21 November 2025

Stories | Home Care

Despite our best efforts, some illnesses progress, leading to more complex care needs and symptoms that are harder to manage. With BaptistCare at home, you don’t have to face these challenges alone.

In this article:

You’re not alone – BaptistCare at home walks beside you and your family, offering support along the way.
Care that changes with you – As needs become more complex, our support adapts so you can continue living at home for as long as possible.
Carers matter too – Looking after a loved one is a big journey. We offer respite, encouragement and education to support carers.

BaptistCare at home provides home care services designed to give you and those who care for you, choices, flexibility and reassurance even as your needs change. Support is tailored and adaptable, whether that means adjusting your care plan, increasing services, or introducing new ones.

Allied health, restorative supports and help at home

Before your care begins or as your needs change, you may be offered an Allied Health Consultant Assessment. This is a personalised review of your health, function and wellbeing. It helps identify what’s working well and where extra support could help you stay safe and comfortable at home as your illness progresses. These insights guide the development of your care plan and help BaptistCare at home deliver the right services at the right time.

Allied health also offers services such as physiotherapy and occupational therapy. These supports become especially important when illness begins to affect your mobility, function or daily living.

While our physiotherapists help with strength, balance and pain, our occupational therapists focus on everyday independence. This might include recommending home adjustments or assistive equipment such as wheelchairs or bathroom aids like shower chairs and grab rails.

Together, these supports can help you live well at home, while also equipping those who care for you with practical tools and advice.

Alongside clinical and specialist care, BaptistCare at home also provides help with everyday tasks like cleaning, shopping, transport and personal care. These services make a big difference in daily life, helping you stay comfortable and safe at home, while also giving your carers a little breathing space.

Nursing care at home

As an illness progresses, health needs often become more complex. That’s when BaptistCare at home nursing can make all the difference.

Our Enrolled and Registered Nurses provide compassionate clinical care at home, including health monitoring, wound care, medication support, pain management and help with chronic conditions like heart disease, diabetes or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

If you’re recovering from surgery or a recent illness, our nurses provide short-term clinical care, including wound management, medication administration, and monitoring of your recovery. By partnering with your GP, specialists, and hospital teams, we make sure your care is coordinated, consistent and centred around you. If needed, they can also guide you through advance care planning and provide end-of-life nursing support.

Because they know your history and preferences, our nurses can respond quickly when changes occur and provide reassurance to you and your family.

Refresh Retreats and Stronger Carers

Refresh Retreats are three-day, two-night getaways for people living with dementia and their carers in NSW, the ACT and WA. Carers take part in small group sessions designed to build knowledge, confidence and emotional resilience, while their loved one is supported by our compassionate BaptistCare at home team and engages in a simultaneous program of meaningful activities.

The Stronger Carers program is an eight-week course for people in the ACT and surrounds who are caring for someone who is living with dementia. It is designed to strengthen their skills, confidence and wellbeing and feel more supported in their role.

Thanks to funding from the Australian Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, BaptistCare at home Refresh Retreats and the Stronger Carers program are free to attend.

Respite Care

BaptistCare at home also offers respite care, so carers can take a break knowing their loved one is in trusted hands. Whether it’s spending a day at one of our social clubs, having an overnight stay in a welcoming cottage, or a short break in a residential aged care home, we make sure your loved one feels cared for and valued. Our compassionate team provides help with daily tasks, medication and wellbeing support, creating a warm, safe environment that feels just like home.

End-of-life and palliative care

If you have a life-limiting illness, our support extends beyond recovery and daily living to focus on comfort, dignity and quality of life through end-of-life and palliative care that is centred around your unique, holistic needs and preferences.

Our end-of-life care includes a coordination service that brings together clinical, emotional and spiritual support for you and your family. Guided by your personal wishes and preferences, our nurses, care workers and allied health professionals deliver compassionate care – from pain management and personal care to emotional and spiritual comfort.

Palliative care at home is also available and can begin earlier than the final stages of illness, offering comfort and support alongside ongoing treatment. Our team can help manage pain and symptoms in partnership with your GP and specialists. We can provide help with daily tasks like washing or eating, and offer emotional, spiritual and psychological care for you and your family. We also support advance care planning, helping to make sure your wishes are known and respected.

Final Footprints

If you live in the NSW regions of Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and the Central Coast, you may be eligible for Final Footprints, a coordination program for people who have been diagnosed with a non-malignant life limiting illness. Final Footprints provides practical and personalised support to help you achieve your goals and stay connected to the right services. It includes coordinating care, offering education about palliative care and symptom management, and linking you with community services for advance care planning, legal arrangements and everyday assistance.

Support at home short term pathways

Sometimes what’s needed to stay safe and comfortable at home is short-term support. BaptistCare at home offers three targeted Short-Term Pathways.

The Restorative Care Pathway is a short-term goal-oriented program designed to help people regain function and independence after an illness, injury or setback. It typically runs for between 8-16 weeks and includes allied health, nursing support, equipment and personalised care to help you get back to living well at home.

The End-of-life Support at Home Pathway provides additional time-limited support for people who have been assessed as having three months or less to live (with possible extension to 16 weeks if funding remains). It helps individuals stay at home with comfort and dignity by offering coordinated care, extra services and tailored support aligned with personal wishes and preferences.

The Assistive Technology and Home Modifications (AT–HM) Pathway provides access to essential equipment and home modifications such as ramps, grab rails, mobility aids and bathroom supports to help you stay safe and independent at home. Funding for AT–HM is separate from your regular Support at Home budget and can be accessed in addition to your ongoing care services. These short-term pathways offer flexible timely support when life changes.

You’re not alone

Facing a progressive illness is a significant journey, not just for you but also for the people who love and care for you. BaptistCare at home is here for you, offering flexible care that adapts as needs change and support that honours dignity, comfort and connection.

Learn more about how BaptistCare at home can support you and your family when an illness progresses and your needs change: https://baptistcare.org.au/home-care/

Home care that changes with you – support for people with a progressive illness