INFORMATION QUESTIONS
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is unique about your home care service?
We offer a wide range of services, including Personal Care, GP visits, Private Appointments, Transport, Social Outings, Medication Prompts, Domestic Assistance, Gardening, Accommodation and Meal Preparation. Our team of bilingual staff is proficient in various languages and appreciates cultural diversity, ensuring that clients’ needs are understood and met effectively.
At AD Healthcare, we prioritize our clients’ needs, and our support care is available 24/7, tailored to meet their individual requirements.
Will I have the same carers visiting me each time?
Establishing a positive relationship with your carers is crucial. We make an effort to assign you with carers you prefer, fostering a friendly carers. However, there may be instances when your preferred carers are unavailable due to sickness or scheduled leaves. If such a situation arises, we will only arrange for a substitute after obtaining your agreement.
Will my carer come at the same time each day?
It relies on your care plan and specific needs. If your preferred caregiver is available when you need them, we will certainly make the necessary arrangements.
I have a Home Care Package, what can I spend my Home Care funding on?
You can spend your funding in three areas:
Care (i.e. personal care, meal preparation, equipment)
Support (i.e. gardening, transport, social outings)
Clinical services (i.e. nursing and allied health)
What is MTA ?
Medium Term Accommodations (also known as MTAs) are transitional accommodations for NDIS participants preparing for more permanent accommodation.
The NDIS funds medium Term Accommodation for a maximum of 90 days for eligible participants. This policy prevents people with disabilities from being forced into aged care facilities or waiting too long in hospitals.
What are the eligibility requirements for Medium Term Accommodation (MTA)?
Participants with an NDIS contract are eligible to apply for MTA if they need temporary transitional housing before their more permanent home is ready.
Who funds for the MTA for the participants ?
As part of their National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) plan, MTA funding covers only housing that is also taken from Core Supports.
Consequently, they may not be able to access other essential person-to-person supports because their core supports are depleted.
Can we increase the MTA support ?
No, not really. For the NDIA, it would be beneficial to increase MTA funding prices for those with high and complex needs so that they can afford housing options that are appropriate for their needs.
Who provides MTA in home care service?
Several NDIS registered support providers work in partnership with Advance Care to deliver the highest standard of care to tenants living in MTA properties. As part of a MTA arrangement, this service is generally provided.
Assisting with, or supervising, daily living tasks that can be funded through the NDIS. There is no allowance for rent or daily living expenses in MTA arrangements. These costs will need to be paid out of your own pocket.
What about the NDIS supports I may need during my MTA?
Personal care supports are not included in your NDIS funding. As mentioned earlier, it does not include your day to day living costs like Internet, food or electricity. However, you can use the funding in your plan for other supports during your MTA. For example, you can still use your funded personal care supports in your MTA.
Your NDIS planner may also speak to you about needing any other additional supports to ensure you receive maximum support for your needs.
What if I may need the MTA for more than 90 days?
NDIS usually funds Medium Term Accommodation (MTA) for up to 90 days or three months. However, in exceptional situations, NDIS may consider your funding for longer than three months. More importantly, evidence is to be provided for such circumstances. For example, you are waiting on your home modifications, and the builder has provided you with an ETA of 120 days. With complete proof of evidence, NDIS could fund 120 days of your Medium-Term Accommodation.
What is Short-Term Accommodation (STA) ?
STA is a way of providing respite care that allows both you and your carer to have a break or a change of scenery.
It’s a broad term that covers various types of STA support and also includes respite care. STA enables you to experience living away from home in a supportive environment for short periods of time.
STA could look like:
- One-on-one short-term care where you are paired up with a support worker for a period of time that suits your particular needs. This can be spent in your home or out in the community participating in local activities including camps.
- Group short-term options match your needs with other people who may have similar needs and interests and enjoy participating in a group respite activity.
- Overnight or weekend facility-based support where your needs and interests align with shared STA facilities.
While STA services are often delivered in a group-based facility, some organizations provide STA as additional support in your own home. In some cases, the provider might book an apartment at a hotel.
STA isn’t just about the accommodation, it also involves the support you receive while staying there.
What are the benefits of STA?
A short stay away from home can help you :
- make new friends and meet new people
- Try new activities.
- Enjoy a change of scenery.
- Step outside your comfort zone.
- De-stress and recharge.
- Increase independence.
Many STA providers offer capacity-building group activities as part of your stay, such as art therapy sessions, group fitness activities, or day trips.
By staying in STA, you’re treated to a break from routine while your informal support network gets some time for themselves.
Taking a break from your carer is beneficial to both of you as it can help maintain positive family and carer relationships. STA is also a great way for older carers to get a break and recharge as they are more likely to have health issues of their own.
Planned regular stays away from home can also help increase your independence as you transition to Support Independent Living and moving out of home.
How does STA funding work under the NDIS
The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) funds ‘Short-Term Accommodation and Assistance’ under the Core Support category ‘Assistance with Daily Living’ (Category 1).
STA funding includes all basic expenses in a 24-hour period related to the service including:
- Accommodation in suitable facility
- Personal care and support (including overnight)
- Food
- Activities you and the provider agree to
The NDIS usually funds up to 28 days of STA per year. There is some flexibility when it comes to using your allocated STA days. For example, you might want to use it in two blocks of 14 days, or for one weekend a month.
