Carrying out simple personal care tasks, such as showering, getting dressed and preparing to face the day ahead is something most of us take for granted. However, if you are living with a disability managing your personal care may be very challenging.

Am I eligible?

If you are an NDIS participant you may be eligible for funding to assist you in this important aspect of your life. ‘Assistance with Daily Life’ is a budget that falls under the ‘Core Supports’ category. The funding covers support with every day personal activities that assist you to live as independently as possible and with dignity.

What is assistance with daily living?

Daily living includes all those regular activities that need to be done in the usual course of the day, such as  getting out of bed, showering, toileting and eating. The funding is designed to  support you to do all these things and can be used to pay for specially trained support workers who can either assist you to carry out your own personal care or do these tasks for you if you’re unable.

Reasonable and necessary

Eligibility for funding is assessed by the NDIS on a case-by-case basis and will be included in your plan if it is considered a reasonable and necessary support that meets your needs and will help you achieve your goals.

If you think you need assistance with personal care, it’s important to be prepared when  you go into your NDIS planning meeting and be clear about the type of personal care you need.

What exactly is personal care?

Personal care is anything that’s done for you of a personal nature. This may include personal hygiene-bathing, showering, hair washing and oral hygiene- skin and nail care, dressing, toileting, continence management, including toileting, catheter/stoma care and bed changing. It may also include assistance with eating and drinking if necessary and attending appointment,

This  care may be necessary in a variety of settings and circumstances. For example, if you’re living in your own home, living with family or other people, a support worker may come each morning to help you get ready for the day. If necessary, support with your personal care may also be available when you’re at work, enjoying recreational activities, or while on holiday away from home.

Planning your personal care

As everyone’s circumstances are unique, care plans need to be appropriately tailored to the individual and take into account factors such as age, gender and family relationships.

If you’d prefer more intimate personal care tasks to be performed by  a family member, for instance, your preference should  be taken into account when the level of funding is being decided.

In the case of children, personal care support is not intended to replace the traditional role of a parent/carer. However, the NDIS  may consider funding personal care when the child has complex needs and the level of support they need is greater than that required by a child of the same age.

Choosing a provider for personal care

When choosing a provider to  assist you with managing this aspect of your NDIS plan, make sure they fully understand your personal care needs and are able to match you with suitable disability care workers. The relationship you develop with your support worker is a very important one and because of the nature of the care they are providing, it  is also a very personal one so you need to feel comfortable with anyone who works with you.

For further information about managing your NDIS plan and finding qualified disability care providers and support  workers in your area, contact CareAbout on 1300 036 028.