How to know your NDIS ready . . .

The National Disability Insurance Scheme or the NDIS presents a change in the way people with disabilities are supported. All people with disabilities are being encourage to have a greater say in the way the want to be supported.

The NDIS put in a nut shell is about encouraging individuals and families to make their own choices on things such as, employment, therapies, study, level of independence, lifestyle and leisure.

Some people are OK with how their lives look now.  Others may like to change their living arranges or even an opportunities to try new things.  Its ok not to make changes or its ok to make changes. Its all about you!

Any change - even a new flatmate is scary. So its ok to be frighten. That's why we as service providers are encouraging you all to think about what you want now - so we can help you prepare. 

We would love to see more people with disability participate in the community, part of that is bringing in more support around study and employment.

If your reading this blog post then my hunch is your thinking about if and how your interest in art maybe incorporated into your support plan.

I want you to think about what that may look like for you. Art can involve many different things.

A hobby

Something you want to learn more about

It could involve formal study

It could be work related

It could be as a professional artists.

Under the NDIS their are no specific guidelines around the 'arts'. So you might want you think about.

Is my art a recreation goal - 'I just want to have fun'.

Is my art about learning skills?

Do I want to sell or make money from my art?

Do I want work in a art related business.

Under the NDIS I have no intentions of changing my goals, but I would like some changes in the way my support is delivered and who it is delivered by.

My NDIS goals are:

1. Independent living - living safely in my own home.
2. Health & wellbeing - focus on the aging process - this like my mobility equipment needs will change and keeping active.
3. Work life Balance - I run my own business but in that I need to self-care. My 'level' of art fits within this goal, but I  also want to continue, learning.
4. Learning for life - extending art skills and business skills development. (Some of these things I can do for myself, but I need a support worker to assist in a particular way.
5. Leisure if you follow my blog you know I enjoy traveling.  But the NDIA needs to know my work also involves travel.
6. Planning for the unexpected, plan A does not always work. If might support staff are sick or away can I access a temp agency. What happens when workers leave, What if self-managing is just too hard? - Things will never always go to plan so the better prepared you are the better.

The NDIS rolls out across Australia from July 1 this year.  The rollout time tables are now available on NDIS Website while not all the information you will need is available, identifying what you like to change and what you goals are will help get you ready. Remember you are not alone. If you currently receive support your service provider will provide information and plan templates.  Talk to your current support workers or family members as them to write your goals with you.

Know what you are doing now and what if anything you might want to change. For example you might want to join an art group. That is something you need to put in your NDIS plan.  It might be attending a respite centre with an art program will suit you.

Breaking down your goals - setting you goals is only the first piece in the puzzle.  Not all your goals will need support from the NDIA some of my health and wellbeing needs are meet through the public health system. But my healthily lifestyle and the aging process goal may enable me access to a private physio and OT.  No MASS systems means I need and OT to now prescribe my mobility equipment.

Goal Maintain Health and Wellbeing:

For me includes:-

1. Healthy diet plan - I see a dietitian for this.
2. Exercise - currently I am doing 1 session of hydrotherapy a week I like to ask the NDIS to continue to support this and some land exercises as well.
3. Regular GP visits is also part of this goal. In these visits we evaluated my living independently from time to time. I am not always the most objective person in this insistence.

So once you identify goals then you need to break these down into steps and work out who is the best service or person to help you. Ultimately this is what your asking the NDIA for.

• A place in an visual arts program for people with disabilities or a support worker to assist me to make art at home.

This is a clear and reasonable request to make.

The more clear on the type of support your after, the easier the assessment process will be.  This is what NDIS ready means.