The Restorative Care Pathway has replaced the previous Short-Term Restorative Care (STRC) Programme. The Restorative Care Pathway is a time-limited, goal-focused program designed to help you optimise, maintain or improve your independence. It brings together a multidisciplinary team of health professionals who will work collaboratively with you to restore function, confidence, and quality of life.

The key features include:

• A person-centred approach - your goals, preferences, and values guide the plan.
• A 'doing with, not for' philosophy - we focus on helping you do things yourself, not taking over.
• A multidisciplinary team (MDT) - health professionals across disciplines work together.
• Reviews and adjustments - ensuring care stays relevant and effective.

Eligibility

Access to the BallyCara Restorative Care Pathway is determined through an aged care assessment. This assessment identifies whether a restorative care episode is suitable for the Client.
For current Support at Home Clients: A restorative care episode can be undertaken alongside ongoing Support at Home services. This means Clients can continue using their existing quarterly budget for regular services while also receiving restorative care. Services delivered through the Restorative Care Pathway are clinically focused and designed to complement any ongoing support.

Eligibility Requirements

A Client cannot access restorative care if they:

• Are eligible for, or have recently received, the End-of-Life Pathway.
• Have already accessed two separate episodes or units of restorative care funding in the past 12 months, or have completed a restorative care episode within the last 90 days.
• Receive, or are eligible to receive, services through the Transition Care Programme (TCP).
• Reside in permanent residential aged care.

Episodes and Funding

An episode of the Restorative Care Pathway provides up to 16 consecutive weeks of allied health and/or nursing services based on your assessed needs. You can access a maximum of two units of funding within a 12-month period. This can be either two separate non-consecutive episodes, or two units combined within a single 16-week episode, if approved by an aged care assessor.
If you need two separate episodes, there must be at least three months between the end of the first episode and the start of the second. Clients with higher needs may be eligible for additional funding during a single episode if the initial is not enough to achieve your goals.

Assistive Technology (AT) and Home Modifications (HM) may also be provided during a restorative care episode if the aged care assessor determines these are required.