Home Based Rehabilitative Palliative Care is all about bringing the best of both worlds – rehabilitation and palliative support – right to your doorstep. Instead of shuttling between hospital wards or hospice rooms, care happens in the comfort and familiarity of your own home. The focus isn’t just on managing symptoms or end-of-life comfort, but also on helping you stay as independent and engaged as possible, for as long as possible. Therapists work with you and your family to adapt your daily routines, maintain mobility, and keep you involved in the activities that matter most. In contrast, institutional palliative care tends to be more medicalised and often reactive, stepping in when there’s a crisis. Home-based care is proactive, personal, and flexible, designed to fit seamlessly into your life rather than disrupt it.

The programme is a blend of hands-on therapy, symptom management, and emotional support. Physiotherapists and occupational therapists might help you with exercises to maintain strength and mobility, teach you safer ways to move around, or suggest modifications to make your home safer and more comfortable. Nurses and therapists work together to manage pain, breathlessness, and fatigue, using both medical and non-drug approaches like breathing techniques or relaxation therapy. There’s also a strong emphasis on emotional and psychological support – for both patients and families – so everyone feels heard and supported. All of this is coordinated with your doctors and community resources to ensure nothing falls through the cracks.

What really sets home-based rehabilitative palliative care apart is the focus on autonomy and dignity. Instead of just managing decline, the goal is to help you keep doing what you love for as long as possible – whether that’s cooking, gardening, or simply spending time with family. By addressing physical, emotional, and social needs together, this approach reduces unnecessary hospitalisations and helps people achieve their wish to stay at home. The familiar setting also reduces anxiety, and involving the family in care decisions fosters a sense of connection and control that’s often missing in institutional settings.

Definitely. The beauty of home-based rehabilitative palliative care is its flexibility. For someone with dementia, therapists might focus on creating a calm, safe environment and establishing routines that reduce confusion. For advanced cancer, the emphasis might shift to energy conservation, pain management, and comfort. As needs change, the care plan evolves, always keeping the person’s dignity and preferences at the centre. It’s about making sure every stage of the journey is met with the right support, in the right place, at the right time.