Why is there a need for a palliative approach in aged care?

Although not openly discussed in American society, every single person is going to die eventually. At some point, the risks and side effects of continuing to extend life outweigh the potential gains and benefits. As patients age, the question becomes less about "how much more time" and more about "how good of time" does the patient have left. This is the point where palliative care takes over from curative or therapeutic care - you aren't trying to cure the disease or restore function, simply to control the symptoms such as pain and make the transition into death easier and less traumatic for the patient. Care is coordinated by the caregiver, and many routine but invasive medical procedures such as cancer screenings are discontinued since they will not provide significant improvements to health and are often uncomfortable and invasive.

On a personal level, palliative care is much more holistic and focuses on the patient. Most patients receiving palliative care report high levels of satisfaction and connection with their caregivers - they feel cared for, rather than taken care of. There is more emotional support and a social bond formed that makes the dying process less terrifying and easier to process. Most families of patients that receive palliative care report similar things, since palliative care givers are also generally responsible for supporting the family and helping the surviving relatives cope with the changes and the eventual outcome.

On a societal level, palliative care is much less expensive than curative therapy. In the United States, it is estimated that up to 50% of health care costs are incurred in the last 6 months of life, including things like routine cancer screenings in individuals with terminal organ failure. While there are obviously many necessary health costs within the last 6 months of life, there is also a great deal of wasted medical resources and money. By shifting from curative therapy to palliative care in individuals who are terminal for their disease, society saves a great deal of money in health care costs.