Restorative Care Pathway FAQ
Our aged care system can feel like a maze of programs, red tape, and complicated administrative processes, especially if you’re dealing with a short‑term health setback and trying to understand what support is available.
Home care service providers like Aunty Grace can help you make sense of it all. Our goal is to help you understand your options and explain how programs like the Restorative Care Pathway (RCP) can help you regain confidence and stay safely at home.
What is the Restorative Care Pathway?
The Restorative Care Pathway (RCP) is a short-term, goal-focused allied healthcare program. It replaced the Short-Term Restorative Care (STRC) program in November 2025 and is part of the broader Support at Home system. In particular, the program is designed to help older Australians regain independence after minor health setbacks.
How does the Restorative Care Pathway differ from ongoing Home Care?
Ongoing home care focuses on helping older Australians with long-term daily living support.
The Restorative Care Pathway focuses on improving health after minor setbacks through short term, goal-focused allied healthcare support.
Restorative Care Pathway key features:
- An RCP episode can run for up to 16 weeks, or ~4 months.
- Each RCP episode is allocated a budget of around $6,000. If clinically justified, an additional $6,000 can be requested.
- You can access up to two episodes in a 12‑month period.
- The focus of the RCP is on regaining and maintaining strength, mobility, confidence, and daily living skills as opposed to regular ongoing maintenance care.
Who is the Restorative Care Pathway for?
If you’ve recently experienced a decline in functional ability – perhaps you had a fall and now need some help regaining mobility – the RCP is there to help. Specifically, it’s designed for situations like:
- Recovery after discharge from hospital following a fall, surgery, or illness
- Restoring physical function after a decline in mobility, balance, or ability to manage daily tasks
- Regaining stamina and cognition following sudden changes that affect daily living
RCP services can be used alongside your current Support at Home services so long as there is no duplication of services. Talk to your Aunty Grace care partner for support accessing RCP services.
What services are included?
The Restorative Care Pathway offers a range of flexible options that are directly linked to your restorative goal. These can be customised to suit so it may, for example, include a mixture of:
- Clinical care (physiotherapy, occupational therapy, exercise physiology, speech pathology, dietician support, podiatry etc)
- Independence support (personal care, medication assistance, transport to appointments)
- Everyday living help (cleaning, shopping, gardening), and
- Equipment and assistive technology supports (mobility aids, shower chairs, grab rails, kitchen aids, pressure care equipment)
Your Aunty Grace care partner and handpicked team will co-ordinate your allied healthcare professionals so you always have the right mix of services, customised to your circumstances.
How does the Restorative Care Pathway work in practice?
Applying for an RCP episode is a simple supportive process, centred on your health goals.
- Assessment through My Aged Care
Contact My Aged Care to arrange a general aged care assessment. You have 3 options here:
- Online through the My Aged Care website
- By phone – contact the contact centre on 1800 200 422
- In person – Contact an Aged Care Specialist Officer (ACSO) at a Services Australia centre on 1800 227 475 to arrange an appointment
An assessor will consider your situation and decide if you’re eligible based on
- A recent decline in your abilities, and
- Your potential to improve with short‑term, goal‑focused support.
2. Choose your provider
Once approved for the program, you carefully select and sign on with a care provider like Aunty Grace. This organisation is responsible for assigning your care partner and delivering your RCP services.
The care partner will be your main point of contact and support throughout the process. They help you get started, arrange and co-ordinate your initial appointments with healthcare professionals, and generally support you throughout your RCP care episode.
3. Goal-based planning
Your care partner and allied health professionals work with you to set health goals with clear, measurable outcomes. This typically includes allied health visits at home, community‑based therapy sessions, or practical support like personal care or transport. It might include goals like:
- Walking safely to the letterbox
- Preparing meals independently
- Reducing the risk of falls
- Improving speech clarity after a stroke
- Regaining confidence with showering
4. Service delivery
Over the 16 weeks of your episode, your healthcare team will deliver the agreed services at home or in the community. This may include weekly physiotherapy, occupational therapy home visits, exercise programs, or support workers assisting with daily tasks.
Providers like Aunty Grace offer monthly check-ins, clear communication, and dependability with a 98% reliability rate from our hand‑picked support workers.
5. Reassessment and next steps
At the end of 16 weeks, you'll be reassessed. Depending on the outcome, you will either regain your independence (no further services needed), move to ongoing Support at Home services, or be assessed for another RCP episode.
What are the key benefits of the Restorative Care Pathway?
The RCP has some key benefits.
Stay at home longer
Dealing with functional decline early; and rebuilding strength, mobility, and confidence; helps prevent small issues from becoming major obstacles to living independently at home.
Regain confidence and abilities
After an unexpected health setback, people often lose confidence in their health and physical abilities. Targeted allied health support, like that available through the RCP, helps restore that confidence and abilities by rebuilding strength, balance, and everyday skills in a structured, supportive way.
Delay or reduce the need for long-term care
Addressing functional decline and helping you get your health back on track while improvement is still possible often significantly delays or reduces the need for long‑term care.
A personalised, empowering approach
Restorative care is all about working toward health goals that matter to you, and helping you own your recovery. It’s a personalised approach designed to support you as you regain control and independence. This might be something as simple as feeling steady on your feet, or being able to cook again.
What does the Restorative Care Pathway cost?
Some costs, like clinical services (physio, OT, dietician, etc.), are fully government-funded. You may however need to contribute to independence or everyday living services but it will depend on your assessed government participant contribution rates.
Your care partner will help you understand any out-of-pocket costs before your episode begins so there are no surprises.
Final Thoughts
The Restorative Care Pathway gives you "breathing room" to recover after a minor health setback. As a focused, short-term program, it brings allied health and support workers together to help you rebuild your confidence and independence.
At Aunty Grace, we coordinate every step of this journey so it’s genuinely restorative. The focus is always on your specific goals, with clear communication so you feel in control of your recovery.
Ready to find your feet again? Contact the Aunty Grace team today for guidance delivered with warmth, clarity, and respect.