The amount of funding you can receive depends on the level of support you require.
For example, if you have very high support needs and your spouse is your primary carer, you may receive the full 28 days of STA funding in your NDIS Plan.
Or if you have mid-level support needs and want to build your independence before moving out of home, the NDIS may provide enough STA funding for a night away from your parents each month.
Generally funding is for a group price, unless there is evidence you require individual support because of your disability. This means you may share supports with other people unless you need individual support because of your disability.
How to get STA in your NDIS Plan
Like with any support, the NDIS will fund STA if it relates to one of your goals outlined in your NDIS Plan.
These goals might be ‘preparing to live independently’, ‘learning new life skills’, or ‘making new friends’.
You will need to supply any evidence that makes it easier for the NDIS to understand why it’s reasonable and necessary for you to receive STA.
This could include formal documentation from an Occupational Therapist or other professional, as well as a letter from the people providing informal support, explaining why they (and you) would benefit from a break.
If you need longer term accommodation or at-home support, other options such as Supported Independent Living are more likely to be included in your plan.
Read more about how the NDIS determines whether STA is reasonable and necessary for you on their website.
Where can I find STA providers ?
The process of finding the right STA setting to meet your needs can be overwhelming. Especially if you and your carer need to take a break or you are being discharged from a stay in hospital and need to find accommodation that will ensure you are looked after.
There are many specialized STA providers in each State. These range from small homes to larger, hotel-style facilities and ‘day-center’ settings. Each offers different services and supports to their guests. Take your time to research what’s available and which STA providers meet your specific support needs.
Note that some organizations will only provide STA to adults, others only to children, and some offer services to both.
Your Support Coordinator, Local Area Coordinator (LAC), Early Childhood Partner or planner can help you explore the best STA options and providers for you.
What is respite care?
Respite care offers an opportunity for individuals with disabilities and their caregivers to take a break or experience a change of environment. It serves as a substitute care arrangement when the regular caregiver is unavailable.
Respite care can be accessed through various means, including:
- Informal care provided by friends or family members (not funded by the NDIS).
- Formal care delivered through paid in-home services or center-based services (possibly funded by the NDIS).
- Support options like joining a new community group (possibly funded by the NDIS).
- Temporary periods of additional personal support to enable the individual to stay at home when their families and/or primary caregivers are unavailable (possibly funded by the NDIS).
Short-term accommodation and assistance/ Respite
The NDIS recognizes the significance of providing support to family members, carers, and support networks in the comprehensive care of individuals with disabilities. Respite care plays a vital role in promoting the well-being and health of all parties involved.
You might have come across the term “short term accommodation (STA) and assistance” in connection with the NDIS. This term encompasses a wide range of short-term accommodation support options, including respite care.
To find detailed information about these supports, refer to the NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits guide under the section titled “STA and Assistance ( Respite).” This section outlines specific line items that pertain to temporary accommodation supports.
How much does respite care cost?
The NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits set out maximum prices based on the day of week as well as the ratio of staff to participants.
There are different rates for weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays as well as public holidays
These prices encompass all the mentioned costs. Price limits may differ for remote and very remote areas. Since respite arrangements can vary significantly, it is crucial to engage in negotiations to determine a price that considers factors such as the duration of stay, required level of support, and inclusiveness of the service (e.g., provision of meals and other activities).
How does respite care under the NDIS work?
Respite care aims to assist unpaid carers and maintain their ongoing care arrangements with participants. Typically, respite care funding covers a duration of up to 14 days. For longer-term arrangements, a separate type of NDIS funding, such as Medium Term Accommodation or Supported Independent Living, is required. In your NDIS Plan, funding for STA and Assistance (including respite) can be found under Core supports – Assistance with Daily Life. If you have this budget, you have the option to allocate some of these funds towards acquiring respite services.
Respite for shorter periods of time.
If the need for respite care is less than 24 hours, it might be feasible to discuss a discounted rate with the care provider. Some examples of such arrangements are:
Examples include:
- Respite care from dusk to dawn.
- When the regular caregiver requires assistance for a few hours during the day that isn’t covered by other NDIS supports, such as community participation.
These brief respite care arrangements will generally be invoiced based on an hourly fee, adhering to the maximum hourly rates established by the NDIA for both in-home and out-of-home assistance.
What does respite care cover?
The following are the fundamental expenses associated with providing the service within a 24-hour period:
- Provision of short-term accommodation in a suitable facility
- Assistance with self-care or engaging in community access activities
- Overnight support
- Food
How to get respite care in your NDIS Plan.
Like other supports under the NDIS, respite must be considered “reasonable and necessary” to be included in your NDIS Plan. The NDIS takes into consideration the support provided by family or informal carers and determines what is reasonable to expect from them, as well as from family members, carers, informal networks, and the community.
To ensure that you receive funding to cover all the supports you require, it is essential to be well-prepared for your NDIS Plan or Plan Review meeting. Here are some points to consider:
- Are there specific times when an informal carer is unavailable? If so, make a note of these instances, including the duration and frequency.
- Does the carer have any upcoming holidays or planned breaks in the near future?
- Can respite care be utilized to support the long-term well-being of family members or carers?
- How can respite care assist you in achieving your goals, such as experiencing communal living to foster your independence?
By addressing these considerations and including them in your discussion, you can enhance the likelihood of obtaining the necessary funding for the supports you require.