A function-focused approach in primary care for older people with functional decline: Making the most of reablement and restorative care.

Background: There is growing international interest in maximising the functional ability of older people.
Objective: The aim of this article is to discuss 'reablement' and 'restorative care' in the context of providing a function-focused approach in primary care to address the needs of older people with functional decline.
Discussion: Loss of functional ability can profoundly affect an older person and is often what prompts them to seek healthcare. The emergence of reablement and restorative care is a welcome development in policy. Reablement and restorative care are discussed in relation to current Australian Government-funded programs. These programs increase the availability of multidisciplinary services in community settings and support general practitioners (GPs) to take a comprehensive, 'function-focused' approach to the management of functional decline. GPs are important to identify and refer older people likely to benefit, and they play an essential part in effective program delivery.