Here is your guide to NDIS Assistive Technology. Whether facing emotional, physical, or mental disabilities, disabled people endure and overcome obstacles that others do not face daily. To help those living with a disability, the Government of Australia implemented the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) in 2013.
With the NDIS, disabled Australians have access to more resources and support to help them live more comfortably. If you or a loved one has a disability, the NDIS and NDIS Assistive Technology provide you with resources to meet daily living.
What is the NDIS?
The NDIS Act of 2013 established the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and provided funding for increased disability support for people throughout Australia. The estimated payouts in the next five years for disability support equate to $22 billion a year in support of the roughly 500,000 Australians who are disabled, under 65, and have not been receiving adequate support for their disabilities.
NDIS provides information and services, connections and funding for people with disabilities. To explain the NDIS further:
- National – This rollout is happening across the country, independent of local or state. If you are an Australian and disabled, you can qualify for NDIS support.
- Disability – The disabilities covered include “ intellectual, physical, sensory, cognitive, and psychosocial.”
- Insurance – This is a national insurance for all Australians, covering you for the risks of disability.
- Scheme – Since this is an insurance scheme and not welfare, it is designed to be help people with disabilities get the support they need.
The NDIS is administered by the NDIA (National Disability Insurance Agency). The NDIA is a statutory body tasked with managing the funds of the insurance scheme in accordance with national law. The Standing Council (The Standing Council on Disability Reform) is the major decision-maker regarding NDIS issues and has representatives from national, state, and territorial governments which take part in the insurance scheme.
How to Become a Participant in NDIS
If you or a loved one is facing a disability, you may request to become a participant in NDIS and develop a personal plan for goal-based participation in health management including the supports that NDIS will provide for dealing with the disability.
Who Can Apply for NDIS Support?
In order to apply for NDIS support, you need to meet three criteria. These criteria are age, residence, and disability. Because of other support means for people over the age of 65, the NDIS does not provide assistance for disabled individuals over the age of 65. Also, in general, you must be a resident of Australia and either a citizen or a holder of a permanent visa or specific special category visas.
The main category that you need to consider when applying for NDIS coverage is your disability status. Generally, the NDIS act requires that you have a permanent or likely permanent disability that impairs your ability to function. The act also provides the option of early intervention, where you may apply for participation if you have something that is likely to cause permanent disability in the near future.
What Supports Does the NDIS Provide?
For people who have applied to the NDIS and are now participants in the program, the next big question is what supports the NDIS will provide you.
The NDIS wants to both maintain its financial sustainability and to help people with disabilities with independent living that allows for social and economic participation.
The full list is comprehensive, but it is based on the “participant’s statement of goals and aspirations” and the “statement of supports” that the NDIA issues in response to the application for participation and the personal goals.
For participants in the NDIS, the right supports will be different depending on the cause of disability, family and other supports that are already in place and the goals of the individual applying for the NDIS coverage.
In choosing how much and what types of support to offer, the NDIA will consider the following items.
- Family Support – How difficult is it for family and other loved ones to provide support to the individual applicant. How much does that reliance on others impact the participant’s ability to live independently?
- Needs Assessment – Each person is unique and has unique goals and aspirations. Part of reviewing NDIS supports involves looking at every individual’s specific goals and aspirations. Do those goals require certain supports and not require other supports?
- Risk Assessment – If the device is likely to cause a high risk of harm to participants or others, that risk will need to be addressed before funding can be made for that support.
Once the selection and assessments have been made, the NDIS will provide support that:
- Meets the stated goals
- Is not provided by the immediate support network
- Does not cause undue risk
- Does not violate the laws of the commonwealth or states of Australia
- Is not income replacement
An Introduction to NDIS Assistive Technology
One of the greatest resources for disabled Australians is the NDIS Assistive Technology program. NDIS Assistive Technology covers a wide range of products; any product that helps people manage daily difficulties counts as assistive technology, whether it is a medical device, a computer program, or some form of equipment. Assistive technology can include simple tools to help you hold things in your hand, installed safety features of your home, or technological devices like wheelchairs.
Due to the wide range of products that fall under Assistive Technology, the NDIS Assistive Technology program treats funding differently depending on the nature of the device, its complexity and cost, and whether you are implementing new technology or updating something that you have used in the past.
