End of Life Care Pathway

End of Life Care is designed to support you and your family during the last stages of your life.  We aim to give you quality of life, and to ensure that you are as comfortable as possible during this time. 

You can access up to $25,000 in funding over 12 weeks, to fund additional in home aged care services like Personal Care and Nursing Services, or to pay for equipment through the Assistive Technology and Home Modification Scheme (AT-HM) scheme, like adjustable beds.

End of Life Care is provided in partnership with your doctor and our team, to help you feel comfortable and supported.

Availability

We provide End of Life Care in all states and the Australia Capital Territory (ACT). We also provide Specialist Palliative Care through state funded programs in Western Australia (WA), South Australia (SA) and Queensland (QLD).  If you are already receiving Specialist Palliative Care, you can still apply for additional End of Life Care funding from the Australian Government’s program. You can also to pay for Silverchain services privately if you wish.

You can receive care for several days or up to three months (12 weeks) of care depending upon your needs. If you still need services after the 12 weeks of End of Life Care, and you still have funding available, you can continue using it for an additional four weeks (16 weeks total). Your Care Partner can arrange a review of your Care Plan, so you can receive ongoing funding as part of the Support at Home program and access the care and services you need.

Eligibility

You may be eligible for End of Life Care if you have Support at Home funding and meet additional criteria like having an estimated life expectancy of three months or less and being unable to do everyday tasks.

If you do not have Support at Home funding you can also ask your General Practitioner (GP), Specialist or Nurse Practitioner for a fast tracked referral. You can apply for an assessment on the My Aged Care website.

You will not be able to use any of your ongoing Support at Home funding while receiving End of Life Care. Talk to our team and we can help you work out the best funding options for the care and support you need.

Contributing to your care

End of Life Care can include Clinical, Independence and Everyday living supports. Under Support at Home, any clinical services you receive are fully funded by the Australian Government. See more information on contributions.

How to apply

If you are eligible for Support at Home funding and have been diagnosed with a life limiting illness, you can ask your GP or medical specialist to make a referral by completing the End of Life Care form on the My Aged Care website. If you are not already receiving Support at Home funding, or wish to arrange services privately, please contact us on 1300 650 803 to find out how we can help you access End of Life care.

Please note that you will not be able to use any of your other pre-existing Support at Home funding while receiving End of Life Care.

Your Care Partner will help you work out the best funding options for the care and support you need. We can also support you to develop an Advance Care Plan to document your wishes.

For more information, see our aged care frequently asked questions. To find out how to get started, call our Contact Centre on 1300 650 803 or complete our enquiry form today.