Telling It Like It Is series – Experiences of Older People at End of Life 2025
Posted on 15th October 2025
Third Age is a proud member of the Alliance of Age Sector NGOs, a collective of eight leading organisations working together to improve the lives of older people in Ireland. The Alliance of Age Sector NGOs (The Alliance) is a collective of eight significant NGOs working in the age sector. The member organisations include: Active Retirement Ireland, Age & Opportunity, ALONE, COPE Galway, Irish Hospice Foundation, Irish Senior Citizens Parliament, The Alzheimer Society of Ireland, and Third Age.
The Alliance launches the third report in its Telling It Like It Is series – Experiences of Older People at End of Life 2025. This publication draws on findings from the National End of Life Survey and other research to highlight the experiences, needs, and priorities of older people and their families as they face death and bereavement.
A concise summary of key findings and recommendations is available.
The report identifies four areas that are central to quality of life and dignity at the end of life for older people:
-
Communication
-
Access to Key People and Timely Help
-
Care in the Community
-
Bereavement Support
Among its key recommendations, the Alliance reiterates its call for the establishment of an Independent Commissioner for Ageing and Older People. It also calls for:
-
Enhanced training for those working with older people to support sensitive end-of-life conversations
-
Improved access to supports and services within the community
-
Greater awareness and availability of information and resources that empower older people to make informed choices
-
Repetition of the National End of Life Survey to ensure ongoing learning and improvement
