Undertaking new study or changing career paths later in life, however, can be stressful for many reasons. Aspiring Support Worker, Megan, is just one example of someone who is overcoming their fears to make a career change that will see her contribute in a meaningful way to the community.

Already interested in a career change, Megan saw the offer Assured sent out to workers to upgrade their skills to the Cert IV Disability as part of a collaboration with ETEA training and the SA Government.

“I wanted to do it to get involved with helping people more than just simply cleaning their houses,” she says.

However, due to COVID-19 restrictions the first half of her course work would have to be completed remotely.

As a mature student with very limited experience using a computer, Megan wasn’t sure if online study was for her.

‘Full of fear’

“I didn’t think it was possible for me. I’d never used a laptop in my life before,” she says.

After voicing her concerns to Assured and ETEA, “They encouraged me to go ahead,” she says.

“They let me know that I am not on my own in having no computer knowledge and that other people in a similar situation have succeeded with this.”

Family support

Despite her concerns and intimidated by using unfamiliar technology, Megan took the plunge and went out and bought a laptop.

With the purchase complete, she took it straight to the people she knew could help her best, her adult children.

“I’d set myself up in either my son or daughter’s house,” she says.

“They taught me how to set it [the laptop] up, how to access the course, and now, 4 weeks down the track, I’ve mastered the computer and am successfully completing my studies.”

“Something I didn’t think was possible!”

For anyone undertaking study, having a strong support network is invaluable.

Megan now feels confident using her laptop and admits she could study at home.

“I actually feel capable enough now to get my son to set up WiFi at my own house…but, maybe not just yet,” she says.

“Studying at my children’s houses, I can also enjoy their company and spend time with my grandchildren.”

Our Support Workers come from all sorts of backgrounds.

As an essential service, the disability and aged care support sector continues to grow, despite global uncertainty around COVID-19. This means we are regularly looking to hire and train new support workers to help us in providing assistance to some of the most vulnerable people in our community.

For organisations like Assured, staff diversity is an asset as it means we are better able to match clients to support workers who can connect with them socially, as well as meet their needs physically.

Receiving support is a very personal experience so being able to connect with someone of a similar age with similar interests, someone they can relate to, even for only a few hours a week, can make a huge difference to the general wellbeing of our clients.

This is just one of the reasons we like to encourage interested people to transition to support work at any stage of life. No matter what obstacles, perceived or otherwise, may stand in the way.

Megan, for one, is certainly glad she challenged herself.

“I’ve proved all my fears wrong,” she says.

“You can learn anything at any age. You just need to have a go.”

—-

If you’re interested in a career change and willing to challenge yourself like Megan, ETEA are now taking expressions of interest for their next round of study.
Visit the ETEA website to find out more:
https://www.etea.edu.au/certificate-iv-in-mental-health/
https://www.etea.edu.au/certificate-iv-in-disability/

The Productivity Commission puts the cost of mental ill health to the Australian economy at $51 billion per year.

It’s estimated that 1 in 5 Australians experience mental ill health every year. $18 billion is spent on mental health services. And, we now lose more people to suicide each year, than road accidents.

The need to improve our mental health system is clear.

The Commission’s enquiry into Mental Health Draft Report was released in 2019, with public submissions closing in late January 2020. The Draft Report calls for action in 4 key areas:
• Efficient funding
• More services
• Early intervention
• Changing attitudes

The past 18 months has seen the transition of people with primary psychosocial disability (a disability that arises from a mental health issue) into the NDIS and, as a result, significant changes in the interface with other mental health, primary care, social and community services.

Of the approximately 690,000 people with a severe mental illness in Australia, 21,700 currently receiving psychosocial supports under the NDIS, with a further 42, 300 considered eligible.

The report looks at the NDIS transition, and improvements that can be made to ensure that people who require services are not ‘falling through the gaps’.

The final enquiry report will be handed to the Australian Government by 23 May 2020.

Further Information

Access the Draft Report at https://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/current/mental-health/draft

Community Mental Health Australia is partnering with the Mental Health Coalition of SA to host the 3rd National NDIS and Mental Health Conference in Adelaide in March 2020. The conference looks at how the NDIS can best service those living with mental illness in our communities. Visit: https://ndisnationalmentalhealthconference.com.au/

Assured Home Care CEO, Julie De Jong describes how they have partnered with investors and builders to contribute to solving the shortage.

SDA Housing (Specialist Disability Accommodation) ensures the housing requirements of people with extreme functional impairment or very high support needs have a suitably designed and equipped home to live in.

Retrofitting or adapting existing housing often isn’t always the best solution. Many requirements, for example, ceiling (track) lifts, and access ramps require such significant structural changes that often it is simpler, more cost-effective and results in better aesthetics and functional outcomes when the home is designed and built from the ground-up.

