What You Need to Know About Support at Home End-of-Life Care Pathways

Navigating end-of-life care can be an emotional and overwhelming process, but the Australian Government's Support at Home program commencing 1st November 2025 has introduced the End-of-Life Pathway to provide urgent, compassionate, and practical support for individuals in the final months of life.

This pathway is designed to ensure that older Australians can access the care they need — quickly and with dignity — in their home environment.

What Is the End-of-Life Pathway?

The End-of-Life Pathway is a short-term, high-priority care option for people with a life expectancy of three months or less. It provides an immediate support plan and funding to ensure that urgent needs are met without delay.

Eligibility

To access the pathway, a person must:

• Be aged 65+ (or 50+ for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples)

• Have a life expectancy of 3 months or less, confirmed by a GP or nurse practitioner

• Have a Karnofsky Performance Status (AKPS) score of 40 or below, indicating significant functional decline

A form must be completed by a healthcare professional and submitted for fast-tracked assessment via My Aged Care.

Funding and Duration

• The pathway provides a $25,000 one-off budget

• Funding is available for up to 12 weeks

• There is no lifetime cap on access, but a person may only be in the pathway once per period of end-of-life care

The funding is designed to support urgent, practical needs during this time, easing pressure on families and ensuring care is provided at home where possible.

Services Covered

The End-of-Life Pathway covers a range of essential services:

• Nursing care

• Personal care (e.g. showering, toileting)

• Domestic assistance

• Meal preparation and delivery

• Transport to and from appointments

• Assistive technology (if clinically prescribed)

Home modifications are not covered, unless work was already underway before the person entered the pathway.

Care Management

Care management is included but not capped like in ongoing Support at Home budgets.

• All care management is drawn from the $25,000 budget

• There is no limit on how much can be allocated to planning, coordination, and medical team collaboration

• This ensures intensive planning support is available when needed most

Reverting to Ongoing Care

Participants who recover or outlive the 12 week period can request a Support Plan Review to return to a regular Support at Home classification.

Right at Home Can Support You With End Of Life (Palliative Care Support)

End-of-life care requires not just services, but empathy, planning, and communication. At Right at Home, our teams:

• Coordinate fast-tracked access to services

• Collaborate with GPs and palliative care providers

• Ensure care is delivered with dignity, respect, and compassion

We understand that this is more than just a care plan — it's about creating a supportive, peaceful environment for you or your loved one.

If you’d like guidance on how to access the End-of-Life Pathway or begin a discussion with your care team, contact Right at Home today.

Right at Home Australia is a leading provider of quality in-home care. Our mission is to improve the quality of life for those we serve ensuring the Right Care, Right at Home™.  We support people living with complex and post-operative care needs, dementia and cognitive decline, seniors, and adults living with a disability including NDIS participants. Our tailored services help clients to remain safe and independent in their homes. We are an Approved Provider under the Aged Care Act, meaning we can provide quality support at home under a government-funded home care package. We also offer private pay arrangements for those who do not have government funding, or who wish to pay privately for top-up care. Right at Home is all about you. We are available 24/7 so contact your local office today. You can also call our national number on 1300 363 802. 

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