In NSW, palliative care support can come from a mix of state-based services and the Australian Government’s End-of-Life Pathway, which provides up to $25,000 in funding over 12 weeks for people who wish to remain at home during their final months. Eligibility is confirmed by your GP or nurse practitioner, who completes the referral form.

Once approved, you can contact Five Good Friends, and our team will step in straight away, coordinating personal care Helpers, nurses and all care arrangements so your family doesn’t have to manage everything alone. We work closely with your loved one’s GP and palliative care team, helping people across NSW, from the Central Coast to the Hunter, the South Coast to rural towns, receive comfort, dignity and support at home during this time.

Self-managed home care gives families more say in how support is delivered. It can include choosing your own workers, coordinating services, managing your budget or organising things like assistive technology. 

While you can take on as much involvement as you feel comfortable with, we’ll still deliver essential care management (10% of the budget is set aside for this) to ensure quality, safety and compliance. Together, we can agree on what you’ll manage and what we’ll oversee, including any third-party workers. 

NSW families can use a mix of funding options to access aged care or disability support at home.

• Private payment: You can pay out of pocket for support at any time, which is often the quickest way to begin services. Many NSW families also use private home care to increase any services they need, which can also be full -managed or self-managed. ‍
• Government funding: Many people receive subsidised support through the national Support at Home program or the NDIS, depending on age and eligibility.

Home Care Packages (now transitioned to Support at Home!) are designed for Australians who are over 65 (or over 50 for Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander peoples) who need coordinated, ongoing support to stay safely in their own home. Younger people with disability, dementia or complex needs may also qualify if other specialist services don’t meet their requirements. 

If you don’t qualify for Support at Home, you may instead be eligible for NDIS funding, which also supports living independently at home.