The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is a disability support program started by the Australian government to support people with any significant or permanent impairment, be it physical, mental, or behavioural. The main goal of NDIS is to help its participants reach their goals and live as independently as possible. Over the years, NDIS has helped many people overcome their difficulties and will continue to do so.
NDIS determines who is eligible for the support and how much funds each participant will get. This legislation is based on NDIS Act 2013, which analyses which support and funds are necessary and reasonable under the guidelines.
NDIS also provides information and connections with different communities to its participants. These healthcare professionals include doctors, physiotherapists, schools, sporting clubs, etc.
Supports Provided Under NDIS
NDIS provides its participants with a wide range of supports, including:
- Assistance with daily living
- Short-term accommodation
- Supported Independent Living
- Transport
- Consumables
- Improved living arrangements
- Assistive technology
- Home modifications
What Is Allied Health?
Different governments and departments use the term allied health for different reasons. Because the term is relatively new, there is no universal definition for it. However, there are some things that everyone agrees upon and that allied health is a healthcare profession different from dental, doctoral, and mental health professions. They are qualified practitioners specialising in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of various health conditions.
Allied health professionals use scientific principles and evidence-based practices for the treatment of chronic diseases. They also must pay attention to the prevention of disease so that it may not occur again or worse. This profession is not only extended to the patient, but his family, friends, and environment all play a part in preventing the diseases and helping in the treatment. Professions that are considered allied health professions involve other non-nurse, non-physical providers, too, like audiologists and speech-language pathologists. Respiratory therapists, imagine specialists, nutritionists, and health educators are also considered allied health professionals. Some less well-known professions come under the category of allied health.
Allied Health Services Under NDIS
Different supports are funded under different budgets by NDIS.
Occupational therapy and physiotherapy are a critical and essential part of any NDIS plan, and they are usually financed by Core or Capacity Building support. The allied health assessments release the funding by providing individual reports and recommendations to help them reach their goals.
Physiotherapy falls under the category of allied health, and NDIS funds this support for the well-being of its participants. If the participant has any pain in the body, physiotherapy can help manage it, so it doesn’t come in the way of life. It is also helpful if a participant has had surgery and needs rehabilitation. It improves daily living and takes the pain away.
NDIS also provides access to dietitians to its participants. A dietitian solves all your problems if you have difficulty managing your meals and keeping them healthy. They can give you a guide for healthy eating and controlling your weight and appetite. A healthy diet improves the mealtime experience and overall health.
Following are the services commonly covered by NDIS:
- Physiotherapy treatment
- Assistive technologies
- Home modifications
- Personal mobility prescription
- Driving assessment
- Car modifications and other allied health services if needed.
How To Prepare For An Allied Health Visit?
Allied health involves a huge range of treatments which is why how you prepare for the visit will vary depending on your conditions. Following are some things that you can do:
- Keep track of your condition. Make sure you know when the symptoms arose and how often you experience them. It will help the allied health professional understand your condition more.
- You should also bring a notebook to your appointment that contains medications you have been taking, any surgeries or medical procedures you have had, and the questions you would want to ask.
- Consider whether you want to take your family or a friend to the appointment.
As a disability support provider, Complete Connect helps the participants identify their short-term and long-term goals and also helps them reach the goals in their plan. Their dedicated team of allied health professional provides participants with round the clock care and empowers them to move forward.
