Rest Assured: What to do when the time comes

The Planning Gap Widens

Death remains inevitable, yet remarkably few Australians prepare for it. A landmark 2025 study revealed that just 33% have taken any steps toward advance care planning, with formal directives even rarer at around 6%. This inertia persists even though nearly nine in ten recognise its importance, pointing to deep-seated reluctance to confront mortality.

The demographic clock is ticking louder. Australia's population is ageing swiftly: by the early 2030s, one in five will be over 65, with states like South Australia launching dedicated Ageing Well plans for 2026–2036 to manage the shift. Dementia now ranks among leading causes of death, demanding earlier decisions on care preferences and palliative options.

Without plans, consequences cascade. Families navigate intestacy rules that may ignore unspoken wishes, triggering probate delays and disputes. Hospitals default to aggressive treatment, inflating costs and prolonging suffering. Funerals, averaging over $10,000, compound financial stress when estates are unsettled. Carers and loved ones shoulder unexpected administrative loads—registering deaths, arranging burials, handling assets—at a time of acute grief.

Recent reforms underscore the stakes. The Aged Care Act 2024, effective from November 2025, centres older people's rights and dignity in formal care, yet personal planning remains outside regulation. This creates a tension: systemic changes push better end-of-life support, but cultural taboos and psychological avoidance keep individual preparation low. Movements promoting death literacy clash with widespread discomfort, leaving a gap where simple steps—wills, powers of attorney, expressed wishes—could avert significant hardship.