Short-term restorative care
Short-term restorative care provides a range of care and services over eight weeks to improve your wellbeing, help you stay independent by improving your ability to complete everyday tasks, or delay or avoid the need to enter long-term care.
You may be able to receive short-term restorative care in your home, in the community, in an aged care home or a mix of these, depending on your care needs.
Short-term restorative care can be provided for up to eight weeks (56 days) depending on your needs. You can access short-term restorative care twice in any twelve month period.
Eligibility
You may be eligible for short-term restorative care services if you are an older person and you:
are slowing down mentally, or physically, or both need help with everyday tasks want to stay independent, and out of long term ongoing care arrangements. There are no citizenship or residency restrictions on accessing short-term restorative care. However short-term restorative care is not intended for visitors to Australia or people needing long-term care. It is intended to benefit people who permanently live in the Australian community.
If you are receiving veteran services, disability services through the National Disability Insurance Scheme or support at home through the Commonwealth Home Support Programme, you may still be eligible to receive short-term restorative care.
Short-term restorative care is not available if you:
are already receiving a home care package are living in an aged care home have received after hospital care through the transition care program in the past six months. An aged care assessment with an Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT) will let you know if you are eligible to receive short-term restorative care.
Assessing your needs
To find out if you are eligible for short-term restorative care services, call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422.
The My Aged Care staff will ask you questions about your needs and circumstances.
You will need to have an assessment with a member of your local Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT) before you can be approved for care. The subsidy amount for your care is paid directly to your selected approved short-term restorative care provider. The subsidy contributes to the total cost of your services and care delivery. It is expected that you will contribute to the cost of your care.
Services
The types of services provided through short-term restorative care depends on your needs. Services may include:
- speech therapy
- podiatry
- audiology
- dietetics
- chiropractic services
- GP or geriatrician advice and medical care
- nursing
- personal care and assistance
- psychologist or counsellor support
- cooking assistance
- brain training
- therapy groups
- aids and equipment (including mobility aids)
- nutrition, meal preparation and diet advice
- continence management
- transport
- physiotherapy and occupational therapy
- social work
- home maintenance
- accommodation in residential care
- support services including:
- cleaning or laundry
- medication management
- emotional support.
Short term restorative care is delivered by a team of at least three health professionals including a doctor (usually your GP) to identify and treat any medical conditions. Your short-term restorative care provider will coordinate the services provided by the care team.
https://www.myagedcare.gov.au/short-term-restorative-care/about-short-term-restorative-care
