Australia is a world leader in healthcare and the recently formed National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) have implemented the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) to provide essential funding for care and support services. There are NDIS care providers in all parts of the country and they are set up to provide a wide range of care and support services for people with disabilities.
Here are some of the essential services that come under the NDIS umbrella.
- Respite Services – If you are the full-time carer of someone in your family, the respite service is there to give you a break. Whether a day or a month, if you need someone to hold the fort for a while, there will be an NDIS care & support provider in your area. A team of experienced carers will work to a pre-agreed plan and provide the support and care in your absence and if you would like to learn more about care respite services, Google is your best friend and can put you in touch with a local provider. This service can be provided at short notice, should the principal carer become sick or unavailable for some reason.
- Care & Support Coordination – When the family of a young disabled person is embarking on caring for their child, they need the help and support of a local care organisation, who help to formulate care & support plan. Of course, every person’s needs are unique and the experts would tailor the plan to suit. Australia is among the world leaders regarding healthcare and the NDIS is designed to provide the funding for a wide range of care and support services for people with disabilities. One such organisation can be found at https://www.multicap.com.au/ who have the resources and knowledge to assist you with planning support.
- Suitable Accommodation – There are two main types of disabled accommodation; Supported Independent Living (SIL) and the Lead Tenant Model. The latter tailors the daily care and this plan is ideal for the person who prefers a level of independence, requiring care for a few hours a day, while SIL provides full time care with the required level of support. Group homes offer a social aspect; for more information, talk to your local NDIS provider, who can inform you of all the accommodation packages that are currently available.
- Community Support – Disabled people need social interaction and there is a wide range of community activities; sports, recreation, handicrafts, hobbies and even shopping trips and visits to museums. This could be a weekly activity and all transport, care and support are taken care of by the care provider, giving pleasure and enjoyment as you engage in your preferred activity.
- Life Skills Development – This is important and a plan can be drawn up, which details specific skills to be acquired; it might be connected to dressing, bathing and preparing for the day, or learning basic cooking skills, these goals should be agreed upon and worked towards. You might have aspirations and need to learn new skills, which might be sport-related, or another popular skill area is IT, a field where many disabled people work. If you need specific skillsets, your local NDIS care provider can help and as time passes, you will acquire the skills needed to secure employment, if that is part of the plan. Here is an informative article on telehealth and how it has helped during the pandemic.
- Daily Assisted Living – It might be a couple of hours a day to clean up and prepare food, or half the day to do the chores and be a companion; whatever your daily care needs, the NDIS provider has all the solutions. You might be starting a job and require someone to help you dress and prepare for the day, or would like to exercise with supervision. The provider is happy to sit down with you and decide on the care & support needed and with this plan, you move forward with confidence.
- Recreation – Disabled people need recreation and there would be a diverse range of sports and activities to get into; the carer handles the transport and is always there, ensuring safety. Talk to your local provider for a full list of activities, which would include swimming, kayaking, archery, handicraft groups and farm activities.
Here is a link to the NDIA website, where you can learn more about the agency that oversees NDIS, which provides funding for essential care and support services for people with disabilities. The great thing about the care provider is they can tailor their services to suit you and with respite services, you can take that much-needed break without worrying. Aimed at empowering people with disabilities, the care and support services are an integral part of our society.
