Partners sought for rehab in resi care trial
Residential care providers who participate in the trial will be supported to set up the My Therapy program with the help of an allied health project officer.
Monash University is seeking partners for a planned grant application to trial a rehabilitation program based in residential aged care homes.
The university is hoping to recruit 30 providers from across Australia for the trial, which will see them supported to access the My Therapy program in their facilities.
Based on the concept of self-managed rehabilitation, the program is co-designed by the resident, family and allied health, and designed to increase rehabilitation reach.
The program is being led by Associate Professor Natasha Brusco at the Rehabilitation, Ageing and Independent Living Research Centre at Monash University.
“The research team is keen to partner on this grant application with residential aged care homes across metropolitan, rural and remote areas, as well as homes with limited access to allied health, homes who care for people with a cognitive impairment, and homes who care for indigenous peoples and people who are culturally and linguistically diverse,” Professor Brusco told Australian Ageing Agenda.
“If successful, the money will be used to help more people across the partner residential aged care homes have access to My Therapy rehabilitation.”
Empowering residents
My Therapy is a consumer driven model designed to increase participation in physical rehabilitation via independent practice of exercise and activity.
The program can help help residents:
- get better after injury or illness
- improve balance if they have trouble walking,
- strengthen a part of the body that is weak, painful or stiff
- improve general fitness.
It’s designed so it can be done independently by the resident, or with the assistance of family and staff, including residents with cognitive impairment, Professor Brusco said.
Research by the team has shown the program is not only empowering for the resident, but safe and low-cost to implement with a strong adoption rate by residents.
It’s also individualised, which means rehabilitation plans are co-designed by the person living in aged care, their family and their allied health team.
Community member Ed Johansen was involved in the co-design of My Therapy.
“My Therapy is all about me. I am in charge of how much I do,” said Mr Johansen.
“My Therapy allows my family to become involved in helping me achieve my goals.”
Improving access to rehabilitation
Older people in aged care homes are at risk of losing mobility and function following injury or illness, or from the effects of ageing, and rehabilitation can help improve and maintain mobility and function, and improve quality of life, Professor Brusco said.
“Currently in Australia, many older people residing in aged care do not have access to rehabilitation from the allied health team. This is because of allied health workforce shortages and because of the way the government provides money for aged care homes, as it does not always cover the cost of these additional allied health services.”
Improving access to rehabilitation in aged care homes was also a recommendation of the aged care royal commission, she said.
However, many of this demographic lack access to rehabilitation from allied health professionals thanks to workforce shortages and because government funding doesn’t always cover the cost of allied health services.
Benefits for providers
Over the 12-month trial, an allied health project officer will support the set up and trial of My Therapy, including staff education and mentoring worth $35,000. Participants will also be funded for therapy equipment and printing costs, and will have ongoing free access to the My Therapy Community of Practice for the following two years.
Project partners will be required to provide a $5,000 cash contribution and support for staff to attend My Therapy education, My Therapy mentoring and My Therapy meetings.
The team hopes to scale My Therapy to 1,000 residents and evaluate the program during the trial.
Residential care providers interested in being a part of the grant application and trial have until September 17 to register interest.
If the grant application is successful, projects will start in the second half off 2025.
Conact Associate Professor Brusco on 0408 251 124 or natasha.brusco@monash.edu; or select here to complete an expression of interest form.
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