Probably attached to New Year’s resolutions, there’s been a lot of talk about ‘going from survive to thrive’. The ritual of making resolutions at the start of a new year is largely arbitrary. After all, we can set goals at any time. Still, while a new year is an opportunity for reflection, the data clearly shows that most resolutions are doomed to fail.
The main reasons that almost 90 per cent of New Year’s resolutions fail are that we think too big without working out the practicalities or details, and we may not be ready to make the actual change. Lasting change comes about when we want to bring ourselves out of a state of discomfort. Most of us felt profound discomfort through the process and outcomes of the aged care royal commission.
For many, this discomfort continues with the development of the new Aged Care Act. But this discomfort is leading to much-needed change. We all know that big, sweeping changes are happening in the aged care sector. We need these changes to be positive, effective and sustainable. In a sense, we need to take a reablement approach to aged care as a whole, not only to the individuals in our care.
Reablement is a doing-with approach.
Dr Claudia Meyer
Broadly, reablement is a temporary goal-oriented approach that aims to help a person regain their confidence and independence. It challenges the common belief that ageing involves inevitable declines in physical and mental health. Done properly, reablement can lead to significant improvements. Reablement is a doing-with approach. Its goals relate to day-to-day activities that can be realistically achieved. Its focus is on strength rather than treatment, and it facilitates sustainable change that in turn brings a sense of achievement.
Intensive at first, reablement involves standing back, observing, encouraging and prompting the learning or re-learning of skills. It is evidence-based and involves a multi-disciplinary approach that depends on clear communication, mutual respect and a commitment to empowering others.
How might it look if we placed a reablement lens over aged care? Can we follow the principles of reablement as we plan our services and programs, manage our (limited) resources and embed high quality, person-centred care. A focus of reablement on our teams and services facilitates the sustainable change required to truly embed a reablement approach to care.
Dr Claudia Meyer is president of the Australian Association of Gerontology
More stakeholder views from this edition
Embrace reforms as a means of recovery by Tom Symondson
Why we keep talking about rights in aged care by Patricia Sparrow
More work needed on new Act by Dr John Chesterman
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