Assistance with Daily Living: Thriving with Support
02 June 2023
Living with a disability can pose various challenges in performing daily tasks that are essential for your health, wellbeing, and independence. You may need help or supervision from others for personal care, completing household chores, or community participation. The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) can provide you with funding for assistance with daily living, which is one of the core support categories in your NDIS plan.
This post will give you an overview of what assistance with daily living is, how you can access it through the NDIS, and how it can benefit you.
We will also provide some examples of how NDIS assistance with daily life can help you in several different facets of your life.
Table of Contents
What is Assistance with Daily Living?
Assistance with daily living is a support category in your core supports budget. It covers the help or supervision of personal tasks you might face in day-to-day life. The aim is to facilitate your ability to live with maximum independence. These supports are provided individually to you and can be delivered in a range of environments, including your own home.
Some of the personal tasks that are part of assistance with daily personal activities by NDIS are:
- Personal hygiene: This includes bathing, showering, dressing, grooming, or toileting. These tasks are important for your health and comfort, as well as your confidence and self-esteem. Assistance with personal hygiene can help you maintain increased immunity, prevent infections or skin problems, and generally feel good about yourself.
- Mobility: This includes getting in and out of bed, transferring from a wheelchair to a car, or using aids and equipment. These tasks are important for your safety and convenience, as well as your freedom and autonomy. Assistance with mobility can help you avoid falls or injuries, access different places or environments, and exercise your choice and control.
- Household tasks: This includes cleaning, laundry, meal preparation, or grocery shopping. These tasks are important for your comfort and hygiene, as well as your nutrition and budget. Assistance with household tasks can help you keep your home clean and tidy, prepare healthy and tasty meals, and manage your household expenses.
- Social and community participation: This includes accessing recreational activities, education, employment, or health services. These tasks are important for your enjoyment and fulfilment, as well as your learning and development. Assistance with social and community participation can help you pursue your hobbies and interests, gain new skills and qualifications, find meaningful work or volunteering opportunities, and access health care and other crucial services.
- Communication: This includes using a phone, a computer, or an alternative communication device. These tasks are important for your connection and interaction, as well as your information and expression.Â
All these factors come together and are collectively deemed as assistance with daily life with NDIS support.
How can you access Assistance with Daily Living?
To access assistance with daily living through the NDIS, you need to meet the eligibility criteria for the scheme. You must be under 65 years of age, have a permanent and significant disability that affects your functional capacity, and be an Australian citizen or permanent resident.
You must have an NDIS plan that includes funding for assistance with daily living in your core supports budget. Your NDIS plan is based on your unique goals and needs, and it outlines the reasonable and necessary supports that the NDIS will fund for you.
To get assistance with daily living in your NDIS plan, you need to have a planning meeting with an NDIS representative. In this meeting, you will discuss your current situation, your goals for the future, and the supports you need to achieve them. You can also bring along any evidence or documents that show how your disability affects your daily life and what kind of assistance you require.
You can choose how to manage the funding for improved daily living with NDIS. You can self-manage your funds, which means you are responsible for paying your providers and keeping track of your spending.
You can also choose a plan manager or the NDIA to manage your funds for you. A plan manager is an independent service provider who can help you find and pay for your supports. The NDIA is the agency that runs the NDIS and can pay your providers directly on your behalf.
You can also choose who provides you with assistance with daily personal activities. You can hire your own support workers directly or use an agency that offers these services. You can also use informal supports from your family, friends, or the wider community if they are willing and able to help you.
How can NDIS Assistance with Daily Life benefit you?
Improved daily living support can benefit you in many ways. It can help you:
- Maintain your health and wellbeing by ensuring that your personal care and hygiene needs are met.
- Enhance your independence and autonomy by enabling you to perform daily tasks that you may otherwise struggle with or avoid.
- Increase your confidence and self-esteem by giving you more control over your life and choices. You can start enjoying the little things in life – like taking a stroll in your favourite public park.
- Improve your quality of life by reducing stress, frustration, or isolation that may result from not being able to do things on your own.
Outcomes of Assistance with Daily Living
The Australian Government’s Department of Social Services lists what NDIS assistance with daily life should achieve:
- Assistance with personal hygiene can help you feel more comfortable in social situations, such as meeting new people or attending events. It can also help you feel more attractive and confident.
- Assistance with mobility can help you explore new places or environments that may otherwise be inaccessible or difficult for you to reach. It can also help you participate in physical activities that may improve your fitness and health.
- Assistance with household tasks can help you save time and energy that you can use for other purposes, such as pursuing your hobbies or interests.
- Assistance with social and community participation can help you expand your social network and make new friends who share similar interests or experiences.
Finally, assistance with communication can help you express yourself more clearly and effectively by using different modes or methods of communication that suit your needs.
Wrapping up
Assistance with daily living is essential for individuals with disabilities, and the NDIS provides valuable support through assistance with daily living. If you’re eligible for the NDIS and require help with everyday tasks, you can include this support in your NDIS plan and access funding and providers tailored to your unique requirements.
However, we understand that navigating the process can be overwhelming. That’s where we, at Hikma House, come in. As a trusted registered NDIS service provider in Melbourne, we are known for our commitment to delivering on our promises.
Are you ready to take the first step towards a more independent and fulfilling life? We’re here to help! Reach out to us today, and let’s start exploring the possibilities together.