A Government-funded report by the Summer Foundation, the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute (AHURI) and SGS Economics & Planning, identified that the existing supply of SDA needs to grow by 60% to house the 28,000 people the NDIS expects to fund.

The report identified a further 33,200 people with very high support needs who may require SDA on top of the 17,500 already accommodated.

As evidence of the shortage, 6,200 people are under 64 and are currently residing in aged care facilities.

SDA is expected to account for NDIS spending of AUD$700 million a year when the scheme is fully implemented.

The shift from a grants-based system to a market-based system (Consumer Directed Care) is forecast to create an AUD$5 billion disability housing market over the next five years.

The Government wants the private sector to solve this problem

It’s important to understand that the Government has designed the funding model to incentivise the private sector to develop a fully functioning, mature and competitive market to provide housing to NDIS participants.

SDA payment rates have been set to cover the cost of capital and to incentivise a new market.

Those currently living in SDA are predominantly people with intellectual disability, with the potential demand group consisting of a significant proportion of people with physical disability.

This profile suggests the future SDA cohort will need much more highly accessible housing.

“We experience the lack of available accommodation all the time,” said Assured Home Care CEO, Julie De Jong.

“Assisting clients with high care needs to find suitable accommodation is frustrating.”

Solving the problem

Julie De Jong explained “If the Government’s funding model aims to encourage the private sector to solve this problem, we thought – ‘right let’s do something’”
Assured Home Care has entered into a partnership with a builder and private investors to facilitate the construction of SDA housing.

“Having worked in the disability care sector for over a decade has provided us with special insight into how to design a home that best facilitates the delivery of specialist care to high need clients.”

Assured Home Care has worked with architects and assistive technology experts to design their SDA Housing.

“We are aiming to solve a number of problems” Julie De Jong explained.

“It’s one thing to cater for client’s with high needs through solving the technical and practical issues, but it is also important to provide for the person’s quality of life. If you are not careful, you end-up with a home that doesn’t look much different to a hospital – and that’s just not acceptable.”

High aesthetic, fit for purpose and energy efficient

While tailoring for the special needs of high care clients, the new venture also seeks to incorporate the latest in home building trends.

The homes are comfortable, contemporary designs, incorporating every modern feature found in the family home.

In addition, the design incorporates eco-friendly energy-efficient technologies. Extensive use of solar power, energy-efficient appliances, and high levels of thermal insulation have been adopted in their construction.

“When I set-up Assured Home Care with my daughter, we both committed to the concept of putting the client’s needs first including ensuring their quality of life is maximised”
The first three homes being built under the new venture, located in the Marion Council Area. are almost complete.

“We are very excited by what we have achieved. Having direct input into building SDA Housing that we ourselves would be happy to live in, fills me with joy” said Julie De Jong.

She recently received the biggest reward of all, however, when long-term client Owen spoke to her clearly for the very first time.

Sarah has been working with Owen for the last 6-7 years; assisting his daily care needs, attending the odd outing here and there and providing occasional respite for the family.

Owen (22) has Spastic Quadriplegia Cerebral Palsy and is mostly non-verbal. Growing up, he attended a special disability program at Hamilton Secondary School (FLATO unit) and now enjoys day options with SCOSA, Monday to Friday, where activities range from cooking and gardening, to fitness and dance and art and craft. Sarah provides personal care support to Owen in the afternoon when he arrives at home.

A special bond

Over the years, Sarah has developed a strong bond with Owen (or ‘Owen MacGowen’ as she has nicknamed him), and with Owen’s entire family.

“We are very lucky. Sarah is a person that we get along with well, and trust,” says Owen’s mother, Carol.

“Sarah is particularly attuned to Owen’s mood and behaviour,” she continues.

“He also has some special needs, particularly when it comes to feeding (administered through peg feeding) but Sarah has had training from Assured Home Care in how to manage this.”

“We feel that it is possible for us to leave Owen in Sarah’s capable hands knowing that he will be well looked after,” says Carol.

“She’s almost like one of the family ”

Laughter and joy

Every afternoon, Owen waits in his chair at the window for Sarah to come for her shift. As soon as he sees her coming up the driveway, he gets very excited and starts making noises.

Owen loves seeing Sarah because she makes him laugh.

“We have a lot of fun together,” says Sarah.

“His Dad, David, puts on some 80’s music and we sing and dance along.”

“Owen thinks it’s hilarious.”

During a recent shift, Sarah received her biggest reward of all.

After dancing around and making Owen laugh hysterically, Sarah was just about to put him into his sling when Owen looked up and clearly said,

‘Thank you, Sarah’.

Sarah was so surprised and overwhelmed that she had tears in her eyes.

