REABLEMENT
Restoring function
Enabling rehabilitation and reablement in aged care requires a mutual understanding of expectations plus a transdisciplinary approach to self-directed and empowering client-centred services, write DR CLAIRE GOUGH and JUDITH LEESON. Claire’s perspective
As the need for aged care services increase, policies and government recommendations look to embed rehabilitation and reablement into aged care. We know that these approaches can restore and improve function for older people to enable participation in activities that are enjoyable and provide a sense of purpose. However, in terms of practical care delivery, there are many barriers that prevent these Dr Claire Gough approaches being used. In late 2023, Aged Care Research & Industry Innovation Australia brought aged care service providers together at national roundtables to discuss the complexities of integrating rehabilitation and reablement into aged care delivery. We met with a range of allied health professionals including physiotherapists, occupational therapists, managers, academics 42 | SEPTEMBER – OCTOBER 2024
and a psychologist who shared their experiences, concerns, and ideas of how to improve future services. The group widely agreed that rehabilitation and reablement should be part of daily life for those receiving aged care. However, our published white paper details the challenges of variable terminology, funding systems, inequalities, ageism, and the expectations of older people, their advocates, and the aged care workforce to the implementation of these changes. Ironically, one of the difficulties for organisations when attempting to provide rehabilitation and reablement in aged care is that these approaches “get people better”. They improve function, allowing people to be more independent with selfcare, attend to their gardens and live happily at home. You are probably thinking, “well isn’t that a good thing?” Yes, it is certainly what I would want for myself and my relatives. But this means that individuals become less dependent and require fewer services. Aged care providers receive more funding to deliver care to older people who are less able and more dependent. Indeed,