Assistance with daily life in Newcastle: what a support worker can help with

If your NDIS plan says "assistance with daily life", you might be wondering what that actually means on a Tuesday morning. In plain terms, it is funding for help with the everyday tasks at home that your disability makes hard. This guide explains what the NDIS says it covers, what a support worker can help with, what is not included, and how it works for people in Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and the Hunter.

What "assistance with daily life" means

Assistance with daily life is one of the three categories in the core supports part of an NDIS plan (the others are consumables, and assistance with social and community participation). The NDIS says this category will have funding if you need help with daily life tasks and activities.

The example the NDIS gives is simple: depending on your goals, you may use the funding to hire support workers to help you with everyday tasks like cleaning, yard maintenance, cooking and personal care.

What a support worker can help with at home

Every person is different, so the help is built around your routines and what you want to manage yourself. Here is what support workers from Your Way Living commonly help with in people's homes:

• check_circleMeals and the kitchen: planning meals, shopping for groceries, preparing and cooking food, and cleaning up.
• check_circleKeeping the home running: cleaning, laundry, light home maintenance and errands.
• check_circlePersonal care: showering or bathing, oral hygiene, dressing and getting ready for the day, with respect for your privacy and cultural preferences.
• check_circleMedication prompts: reminders and support to take medication as planned.
• check_circleRoutines: help to start the day, keep appointments and get through the tasks that matter to you.
• check_circleCompany and connection: conversation, hobbies at home and support to use phones, video calls and other digital tools to stay in touch.

The goal is not to do everything for you. Good support does things with you where you want to build a skill, and does things for you where that is what you need. Over time many people find they can do more themselves, and support changes with them.

What it does not cover

The NDIS funds supports that are "reasonable and necessary". The NDIS says those supports cannot include day-to-day living costs, attendance at events or holidays, or supports that are already provided by family or by mainstream and community services. They also cannot replace income.

• check_circleAssistance with daily life pays for the support (the worker's time), not the groceries, rent, electricity or household items themselves.
• check_circleIt is about help you need because of your disability, not tasks anyone in a household would do anyway.
• check_circleIf a family member or a mainstream service already provides a support, the NDIS will not usually fund the same thing again.

Is it reasonable and necessary? The checklist the NDIS uses

Before the NDIA funds any support, it has to meet the reasonable and necessary criteria. The NDIS says a support must:

1. relate to your disability
2. help you work towards your goals
3. help you to work, study and take part in social activities
4. be value for money
5. be likely to be effective and beneficial to you
6. work with mainstream supports and others in your network
7. be an NDIS support, or an agreed replacement support for you.

This is why it helps to be clear at your planning meeting about which daily tasks are hard, how often you need help, and what you want to be able to do yourself.

How to use it in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie

1. 1

   Check your plan

   Look for "assistance with daily life" under core supports, and note how your plan is managed (NDIA-managed, plan-managed or self-managed). Your planner, LAC or Support Coordinator can help you read it.

2. 2

   Write down a typical week

   Which mornings, meals or chores are hardest? When would a few hours of help make the biggest difference? This becomes the basis of your support plan.

3. 3

   Choose a provider and agree the details

   Ask how workers are matched to you, what happens if a worker is sick, and how you give feedback. Get the hours, tasks and price in a service agreement before support starts.

4. 4

   Review as you go

   Your needs change. Tell your provider when you want to do more yourself, or when you need more help for a while.

Assistance with daily life with Your Way Living

Your Way Living is a registered NDIS provider based in Lake Macquarie. We provide assistance with daily life in people's own homes across Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, the Hunter and the Central Coast. You do not need to live alone or in a shared home to use it: we support people living with family, in a rental or in their own home.

We work with plans that are NDIA-managed, plan-managed or self-managed, and we match support workers to your routines, interests and goals. Details are on our assistance with daily life page.