“Whilst Owen will often vocalise and make out the occasional word, he has never spoken to me so directly before,” she says.

“It’s been the highlight of my career so far!’

Through the good and the bad

Life doesn’t always go smoothly, however.

Owen recently had a health scare, coming down with pneumonia and having to go into emergency care in hospital.

In her own time, Sarah went to visit Owen in the hospital.

“I was really frightened for him,” she says.

When he saw Sarah, Owen’s eyes lit up and he started smiling and making excited noises.

“It made me feel so special”, says Sarah.

“Like, Wow!” she laughs.

Although, she then found it very hard to leave him as she could see how sad he was.

“His face made this perfect sad emoji face,” she says.

“I really felt for him, and fortunately he recovered well.”

Wouldn’t change a thing

Sarah has been working with Assured Home Care since the company began, “as [employee] No. 38” she laughs.

Whilst Sarah is the first to confess that domestic duties are not her greatest interest, the personal bond and one-to-one relationship that she forms with her clients certainly is.

As a big part of Owen’s adult life, Sarah has got to know him deeply.

“I think Owen is a lovely, smart and kind man,” says Sarah.

“And, I believe he understands a lot more than people would think.”

Sarah continues to feel valued and appreciated for the work that she does with Owen, and others.

“I love my job”, says Sarah.

“I couldn’t imagine doing anything else.”

Plan Management involves coordinating all your NDIS funded supports from selected providers; managing all plan expenditure against budget, coordinating supplier payments and expense reimbursement, and ensuring all government reporting requirements are met.

The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) provides 3 options for participants in managing their NDIS plan:

• Self-Managed/Self-Directed
• Independent Plan Management Provider
• NDIA Managed (known as Agency Managed)

For many participants, your chosen option* will be dependent on a few considerations:

• How much choice and control you would like over the administration of your Plan?
• Whether you have the time, capacity, confidence and desire to manage your own Plan?
• How comfortable you are in appointing an independent Plan Manager that will keep your best interests at heart?

Importantly, YOU have the choice in how you wish your plan to be managed. You may even opt for a combination of all 3 options.

The Pros and Cons

Self-Managed/Self-Directed

This option will provide the greatest choice and flexibility in managing your plan, however, will require the greatest time input and effort from your end!

Self-management of your plan will allow you to choose which support providers you would like to use, including those not registered with the NDIS. Plan management can be participant self-managed, or managed by a participant’s nominee. If appointing a nominee to manage your plan (generally an existing informal carer), the NDIA will need to approve this.

If opting for self-management, the NDIA will pay you directly. You will need to ensure that your budget is effectively managed over the life of your Plan, that all supplier payments and reimbursements are managed in a timely way, and that all paperwork requirements are met in contributing information to the NDIS participant portal ‘Myplace’ and reporting outcomes against your approved Plan.

The NDIA publishes a useful Guideline for participants looking to self-manage their NDIS Plan.

Independent Plan Management Provider

An independent plan management provider will act on your behalf in administering your Plan, managing your Plan budget and undertaking all financial management, including payment coordination of your supports; negotiating your services directly with providers and managing all paperwork on your behalf.

This can alleviate much of the headache on your end!

The NDIA will pay your plan manager directly but you will still have an active responsibility in the administration of your Plan – in choosing your services and supports, which can include services from providers not registered with the NDIS.

Your Independent Plan Management Provider can be, but does not necessarily need to be, a current support provider to you. Appointing a Plan Provider that you already have a trusting relationship with, though, can assist in understanding your individual circumstances and support access needs.

You may wish to keep a separation, however. The important thing is to ensure that you are receiving adequate transparency around the management of your Plan.

Should you wish to appoint an independent plan management provider, these services should be included within your funding request.

Assured Home Care can provide you and/or your nominee with assistance as a plan management provider.

NDIA Managed (Agency Managed)

Regarded as a default option, under an agency managed relationship, you will have the least control over your Plan expenditure.

The NDIA will approve all payments to providers directly and handle all your paperwork. When opting for this option, you will only be able to choose registered NDIS providers to provide support to you and you may experience less price flexibility.

However, it may be a beneficial option for those who would prefer a greater degree of management over their Plan (i.e. having all aspects managed for you).

In Summary

There are some definite pros and cons depending on which Plan Management option you choose.

Remember, it’s not set in stone either. You can choose to change your Plan Management approach at any point in time. What works for you now may not work for you in the future.

This approach goes to the heart of the philosophy of the NDIS; providing you with greater choice and control.

* Following confirmation of your approved plan, you will be contacted by an NDIA Support Coordinator to discuss how you wish to implement the plan and manage your supports.

Raelene Hanley
Client Services Manager/NDIS Specialist