmful for residents in rural and regional areas, where relocation to access VAD can be both 'harmful and unrealistic.'

Clear communication from providers helps older Australians avoid distressing and unnecessary transfers.

Families already navigating terminal illness face additional trauma when loved ones must relocate simply to exercise legal rights, a burden that could be minimised with transparent information.

What comprehensive information looks like

The report identified a small number of providers as examples of best practice, including Uniting ACT.NSW and OneCare Tasmania, which gave comprehensive public information and direct access to VAD.

Your rights as a consumer

Australian Consumer Law and aged care legislation guarantee residents the right to make informed choices about care and accommodation.

November 2025: a new era for aged care rights

The new Aged Care Act introduces a 'rights-based framework,' prioritising residents’ choices over provider and funding considerations.

For VAD, the combination of strengthened aged care rights and the ACT’s new laws marks a pivotal change in how end-of-life issues are addressed nationwide.

Regional challenges require creative solutions

Regional and remote Australians face particular difficulties when aged care providers do not supply comprehensive VAD information.

Alternatives may require relocation, sometimes hundreds of kilometres from family or community supports.

Telehealth offers a potential solution, though federal laws currently create barriers, and recent court rulings have clarified that some telehealth consultations for VAD may not be legally permissible.

This makes transparency from local providers essential, allowing residents and families to plan ahead.

Moving forward: what this means for you

If you want to explore how end-of-life choices are managed in more complex medical situations, there’s a detailed story that sheds light on this issue.

It looks specifically at cases where cognitive conditions affect decision-making, highlighting the legal and practical challenges involved.

Following this piece can give a clearer picture of what options are available and how families navigate these difficult decisions.

Read more: What voluntary assisted dying options are available for those with dementia?

What questions will you be asking your aged care provider about their end-of-life policies?