Abstract

We will present key results from the report, ‘Deaths in Older Adults in England' produced by the South West Public Health Observatory on behalf of the National End of Life Care Intelligence Network. This report describes differences in place and cause of death in older people and is part of work to provide information and evidence to support the End of Life Care Strategy.

The report analysed deaths in people aged 75 and over registered in England in 2006–2008 (source: ONS mortality data). There were differences in underlying cause of death and place of death according to age and sex. In people aged 75 and over, a higher proportion of deaths in females were from pneumonia (organism unspecified), stroke and dementia compared with males. Deaths from senility and dementia were more common with increasing age. In people aged 75 and over, a greater proportion of males than females died in hospital or in their own residence, while a lower proportion of males than females died in nursing homes and old people's homes.

It is important to consider the implications of these findings when planning end of life care services as two-thirds of deaths in England are in people aged 75 and over and, in the future, the proportion of deaths in the oldest age groups are expected to increase further.