The Supportive Hospice Aged Residential Exchange (SHARE) represents an innovative model of palliative care education tailored for residential aged care settings. Its purpose is to enhance clinical staff capability in providing high-quality palliative care within aged care facilities while strengthening specialist palliative care nurses’ competencies in supporting frail older adults. This study explored the perspectives of 18 bereaved family members regarding their relatives’ palliative care experiences at two time points—before and after a one-year SHARE implementation—using semi-structured interviews. Bereaved families emphasized three key aspects shaping their experiences: communication with staff, care systems, and the role of hospice involvement. Subthemes revealed notable improvements in these domains over the implementation period. However, persistent challenges—such as difficulties in GP relationships, staff shortages, and workforce turnover—were also identified. The findings suggest that SHARE positively influenced families’ end-of-life experiences, primarily by fostering better communication and support. Nevertheless, ongoing workforce and systemic issues continue to pose barriers to optimal care.
