Among people aged 65 and older, 84.1% said they would refuse life-sustaining treatment if recovery were impossible, yet only 16.7% of older people who died actually withheld or stopped such treatment. Hospice showed a similar gap: 91% expressed a preference for it, while the actual use rate was 23%. A discussion at the National Assembly identified weak links between advance directives and medical, welfare and care services, while a review of 1,499 related news reports found only one article addressing integrated care.
Participants called for broader patient participation, revised directive forms, family support and expanded facility- and home-based hospice care, with 2,724 hospice beds nationwide in 2025.