Along with the increasing awareness of patient autonomy, the desire for dying well in the place of choice and dying in the place one calls home is also on the rise. The elderly desire not only to live long, but more importantly to live well, and to die well. Hence, it is imperative to fortify palliative care capabilities and resources to provide people with easy access regardless of where they are, be it a community care unit, long-term care facility or hospital. This would ensure that quality care is available to the elderly where they reside and improve the quality of death. It serves as an important basis allowing for the elderly to enjoy the last days of their lives in a familiar setting where they call home.
Motivated to explore ways to meet this increasing demand, the Hospice Foundation of Taiwan held an international conference on World Hospice Day, 13th October 2018. A total of 546 participants joined the event and a number of international and local scholars and experts from both the public and private sectors with expertise in long-term care, education and clinical work were invited to share their knowledge on these topics.
