An 8 week program delivered by a team of health professionals, in order to reduce or prevent health complications.

• Short term restorative care is designed to provide a range of services for up to eight weeks in order to help reduce or prevent difficulties that ageing people may be having to complete activities of daily living. It is designed to promote wellbeing and independence.
• Short term restorative care can be accessed twice in twelve months, but can’t be accessed in conjunction with receiving a home care package, or residential care.
• Short term restorative care must be accessed within six months of approval. Each time you require the service you must gain approval.
• Short term restorative care is delivered by a team of three health professionals including a doctor who will do the assessment to determine your care needs. The programme will be guided by the doctor’s assessment. Your service provider will coordinate the services provided by the team of three health professionals.

• Accommodation in residential care
• Aids and equipment (including mobility aids)
• Continence management
• Home maintenance
• Nursing care
• Nutrition, meal preparation and diet advice (dietetics), personal care and assistance
• Allied health services such as physiotherapy and podiatry
• Counselling services
• Support services including cleaning or laundry, medication management, and emotional support
• Transport services

You may be eligible for short-term restorative care services if you are an older person and your status has declined either mentally, physically or both.

You may be eligible for the programme if you need help with everyday tasks and want to remain independent and not be in long term care.

Contact My Aged Care for further details: www.myagedcare.gov.au or phone 1800 200 422 to arrange an assessment to determine your eligibility.

• Receive an assessment from the Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT) to determine your eligibility for short term and restorative care. Please call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 for further information and to arrange an assessment.
• Your letter of approval will come after your assessment, stating the services that you have been approved for. If you have already obtained an assessment and have not been approved for this, you will need to contact My Aged Care to discuss your change in circumstances.
• Enter into a flexible care agreement with a service provider. If you can afford to do so, you will be expected to make a financial contribution to receive the services. You can discuss this further with your service provider before entering into a flexible care agreement.
• A care plan will be included in your flexible care agreement, as well as any costs you may be asked to contribute. There will be a clearly documented start date and end date for service delivery.
• You are able to have a support person with you when you develop a care plan and sign a flexible care agreement. There are advocacy services available if you wish to access them by calling the National Aged Advocacy Line on 1800 700 600.
• Towards the end of receiving short term restorative care your service provider will work with you to prepare an exit plan. This will include ongoing support services available to you. The service provider will help you access the ongoing services that you require if necessary.

When you enter into a flexible care agreement with a service provider you will be expected to make a financial contribution to receive the services if you are able to do so.

You can discuss this further with your service provider before entering into a flexible care agreement.

Once you have your approval and you are aware that you require short term restorative care, you can search for a provider that best meets your needs and budget. You can search for a short term restorative care provider on the My Aged Care website at www.myagedcare.gov.au or by calling 1800 200 422.

Sometimes short term restorative care may not be available in your area or there might be a wait list. In some instances when you require services through this program but can’t access them, there is the option to receive services through the Commonwealth Home Support Programme while you are on the waitlist.

Please contact My Aged Care to discuss this further by calling 1800 200 422.