Embracing a restorative care approach to bring comfort, dignity and joy to end-of-life care
An article written by Dr Claire Gough, Research Fellow - Health Services Integration and Policy, Caring Futures Institute, Flinders University
The new Restorative Care Pathway Clinical Guidelines are designed to support older people to maintain or regain functional independence through consistent, evidence-based care. The guidelines directly support the Restorative Care stream of the Support at Home program, set to launch on November 1st, 2025.
While the guidelines focus on promoting independence and wellbeing earlier in the ageing journey, their principles can also bring meaningful benefits when applied thoughtfully to end-of life care. At this stage of life, goals often shift from aiming to ‘fix’ health issues to focussing on what matters most to the individual.
In the end-of-life context, this may mean enabling someone to attend a family gathering, visit a special place, or simply enjoy everyday moments - like sitting out in the sunshine or watching the sunset. When I think about this, I’m reminded of heart-warming stories where paramedics, nurses, families and volunteers come together to fulfil final wishes - read news story here.
These stories often go viral, celebrated as examples of ‘good news,’ and rightly so. But it raises a deeper question - shouldn’t this be common practice rather than exceptional?
The upcoming Support at Home Program includes an End-of-Life Pathway, which will support people who have three months or less to live to access the care they need at home. This inclusion is a vital step forward in in-home aged care and aligns closely with restorative care principles including:
- Tailored care planning based on individual needs and preferences
- Promoting self-management, autonomy and dignity
- Supporting the use of advanced care directives, and-
- Enabling multidisciplinary teams to work collaboratively with palliative care services.
Both restorative care and end-of-life care share a commitment to person-centred compassionate support. Restorative care approaches can help people remain at home for as long as possible, focusing on safe mobility, social connection, and participation in meaningful activities - all of which are crucial for maintaining quality of life, even in the face of decline.
Supporting someone at the end of life, isn’t only about managing symptoms, it’s about understanding what ‘living well’ means to them - right until the end. By embracing restorative care principles into end-of-life care, we can support ongoing comfort, dignity and joy. Perhaps we can even make those ‘exceptional’ stories a little more ordinary.
Authors
Dr Claire Gough
Research Fellow - Health Services Integration and Policy
Caring Futures Institute, Flinders University