From 1 November 2025, the Australian Government’s Support at Home aged care program will include an End-of-Life Pathway for older people who have an estimated life expectancy of three months or less, and who wish to remain at home.

This is a significant and positive reform, consistent with strong community preference to receive both aged care and palliative care at home for as long as possible.

Palliative Care Australia’s End-of-Life Pathway Position Statement:

• Provides information about the Pathway.
• Describes likely implementation challenges and offers suggestions to resolve these.

Position Statement - support at home end of life pathway

At a Glance PCA Position Statement-Support at Home End-of-Life Pathway

More information and resources

For home care providers:

To prepare for the commencement of the Pathway from 1 November 2025, home care providers can:

• Refer to the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing’s  Support at Home Provider Training module and End-of-Life Pathway Fact Sheet.
• Be familiar with the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing’s Support at Home Program Manual and Provider Transition Guide, which includes advice to help prepare for the End-of-Life Pathway.
• Understand the requirements of Aged Care Quality Standard 5.7, Palliative and End of Life Care, and the guidance resources developed by the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission. This sets out requirements for all providers of aged care nursing and/or transition care services, and is not limited to the Support at Home End-of-Life Pathway.
• Access quality Australian-Government supported palliative care training and development initiatives designed for aged care providers:
  • End of Life Directions for Aged Care – advice, toolkits and support for home care providers (including Advance Care Planning, linkages with palliative care services, staff skills development, and palliative care quality improvement)
  • ELDAC Home Care App – helps home care workers to provide end of life and palliative care to their clients, whilst supporting their families and carers as their care needs change over time.
  • Program of Experience in the Palliative Approach – palliative care placements and training for the aged care sector
  • Palliative Aged Care Outcomes Program – a national program supporting optimal end-of-life care in residential aged care
  • Palliative Care Education Directory – a searchable list of palliative care education and training opportunities
  • Equip Aged Care Learning Package - includes free, 10 minute, introductory and refresher palliative care modules.
  • palliAged – palliative care evidence and practice information for the aged care sector.
  • Caring@Home – resources and education for health professionals to teach carers and families to manage symptoms for people receiving palliative care at home.
• Explore Palliative Care Australia’s resources for providers, older people, families and carers, and the Palliative Care Standards for All Health Professionals and Aged Care Services.
• Connect with the palliative care peak organisation in your state and territory for advice, information and support.
• Palliative Care Victoria provides answers to Frequently Asked Questions about the End-of-Life Pathway, and a range of aged care resources.
• Partners in Culturally Appropriate Care (PICAC) and Centre for Cultural Diversity in Ageing provide free training in providing care to culturally diverse older people.
• Ageing Australia provides a module on identifying deterioration as part of their Home Care Frontline Workers Bootcamp.

For medical practitioners and nurse practitioners

• The Department of Health, Disability and Ageing End-of-Life Pathway Fact Sheet for doctors and nurse practitioners provides more information.
• The Department of Health, Disability and Ageing’s Support at Home Guidance for General Practitioners includes brief information about the End-of-Life Pathway as well as other issues.
• For a person to access the Support at Home End-of-Life Pathway, a medical practitioner or nurse practitioner must complete and sign the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing’s End-of-Life Pathway Form
• The form will require you to confirm the person’s medical condition, and that they have both an anticipated life expectancy of three months or less, and an Australia-modified Karnofsky Performance Score (AKPS) of 40 or less.
• Once you have signed the form, the person, their registered supporter or appointed decision-maker (for aged care purposed), or their Support at Home provider will provide it to an aged care assessor for decision.

For older people, family members and carers

• The Department of Health, Disability and Ageing’s End-of-Life Pathway Fact Sheet provides more information.
• The Department of Health, Disability and Ageing provides more information about the End-of-Life Pathway here.
• The Older Person’s Advocacy Network has a range of resources about the Support at Home program, including about costs and fees, supported decision-making, and your aged care rights, which also apply to the End-of-Life Pathway. OPAN also provides free, independent and confident individual advocacy support with aged care matters.
• For a person to access the Support at Home End-of-Life Pathway, a medical practitioner or nurse practitioner must complete and sign the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing’s End-of-Life Pathway Form
• Palliative care peak organisations in every state and territory provide advice, information and resources for palliative carers.
• Carers Australia provides information and support for carers.
• Carers Gateway is an Australian Government service providing free services and support for carers.
• Caring@Home offers resources and education for health professionals to teach carers and families to manage symptoms for people receiving palliative care at home.
• Advance Care Planning Australia provides information about advance care planning requirements and processes in every state and territory.