Plena Healthcare’s Plena Care Pathway is an innovative service model that supports a resident through their entire residential aged care journey.

The Plena Care Pathway is a sustainable model that supports providers to ensure residents have access to allied health care through an efficient and agile service model meeting the requirements of the new funding model, AN-ACC. The Plena Care Pathway allows Plena Healthcare therapists to provide residents with access to evidence-based and consumer-centred allied health care aimed at restoration and maintenance of independence, improvement in mobility and function, and the promotion of wellbeing and quality of life.

Plena Care Pathway comprises of four phases of support throughout the entire residential aged care journey.

The Plena Care Pathway commences before admission, when therapists connect with prospective residents and families through meaningful consultation. Upon admission, comprehensive assessments, clinical outcome measures, personalised goal setting, and care and treatment planning are undertaken.

Central to the Plena Care Pathway is the therapy service component, which aims to optimise and maintain function and mobility, and includes the management of pain. This is achieved through consumer-focused goal setting, individualised treatment planning, and tailored therapy.

During the Restorative Phase (following admission or an incident which requires therapeutic intervention), the focus is on 1:1 therapy to increase strength, balance, and endurance, as well as behaviour, pain, and oedema management as required. This phase is short term and can last up to 12 weeks, and includes check ins and outcomes measures at the start, middle and end (e.g. 0, 6, and 12 weeks). Pending clinical outcomes, the resident is supported to transition into Active Ageing programs or an extension of the restorative therapy program, if indicated by a clinical change. A pain management plan is also established with the resident if required.

During Active Ageing, the resident is supported on an ongoing basis to maintain mobility, function and fitness via group based exercise programs, pain management services, and equipment prescription and support.

Overarching the therapeutic services is an ongoing review and referral system, capturing clinical change early and ensuring intervention is commenced when needed most. The enhanced multidisciplinary approach ensures adequate risk assessment and analysis occurs to understand the causative nature of events and incidents. The Plena Care Pathway is also designed to be integrated seamlessly with Plena Healthcare’s user-pay model, allowing providers to offer an extensive allied health service to consumers wishing to top up their allied health service suite.

If you’d like to know more, speak to your relationship manager, or contact us via our online web form.