A guide to arranging palliative care at home
It's Palliative Care Week, so Wishlist asked one of its partners, Prestige Inhome Care, to answer some of the common questions asked about assisting a loved one to transition from hospital to home for palliative care.
This is Prestige Inhome Care's step-by-step guide to arranging in-home palliative care to help you navigate the process.
Speak to a GP or specialist
Palliative care is available to anyone with a life-limiting illness and can be provided in a hospital, hospice or in your home. To arrange palliative care at home the first thing you should do is speak to your local GP or a medical specialist at a hospital or other health provider.
They will confirm the need for palliative care and can provide referrals to community palliative care services and specialist palliative care providers.
Choose your palliative care team
Your GP, treating specialist or hospital team may refer you to a specialist palliative care service or community-based palliative care provider in your area who is appropriate for your needs.
You can also access information about local specialist palliative care services through state-based health services and the National Palliative Care Service Directory.
Palliative care is delivered through a multidisciplinary team approach. This may include specialist palliative care clinicians, General Practitioners, nurses, allied health professionals, pharmacists, support workers and care management teams. This team then works together to support the person needing palliative care and their family.
Prestige Inhome Care works alongside your GP, your hospital team and specialist palliative care providers to ensure care is coordinated, safe and seamlessly delivered at home.
Access funding
Government-subsidised care
If the person is aged 65 years of age or older:
You can apply My Aged Care to be assessed for government-subsidised home care services. What you will need to contribute to your home care will depend on the services you receive and your financial situation.
Assistive Technology and Home Modifications
Depending on your needs and situation, you may also be able to access equipment to help with mobility and equipment. This type of support is available through the Assistive Technology and Home Modifications (AT-HM) scheme, under the Support at Home program.
End-of-Life Pathway
If a person over the age of 65 has been diagnosed with 3 months or less to live and wishes to remain at home, they may be eligible for the End-of-Life Pathway under the Support at Home program.
Under the End-Of-Life Pathway funding of up to $25,000 is available over 12 weeks. If an older person has funding remaining, they can continue using it for an additional 4 weeks, providing up to 16 weeks of services in total.
If the person is under the age of 65:
People under the age of 65 may be able to access funding for some in-home palliative care services via Medicare, state/territory health services, public hospitals and community palliative care teams. This includes specialist palliative care nurses visiting your home, equipment arranged through health services, pain and symptom management.
People living with a disability under the age of 65 can apply for funding via the NDIS. The NDIS may continue to fund disability-related supports that are unrelated to the palliative diagnosis or that complement end-of-life care.
For more information about the palliative care funding and support available for people under the age of 65 visit: Palliative Care and other options .
If you use have private health insurance your policy may also cover some costs.
Privately-funded in-home palliative care
If you require care urgently, or need additional hours or services, you may choose to fund your loved one's palliative care privately.
Prestige Inhome Care can help you bring your loved one home from a facility or hospital. Alternatively, Prestige can set up palliative care for a loved one already living in their own home, quickly and seamlessly. Prestige can facilitate shared care with your GP, hospital team and any specialist palliative care providers. Support is provided during those critical moments and any kind of extra care including nursing visits and even overnight care as needed. From a few hours a week right through to 24 hour care, private in-home care can be tailored to your specific needs at every stage of the palliative journey.
Arrange a home assessment
To support palliative care at home, an assessment can be completed to understand your care needs, home environment and any safety considerations.
Prestige Inhome Care works closely with clients, families and treating healthcare professionals to help coordinate safe and responsive in-home support services.
Care and support is tailored to the person's changing needs and delivered in coordination with the treating healthcare team.
Set up palliative care services
Your treating team and care providers can help coordinate the services, equipment and supports required for in-home palliative care.
Depending on your needs, this can include:
- Equipment e,g. hospital beds, pressure-relieving mattresses, mobility aids, bathroom equipment and oxygen therapy equipment
- Medication administration and guidance to support pain and symptom management
- Nursing and personal care services
- Planning for changes in care needs and escalation pathways in case symptoms worsen
Prestige Inhome Care works collaboratively with clients, families and treating healthcare professionals to help coordinate safe, flexible and responsive in-home care.
Prestige provides a range of in-home care services such as:
- Personal Care
- Domestic Support
- Respite Care
- Transport
- In-home Nursing
- Companionship
- Home Equipment Support and Bereavement Support
- Facilitating Final Wishes
- 24 Hour Care
Advance Care Planning
Advance care planning is a process you can follow to help plan medical care in advance. There may come a time when you or your loved one may become too unwell to make decisions for yourself.
Doctors, care workers and other medical professional will refer to your advance care plan if the person receiving palliative care becomes unable to make decision or communicate.
Advance care planning involves talking to your family, friends and carerrs about what you or your loved one wants when it comes to future medical treatment and care. It can be an informal process where you write down your wishes of any form or paper. It can also be a more formal process which would involve legal documents. The primary legal document used in advance care planning is an Advance Care Directive.
You may not have previously considered whether your loved one would feel comfortable with a member of your family assisting with intimate tasks such as bathing. These are very sensitive discussions, but they are extremely important when it comes to preparing for end-of-life care at home.
This kind of forward planning is very helpful and can reduce stress and make it easier to respond as your loved one’s needs change.
Would you like to learn more?
If you or your loved one is in need of palliative care and wishes to stay home, Prestige Inhome Care can provide you with information and help you understand the options available to you.
Feel free to reach out for a no-obligation consultation. Contact the Prestige team on 1300 10 30 10 or via our online form: Contact Us – Prestige Inhome Care
