Many older adults aren't planning or talking about end-of-life
Though most older adults, or 83 percent, say they understand that the end-of-life transition is an important part of life, a large majority, or nearly 70 percent, say the topic is generally avoided.
That’s one finding in the AARP’s 2024 End of Life Survey, which also found that 35 percent of those adults over age 45 say they believe there’s no good reason to talk about dying.
Topping the list of concerns for all older adults is becoming a physical burden on family and friends (63 percent), while 58 percent say they worry how their elderly care recipient would get the care needed. More than half of older adults with spouses or partners say they worry about how that person would manage in general (56 percent), that the money for their spouse/partner won’t last (53 percent) and whether their spouse/partner will have a medical caregiver when needed (52 percent).
Half of adults ages 45 and older also say they worry about dying unexpectedly (51 percent) and what would happen to their pet or pets (50 percent).
While more than 60 percent say they’ve spoken about the end of life with a loved one, a little more than half of that number have done something concrete such as creating a will.
Nearly 2,000 adults were part of the study conducted last October and November.
Women are more likely than men to say that the pandemic changed their outlook on life, death, and dying (48 percent vs. 34 percent), according to the study.
More than half of all adults age 50 and older said death and dying were rarely or never discussed during their childhood, or 53 percent combined for those two categories.
Those in the age group of 65 or older are more comfortable talking about death than those ages 45-64, found the study, with 46 percent of those ages 65-74 saying they feel very comfortable talking about it, and 41 percent saying the same thing in the age 55-64 category and 35 percent saying so in the age 45-54 category.
When it came to their own mortality, respondents said that death is seen as a part of life and something to face head on. Nearly all adults ages 45 and older say they would want to know if they had a serious illness or if they only had a few months to live. Most also agree that there is a special value in getting old.
While the study found dying expectantly as a top concern, it noted that when choosing between a quick passing and a slower passing with more time to prepare for closure, studies have found that a desire for quick passing increases with age.
The study found top concerns also include that wishes for end-of-life care would be honored and that funeral or memorial wishes would be honored after they die.
Key implications/takeaways from the report, according to the AARP, are that:
• Normalizing the discussion around death and dying could inspire planning, which may alleviate some concerns;
• And that preparing formal documents outlining end-of-life wishes covering all items of concern will help ensure final wishes are honored.
The AARP, or American Association of Retired Persons, is the nation’s largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering people age 50 and older to choose how they live as they age.
With a nationwide presence, AARP strengthens communities and advocates for what matters most to the more than 100 million Americans 50-plus and their families, according to its website, www.aarp.org.
