What is the Restorative Care Pathway under Support at Home?
Sometime life throws us something unexpected; a hospital stay, a fall, or a health scare that leaves us needing more support than usual. When these things happen, the Restorative Care Pathway under Support at Home is designed to help.
For those needing intensive short-term support to recover function and reduce or prevent further decline, the Pathway provides a separate pool of funding, without having to draw on your regular Support at Home quarterly budget.
The goal is recovery and ensuring you can manage daily life independently again.
This article explains what the Restorative Care Pathway is, who is eligible, what services it funds, and how it fits into the broader Support at Home program.
What is the Restorative Care Pathway?
The Restorative Care Pathway is a short-term funding pathway designed for people who have experienced a decline in function due to illness, injury, hospitalisation, or other adverse health events, and who could benefit from greater support to recover.
The pathway provides funding for a structured, time-limited program of services focused on rebuilding your ability to manage daily activities with the aim of restoring as much independence as possible so you can continue living safely and comfortably in the home you love.
How much funding does the Restorative Care Pathway provide?
The Restorative Care Pathway provides $6,000 in funding for a period of up to 16 weeks. If additional support is required after the initial 16 weeks, the amount of funding can be increased to $12,000. To get access to the additional $6,000, your care provider will need to request it through a Support Plan Review.
This funding is provided separately from and in addition to your regular quarterly classification budget.
Who is eligible for the Restorative Care Pathway?
To access the Restorative Care Pathway, you must:
• Be aged 65 years or older (50+ for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people)
• Have experienced a recent decline in function, for example following a fall, hospitalisation, surgery, or illness
• Have goals around restoring or improving your functional independence
Eligibility is assessed during an aged care assessment.
How many times can you access the Restorative Care Pathway?
The Restorative Care Pathway can be accessed more than once, but no more than twice in any 12-month period, and not in consecutive periods. There must be a minimum 90-day gap between separate episodes, they cannot run consecutively.
What services does the Restorative Care Pathway fund?
The Restorative Care Pathway is focused on therapeutic and rehabilitative services, which can include:
· Physiotherapy, to rebuild strength, balance, and mobility
· Occupational therapy, to help you regain daily living skills and assess your home environment
· Exercise physiology, providing supervised programs to improve function and prevent future decline
· Nursing care, where clinically required
· Personal care assistance and domestic assistance, providing short-term support with daily tasks while you recover
· Other allied health services, such as speech pathology or dietitian support, where clinically assessed as appropriate for your individual goals
You may also receive a separate budget for assistive technology and minor home modifications to support your independence during and after the program.
It is worth noting that GP and specialist visits are not funded through the Restorative Care Pathway. If you need to see a doctor or medical specialist during your program, those services need to be accessed through Medicare, and any out-of-pocket costs apply separately.
An important note on costs: clinical services (such as nursing and physiotherapy) are fully funded by the government. You may need to make a participant contribution towards the cost of independence and everyday living services within the pathway. Your contribution level is based on an income and assets assessment.
How does it differ from the regular Support at Home budget?
The pathway is specifically designed to provide intensive, short-term support that would not be appropriate to fund from a regular ongoing budget.
It recognises that recovery often requires a concentrated burst of services over a short period, rather than a permanent increase in ongoing care.
How is the Restorative Care Pathway different from the End-of-Life Pathway?
These are two distinct short-term pathways within Support at Home. The Restorative Care Pathway is focused on recovery and rebuilding function. It is most relevant after a health event where recovery is possible and the goal is to regain independence.
The End-of-Life Pathway, by contrast, is designed for people in the final weeks or months of life who need additional support to remain at home comfortably. It provides approximately $25,000 over 12 weeks of palliative and comfort-focused care rather than rehabilitation.
How to access the Restorative Care Pathway
If you think you or a family member may benefit from the Restorative Care Pathway, you need to have an aged care assessment.
During your assessment, your assessor will discuss whether the Restorative Care Pathway fits your needs. If it’s determined that the Pathway is right for you, your assessor will work with you to develop a support plan for restorative care. You can contact My Aged Care directly on 1800 200 422.
How Trilogy Care supports restorative care
If you are managing your Support at Home funding with Trilogy Care, your Care Partner can help you understand whether the Restorative Care Pathway might suit your situation and support you through the process of accessing it via My Aged Care. Once funding is approved, we can connect you with appropriate allied health providers in your area, coordinate your restorative care services, and ensure your regular quarterly budget continues to run smoothly alongside your program.
Questions about the Restorative Care Pathway and how it fits into your care plan? Call Trilogy Care on 1300 459 190 or visit trilogycare.com.au/support-at-home.
Frequently asked questions
How much funding does the Restorative Care Pathway provide?
Each episode provides $6,000 for a program of up to 16 weeks. If your provider determines additional support is needed, they can request a Support Plan Review for further funding, up to $12,000 in total. Be aware that accessing the additional $6,000 means you will not be able to access another episode of restorative care in that 12-month period.
Can I access the Restorative Care Pathway more than once?
Yes, but no more than twice in any 12-month period, and only if you have not received the additional funding unit in a previous episode. There must be a minimum 90-day gap between separate episodes.
Does using the Restorative Care Pathway affect my ongoing classification?
No. The Restorative Care Pathway funding is entirely separate from your regular quarterly budget. Using it does not reduce your classification budget or affect your eligibility for ongoing Support at Home services.
Will I need to pay anything?
Clinical services such as nursing and physiotherapy are fully government-funded. You may need to make a participant contribution towards independence and everyday living services within the pathway. Your contribution level is determined through an income and assets assessment.
What if I do not fully recover during the pathway period?
Toward the end of your 16-week episode, your care team will work with you to develop an exit plan. If you continue to need a higher level of ongoing support, a reassessment through My Aged Care may result in a higher classification to better meet your needs going forward.
