Can a person receive dedicated end-of-life care within Support at Home
Yes. The End-of-Life Pathway provides around $25,000 of additional home-based care for eligible people expected to have three months or less to live. It can fund nursing, personal care and practical support, but it normally needs to be combined with specialist palliative care and family or other support rather than functioning as a complete 24-hour care service.
Key points
- Ask for details in writing and compare more than one option where possible.
- Individual eligibility, availability and outcomes can vary.
- Ask questions early and seek independent help if anything feels unclear or unsafe.
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01Guide sectionCan a person receive dedicated end-of-life care through Support at Home?
Yes. Support at Home has a dedicated End-of-Life Pathway for eligible older people who want to remain at home during the final stage of life.
The pathway provides additional short-term funding for home-based aged care. It is intended to work alongside the person’s GP, specialist palliative care team and state or territory health services-not replace them.
02Guide sectionWho is eligible?
A person must meet all of the following criteria:
be aged 65 or older
or be aged 50 or older if they are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, homeless or at risk of homelessness
have a doctor or nurse practitioner estimate that they have three months or less to live
score 40 or below on the Australian-modified Karnofsky Performance Status, which measures how much assistance the person needs with everyday activities.
The doctor or nurse practitioner records this information on the End-of-Life Pathway form.
03Guide sectionHow much funding is available?
The pathway provides approximately $25,000 over 12 weeks.
If money remains after 12 weeks, it can continue to be used for up to 16 weeks. Unused pathway funding cannot be carried over beyond the approved funding period.
The government has announced that a second round of funding will become available from early 2027 for eligible people who live beyond the initial period. That change is not yet operating as at July 2026.
04Guide sectionWhat services can it fund?
The services must be approved in the person’s Notice of Decision and support plan.
Depending on assessed needs, funding may be used for:
nursing care
personal care
help with showering, dressing and toileting
medication support
meal preparation
domestic assistance
respite
transport
social and emotional support
some assistive technology
care management and coordination.
The pathway can provide low- or medium-tier assistive technology where approved, but it does not provide funding for home modifications.
05Guide sectionDoes it provide 24-hour nursing?
No. The pathway does not automatically provide a nurse or care worker in the home around the clock.
The $25,000 budget may fund substantial additional support, but continuous 24-hour staffing would usually cost far more.
A realistic end-of-life arrangement may combine:
scheduled Support at Home nursing and personal care
state-funded community palliative care
the person’s GP
hospital outreach services
family or unpaid carers
privately funded support
equipment and medication supplied through health services.
The care partner should coordinate these services so responsibilities are clear and gaps are avoided. The government specifically notes that people using the pathway will likely also need specialist palliative care services.
06Guide sectionWill the person need to contribute?
Approved clinical supports, including nursing, have no participant contribution.
Contributions may still apply to independence and everyday-living services, based on the person’s income and assets assessment. As at July 2026, personal care is still treated as an independence service; from 1 October 2026, approved personal care will become fully government funded.
07Guide sectionHow does someone apply?
A person does not need to already receive Support at Home.
For an existing Support at Home participant:
Ask a doctor or nurse practitioner to complete the End-of-Life Pathway form.
Give the form to the provider.
Ask the care partner to request an urgent Support Plan Review.
An aged care assessor confirms eligibility.
The person receives a new Notice of Decision and support plan.
The provider and care partner organise the services.
For someone not currently receiving Support at Home:
Ask a doctor or nurse practitioner to complete the form.
Request a high-priority assessment through My Aged Care.
Complete the aged care assessment.
Choose a provider after approval.
Enter into a service agreement and begin services.
My Aged Care can be contacted on 1800 200 422.
08Guide sectionWhat should the care partner do?
The care partner should:
develop the end-of-life care plan with the person and family
coordinate with the GP and palliative care team
arrange workers and services
explain prices and contributions
organise equipment where approved
monitor the budget
respond quickly as needs change
ensure family members know who to contact after hours
help arrange another pathway or ongoing funding if the person lives beyond the approved period.
Changing provider while applying for the pathway is possible, but the government advises that it may delay access.
09Guide sectionPractical example
A person with advanced cancer wants to remain at home and is assessed as having fewer than three months to live.
Their End-of-Life Pathway plan might combine:
community palliative care nurses managing symptoms and medication
Support at Home workers providing personal care twice daily
additional meal preparation and domestic assistance
respite for the person’s spouse
equipment to make transfers and personal care safer
care-partner coordination between the family, GP and clinical team.
10Guide sectionWhat should I do next?
Confirm the details with My Aged Care or the relevant provider, write down your questions and ask for important information in writing before making a decision.
11Guide sectionHelpful Local Home Help resources
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