Independent Living Specialists (ILS) is Australia’s largest provider of mobility scooters and lift chairs, and we offer a large selection of assistive technology products and services. Our assistive technology range includes a vast selection of products to help people of all ages living with all types of disability. We offer high-quality, specially designed medical products devices for every type of assistive need to enable our customers to live as independently as possible.
Wide Range of Products at ILS
ILS’s wide range of products includes services for independent living. Because of our experience in providing the best assistive technologies and services, you can trust that we have the right solution for you or your loved ones, no matter your needs.
Each of our assistive technology product types offer different levels of support:
- Mobility aids and accessories – For people with disabilities that make it difficult to get around, our walkers, wheelchairs and other mobility aids may provide the extra assistance to stay active. Whether you need a simple aid for walking like a cane or a fully automated wheelchair, the right mobile aid will help you regain a sense of independence and give you freedom of mobility.
- Lift chairs and seating – Sometimes getting in and out of a chair is the most difficult part of independent living for people with disabilities. The right seating will help you or your loved one in terms of both comfort and mobility. From stable chairs to electronic lift chairs, we can tailor a model to suit your personal needs and design preferences.
- Hospital beds – Our adjustable, durable assistive bed range provides those in need of additional support, the level of comfort and safety they require to get a good night’s rest. Hospital beds make getting in and out of bed a less strenuous task for both users and carers and can be a tremendous support for living with a disability both at home and within a healthcare facility.
- Daily Living Aids – Daily living aids will give you the best help for dealing with the daily struggles of a disability. A daily living aid may be something as simple as a pencil holder or larger handled silverware. It also may be a tool for reaching the ground and picking up the floor. Whatever you need, the right daily aid can assist you to meet it on a daily basis.
- Respiratory – Our respiratory aids oxygen concentrators, accessories, nebulisers and suction pumps. Manufactured by the best brands on the market, our wide range of respiratory aids will help you to achieve increased independence while ensuring optimum oxygen support. All of our products are of high quality and durability, but the most appropriate device for you will depend on your respiratory needs, surroundings and lifestyle.
- Pressure Care – Pressure management can be an essential part of the management and recovery of a disability. Our selection of Pressure Care products assist people with sleeping and sitting comfortably, lowering the risk of pressure-related injuries.
- Bathroom aids – Those struggling with balance or mobility issues are at high risk of falling in the bathroom. Making home modifications to your bathroom by adding assistive bathroom aids is the best way to maximise your safety. From bathing and toileting aids to shower and bedside commodes, find all of the equipment you need to maintain your independence and privacy in the bathroom in our extensive range of bathroom aids.
- Therapist, Exercise and Physio – Often managing a disability or recovering from an injury requires physiotherapy, rehabilitation and exercise. We offer a vast array of pain relief and recovery devices, suitable for use both at home and within a healthcare facility.
- Falls Prevention – Falls happen, but it is possible to implement preventative measures to help avoid fall-related injuries occurring in certain situations. Many people rely on fall response devices as essential assistive technology equipment to help them live more comfortably and with greater peace of mind.
These are just some of the devices and aids that help individuals with a disability live more independently. And, with NDIS Assistive Technology funding, more and more people are able to access these products in order to live more comfortably.
Why Choose ILS for Assistive Technology
ILS is an Official NDIS Provider and a registered provider of:
- Assistive products for personal care and safety
- Assistive products for household tasks
- Assistive equipment for general tasks and demands
- Personal mobility equipment – therapeutic supports
As experts in healthcare, we can advise you of NDIS and NDIS assistive technology developments, as well as educating you on how to prepare yourself to enter into the scheme.
At ILS we also have the knowledge and expertise to help you select the right aids for your specific living needs. ILS employs over 200 staff, including fully-trained Occupational Therapists, who work hard to make certain that you have the right resources for daily living.
Because of our experience over the last 16 years building one of Australia’s leading assistive technology providers, we are positioned as one of the best partners for NDIS assistive technology. Regardless of age or disability, we are here to support you in finding the NDIS assistive technology devices you need.
We help you walk through your NDIS plan and select the right NDIS assistive technology to meet your personal goals and aspiration. As an NDIS authorised retailer, we can manage the complex billing processes of insurance schemes. Rather than leaving you to do the work on your own, our team helps you select the right tools for living independently.
Whether a mobility aid, bathroom aid, or medical devices to enable you to live comfortably at home, ILS can help. We also offer installation and home maintenance services. So, if you are using NDIS assistive technology to support your disability, we are here to advise you and help you live the best life possible.
