the Aged Care Today magazine featured articles

However, the latest report from not-for-profit Go Gentle Australia found the majority of residential aged care providers do not offer clear and transparent information about the level of VAD access in their facilities.

The report, supported by the Older Persons Advocacy Network, is based on data from 72 aged care providers across Australia. Of these surveyed, almost three in four (70 per cent) did not provide any information to the public about VAD access in their facilities, while almost all (85 per cent) did not support VAD access in their homes or did not inform the public.

Where VAD information was published or made available, the report determined that half of it was of poor quality, not written in clear language, inaccurate, out of date, or just difficult to find.

This is despite clear guidance from the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission that states, “Living in a residential aged care service does not impact a person’s right and ability to choose to access VAD. Residents have the right to choose to access VAD even where the provider has made the decision not to participate in the VAD process.”

Go Gentle Australia Policy & Advocacy Manager Frankie Bennett says there is room for improvement, and it’s part of providing high-quality aged care services. “People want to know if they choose assisted dying, that their choice will be supported and respected, but there is some uncertainty around that,” said Frankie.

“Older people have a legal right to know their options at the end of life, including VAD, so they can make informed choices about their care. And they should be able to find out if VAD is supported before they choose an aged care facility to become their home.

“Finding out too late that your provider will not support your VAD choice can have significant negative impacts for all involved. That’s why we urge providers to publish clear and accurate public information about VAD access in their facilities.”

But there are aged care providers getting it right. We spoke with two of them to find out how they’re approaching this sensitive topic.

Uniting NSW.ACT

Uniting NSW.ACT supports a person to choose VAD as their legal right and as part of the care they provide in what is their home. The provider has a dedicated team of VAD Care Navigators who offer additional support in cases where a resident chooses this option. In a balanced approach, internal policies allow staff to opt-out of participating, based on their own personal beliefs.

“We won’t ask residents to leave or try to stop them, but we don’t actively include it in the options for care,” said Head of Seniors Services Lynn Bailey. “We respond as they request and while also caring for our staff who under the legislation and our policies have a right to not participate according to their beliefs and need for psychosocial safety.”

The provider has had several residents choose VAD, with one resident on the NSW Central Coast choosing this option in 2025. The resident’s extended family visited for a final farewell and returned on the day the resident had chosen as the day of his passing. In preparation, staff were thoroughly briefed by the VAD Care Navigator team regarding the process and were offered opportunities to debrief afterwards.

Additional staff were rostered to ensure the resident received dedicated care throughout the day, while staff members who chose not to participate were respectfully assigned to other areas. For the family and staff who were involved, the aged care home arranged on-site catering and made chaplaincy and pastoral care services available for emotional and spiritual support.

“These measures contributed to a serene and supportive environment for the resident’s final moments,” said Lynn. “His family expressed deep gratitude for the compassionate support provided by staff, describing the experience as peaceful and dignified.”

Uniting NSW.ACT has developed learnings from the experiences of people choosing VAD and these have since been shared across all its residential aged care homes. A key learning is to prepare staff well, particularly given the diversity of religious and cultural beliefs among team members. “It is essential VAD Care Navigators clearly communicate that VAD is a legal end-of-life option for residents,” said Lynn. “At the same time, staff must be supported to opt out if they want to.”

Regis Aged Care

Regis Aged Care took a careful and structured approach to developing its VAD policies, starting with a comprehensive review of the legislation in the different jurisdictions (it operates everywhere in Australia except the ACT). It then engaged multiple stakeholders throughout the process, focusing on an outcome that would respect individual choice, honour cultural diversity and consider staff wellbeing.

“Our VAD policy is embedded in our broader framework of person-centred care, which also includes palliative care and end-of-life support. It’s about our commitment to dignity, safety and resident choice,” said Group Manager of Strategy, Quality and Improvement Rameez Hassan.

Regis Aged Care doesn’t actively promote VAD, but it does have clear policies and pathways should a resident wish to know more about it. There is clearly written information on its website as well as factsheets and links to other useful sites and resources.

“We want to make it transparent for our residents and their families,” said Rameez. “We also realise there is a level of separation from us; this is a matter for the resident, their family and relevant doctors. Our role is always to support the resident. Those of us working in aged care or palliative care understand we’re not saving lives; we’re supporting quality of life.

“To deliver this level of care in relation to VAD, we put a lot of emphasis on staff education. Although we allow our staff to be conscientious objectors and not participate in VAD, all are aware of the ethical nature of the legislation, and our policies and processes.”

Despite the range of cultural and religious backgrounds among its workforce, all Regis Aged Care staff participated in targeted information sessions. Should any staff member be deeply affected after participating in VAD, Regis Aged Care offers debriefing and other measures for psychological and emotional support.

While the uptake of VAD is very low, the experiences Regis Aged Care has had to date have informed learnings across all its aged care homes. “You don’t have to actively support VAD, but the legislation means you must ensure your residents have the option to choose it,” said Rameez.

Be informed

Go Gentle Australia has developed a VAD information template to help providers publish high-quality information on their websites. Providers can also access the VAD report, which includes further resources, as well as best practice examples from Uniting ACT.NSW and OneCare in Tasmania.

The not-for-profit will repeat its research within 12 months, with a view to releasing a consumer tool to help older people compare providers by understanding the end-of-life care they offer – because a person’s right to access VAD is the same, no matter where they call home.