How short term restorative care can get you back on track

Key points:

• Short Term Restorative Care (STRC) aims to maintain or improve your current mobility

• The program runs for eight weeks and you can access it twice a year

• You can receive STRC while you are receiving Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP

The Short Term Restorative Care (STRC) program aims to support people at home for a short period of time while they are recovering from illness and injury so they can regain their mobility and confidence.

Short Term Restorative Care is considered an ‘early intervention’ for older people who may be slowly on the decline in their cognitive ability or mobility.

To help regain your independence and stay out of hospital and residential care, the Government introduced this flexible care option.

You may benefit from the STRC program if you have been sick or your mobility is temporarily impaired.

The program focuses on regaining wellbeing over a short period of time for a maximum of eight weeks.

The Federal Government created the program to reverse or slow functional decline in older people, or potentially improve their health and wellbeing through the service.

The ultimate aim is to avoid you having to access ongoing in-home care services or residential care.

My Aged Care funds STRC so it is a free service to people recovering from an illness or injury.

The program is designed around improving your capabilities at performing everyday tasks you may be having difficulties with.

A team of professionals provide the service to help you adjust to the differences in your abilities.

This could include activities and exercises that will benefit your mobility, or could result in modifications around your home to make everyday tasks more manageable.

You will be able to choose the services you want provided so the assistance you receive is tailored to your specific needs.

Not only that, the STRC professionals will also help you identify your goals and support you to achieve them over the period of the program.

Services can be delivered at your home or in a nursing home. You may need to pay a care fee if you can afford it, you won’t have to pay an accommodation payment if you receive STRC in a nursing home setting.

You will be able to access the STRC program even if you’re currently receiving support through the Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP).

You do need an assessment to access the program. This assessment is done by the Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT) and is only valid for six months.

You cannot receive STRC if you have:

• Received transition care in the six months prior to your assessment
• Receive a Home Care Package
• Live in residential aged care

You can access the STRC program twice over a 12-month period.

For more information about STRC, contact My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 or visit their website.

Would you benefit from short-term restorative care? Tell us in the comments below.

Related content:

Do I need transition care?
What types of respite care are there?
How to maintain and improve mobility and reduce fall