Global Rise in Palliative Care: Families Seek Better Support

Palliative Care Demand Surges: Families Navigate a New Healthcare Urgency

As of Friday, July 25, 2025, a critical shift is emerging worldwide: the need for palliative care — specialized medical care focused on providing relief from the symptoms and stress of serious illness — is growing at an unprecedented pace. Health professionals and families alike are grappling with escalating demand, widened awareness, and persistent gaps in support and resources.

What Is Palliative Care?

Defined by the World Health Organization, palliative care aims to improve the quality of life of patients and their families facing problems associated with life-threatening illness. Care involves a team approach to address physical symptoms, practical needs, bereavement counseling, and holistic support for both patients and caregivers.

Urgent Statistics & Verified Trends

• Globally, 40 million people require palliative care annually, including children and adults with diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, AIDS, respiratory illnesses, and neurological disorders.

• In the UK, an estimated 90% of those who die could benefit from palliative care, highlighting its broad necessity.

• In India, the proportion of patients needing palliative care is projected to rise from 38% (2014) to 56% by 2040.

• In Canada, over 50% of patients who died within two years received at least one palliative care claim in their last year of life — yet much of this care was concentrated in the final two months.

Family Caregivers: The Hidden Patients

Family caregivers shoulder immense responsibility, providing medical, emotional, and everyday support while managing their own distress. Many struggle with:

• High emotional and physical burden

• Unmet needs for information, support, and communication with professionals

• Financial strain and anxiety about future care

Linda Kristjanson, PhD, a leading nurse researcher, calls families the “hidden patients,” citing evidence that the impact of a loved one’s terminal illness can endure long after bereavement.

Expanding Support and Resources

Efforts to improve support for families are accelerating. GetPalliativeCare.org and nonprofits like the Center to Advance Palliative Care provide educational handouts, online programs, and connections to local care teams.

Therese Stewart, a family caregiver in London, described her experience:

“The palliative team wasn’t just for my mother, they helped me sleep at night by answering my fears and helping us plan for tomorrow.”

Current Gaps and Policy Responses

While palliative care is recognized as a human right under the right to health, access remains patchy. Not all nations have integrated services, and workforce shortages, especially of trained nurses and social workers, often leave families unsupported.

Conclusion

With the number of people needing palliative care rising fast, attention to family education, practical resources, and emotional support has never been more vital. Policymakers and health leaders are being urged to bridge the gaps so that families caring for loved ones with serious illnesses are no longer left in the shadows.