Understanding Restorative Care and End-of-Life Pathways in Support at Home
When an older person’s health changes or declines, families often face difficult decisions about care options.
Australia's Support at Home program, launching on 1 November 2025, includes specialised pathways designed to provide intensive, short-term support during critical periods. These pathways can help older Australians recover from illness or injury, or receive compassionate care during their final months at home.
Understanding these options can provide families with reassurance that appropriate support is available when circumstances change, often avoiding the need for hospital stays or premature moves to residential care.
What are short-term supports in Support at Home?
Support at Home offers three types of short-term pathways designed to address specific, time-limited needs:
- The Assistive Technology and Home Modifications (AT-HM) Scheme provides funding for equipment and home modifications to improve safety and independence. This might include grab rails, ramps, or mobility aids.
- The Restorative Care Pathway offers intensive rehabilitation and recovery support following illness, injury, or hospitalisation. It focuses on helping people regain independence and prevent further decline.
- The End-of-Life Pathway provides enhanced support and funding for people with a life expectancy of three months or less, helping them remain comfortable and supported at home during their final weeks.
This article focuses on the Restorative Care and End-of-Life pathways, explaining how they work, who they're for, and how families can access them when needed.
The Restorative Care Pathway
The Restorative Care Pathway is designed for older Australians who need intensive, short-term support to recover from illness, injury, or hospitalisation. From 1 November 2025, this pathway will replace the Short-Term Restorative Care (STRC) Programme.
Who it's for
This pathway is suitable for people who are recovering from various health events or seeking to prevent further decline in their condition. It might be appropriate for someone who has recently been discharged from hospital, experienced a fall or injury, had surgery or a medical procedure, or is showing signs of declining mobility or independence that could benefit from intensive rehabilitation support.
The focus is on people who have the potential to improve their functioning with the right support, rather than those who need ongoing maintenance care.
Funding and time period
The Restorative Care Pathway provides funding for intensive support over a short period. While specific funding amounts vary based on individual needs and assessments, the pathway is designed to deliver more intensive services than standard ongoing support.
Participants can access this pathway up to twice per year, though the episodes cannot run consecutively. This allows for multiple recovery periods if needed, such as following different health events or procedures.
Services included
The pathway covers a comprehensive range of services focused on rehabilitation and recovery. These include allied health services such as physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and speech pathology to address specific recovery needs. Mobility support and equipment to help with movement and daily activities are also covered, as are home modifications to improve safety and accessibility during recovery.
Personal care assistance may be provided during the recovery period, along with domestic support to maintain the home environment while the person focuses on healing and rehabilitation.
Eligibility and assessment process
To access the Restorative Care Pathway, individuals need to undergo an aged care assessment to determine their eligibility and specific needs. The assessment will consider their current health status, recovery potential, and what services would best support their rehabilitation goals.
People don't need to be existing Support at Home participants to access this pathway - it's available to anyone who meets the eligibility criteria and would benefit from short-term restorative support.
Role of the restorative care partner
Participants in the Restorative Care Pathway will work with a dedicated care partner who coordinates their services and monitors their progress. This care partner helps ensure that the rehabilitation goals are being met and that services are adjusted as the person's condition improves.
The care partner also liaises with healthcare professionals, family members, and other support services to provide comprehensive, coordinated care during the recovery period.
The End-of-Life Pathway
The End-of-Life Pathway represents a compassionate approach to supporting older Australians and their families during life's final chapter. This pathway recognises that many people prefer to spend their last months in the comfort and familiarity of their own home, surrounded by loved ones.
Who it's for
This pathway is designed for people with a medical prognosis of three months or less to live. The pathway supports people who wish to remain at home during their final months, rather than spending extended time in hospital or moving to residential care.
It acknowledges that end-of-life care needs are often more intensive and require additional support for both the person and their family during this difficult time.
Funding details
The End-of-Life Pathway provides up to $25,000 in funding over a 16-week window, with the expectation that most of this support will be used within the first 12 weeks. This represents the highest per-day funding classification available in the Support at Home program.
This funding is available once per end-of-life period, recognising the unique nature of this type of support.
What supports are included
The pathway covers a comprehensive range of services to ensure comfort and dignity during this time. Daily living support includes personal care, meal preparation, and domestic assistance to maintain the home environment. Equipment and home modifications can be arranged to ensure comfort and accessibility.
How it works with other palliative care services
The End-of-Life Pathway is designed to complement, not replace, specialist palliative care services. It does not fund specialist palliative care services, but rather provides additional practical support that works alongside medical palliative care.
This means that while specialist doctors, nurses, and palliative care teams continue to provide medical care, the pathway funding supports the additional daily living and comfort needs that arise during this time.
Access process and eligibility
To access the End-of-Life Pathway, medical confirmation of the prognosis is required, typically from a treating doctor. An urgent assessment is then conducted to determine specific needs and arrange appropriate services quickly.
People don't need to be existing Support at Home participants to access this pathway - it's available to anyone who meets the eligibility criteria, recognising that end-of-life needs can arise suddenly.
Key differences between standard support and short-term pathways
Short-term pathways differ from standard Support at Home services in several important ways.
- They provide higher intensity support over shorter periods, rather than ongoing maintenance care.
- The funding levels are typically higher per day than standard classifications, reflecting the intensive nature of the support needed.
- These pathways are time-limited and goal-focused, whether the goal is recovery and rehabilitation (Restorative Care) or comfort and dignity (End-of-Life). They also have different eligibility criteria and assessment processes, designed to respond quickly to changing circumstances.
- Unlike ongoing Support at Home services, these pathways are designed to address specific, temporary situations rather than long-term support needs.
Who provides care in these short-term pathways?
Both pathways involve clinical oversight to ensure appropriate, safe care delivery. For the Restorative Care Pathway, this might involve allied health professionals overseeing rehabilitation programs. For the End-of-Life Pathway, clinical oversight ensures that comfort care is properly coordinated with medical treatment.
Family members and informal carers play a crucial role in both pathways. The programs recognise that families are often providing significant care and support, and services are designed to complement and support their efforts rather than replace them.
Both pathways can be used alongside the AT-HM scheme, allowing for equipment and modifications to be arranged quickly when needed. This integration ensures that all aspects of support work together effectively.
Care partners from the chosen provider coordinate services and act as the main point of contact for families, helping to navigate the various supports and ensure they're meeting the person's needs effectively.
How to get started or find out more
Accessing either pathway begins with an aged care assessment. For the Restorative Care Pathway, this might be arranged following a hospital discharge or when recovery needs become apparent. For the End-of-Life Pathway, the process is designed to be rapid, recognising the urgency of the situation.
Families can start by speaking with their local GP, who can provide medical input for assessments and referrals. Contacting My Aged Care is often the most direct way to begin the assessment process.
Support at Home providers can also provide information about these pathways and help with applications when appropriate. They understand the assessment processes and can guide families through the steps involved.
For immediate support during the application process, Services Australia can provide information about government programs and eligibility requirements.
Families should remember that they're not alone in navigating these pathways. Healthcare professionals, assessors, and providers are all available to explain options and guide families through what can feel like overwhelming decisions during already difficult times.
These pathways represent recognition that intensive support during critical periods can make an enormous difference to outcomes and quality of life. Whether supporting recovery and rehabilitation or providing comfort during life's final chapter, they offer families additional options for ensuring their older Australian receives appropriate care at home when they need it most.
