What is In-Home Support?
NDIS In-Home Support services help participants live independently, supporting daily personal care, cleaning, meal preparation, and nursing care. Some of these tasks can be challenging for people with disabilities to do independently, and having a support worker providing this support offers the ability for participants to take care of their personal needs at home in a dignified manner.
Benefits of In-Home Support
In-Home Support services provide numerous benefits for participants, including the opportunity to live more independently in their comfortable home space, and a sense of privacy and support whilst receiving the care they deserve.
Funding categories for In-Home Support
NDIS funding categories for In-Home Support include Core Supports, Capacity Building, and Capital Supports. Your funding support category for In-Home Support depends on your NDIS plan and the funding allocated to support your individual needs, goals, and daily living requirements.
Types of In-Home Support
Personal Care
In-Home Support personal care includes assistance with:
- Supported tasks – grooming, showering, toileting, and dressing.
- Safety and Mobility – walking, moving around home, and getting in and out of bed.
- Health and Medications – assistance with skin care and medication management.
Support can be provided in your home, in shared living, or while accessing the community. Funding for personal care sits under ‘Assistance with Daily Life’ within the Core Supports budget.
Meal Preparation and Nutrition Care
If your disability hinders your ability to cook or follow a healthy diet, your NDIS plan can cover meal preparation and nutrition supports.
- What is funded: The cost of having meals prepared and delivered, or payment to a support worker to assist with cooking.
- What isn’t funded: The cost of groceries (raw ingredients), takeaway and fast food.
This ‘reasonable and necessary’ funding includes dietician-designed meal plans, support workers, and home delivered meals. Funding for meal preparation and nutrition care is through ‘Core funding – Assistance with Daily Life’ in your plan.
Domestic Assistance and Household Tasks
In-Home Support domestic assistance and household task care includes:
- Laundry and linen – washing, drying and ironing
- Cleaning and maintenance – general cleaning such as vacuuming, mopping, bathroom and kitchen cleaning.
- Shopping and household tasks – grocery shopping, tidying up.
- Home upkeep – maintaining a safe and accessible home environment.
Domestic assistance and household tasks do not cover expenses like rent, mortgage or groceries. It is funded through the Core Support Category – Assistance with Daily Life budget.
Appointments and Transportation Assistance
In-Home Support appointments and transportation assistance includes:
- Medical Appointments – transport to doctors, specialists, allied health professionals and hospitals. Support workers can accompany you to appointments, providing emotional and physical support, and communication support for appointments.
- Transport options – participants can use public transport with a support worker, or have the worker drive their own vehicle.
- Planning – assistance in planning travel routes for both short trips and longer journeys.
Core Support funding is used for support to complete these tasks.
Errands and Daily Living Assistance
In-Home Supports care for errands and daily living assistance includes:
- Banking and post office – banking, collecting mail, paying bills, or managing other personal tasks.
- Shopping – assistance with grocery shopping, collecting pharmacy prescriptions, and other general shopping errands.
- Community Centres and Libraries – accessing community facilities like community centres and public libraries.
Errands and daily living assistance are funded under the Core Supports budget, specifically within the Assistance with Daily Life support category.
Social Connection
In-Home Support to help connect and engage with the community to help prevent isolation. This includes:
- Connecting with family and friends – assistance to use technology such as video calls to stay connected with loved one.
- Socialising and companionship – support workers can provide emotional support, conversation, and participate in recreational activities such as card games.
- Social activities – facilitate visits from family and friends.
- Social skills development – build confidence, social and communication skills to help participants with social interactions.
Social connection funding is from a combination of Core – Assistance with Social and Community Participation (providing a support worker for activities) and Capacity Building – Increased Social and Community Participation (focuses on skill development to build independence).
The difference between In-Home Supports and Supported Independent Living (SIL)
In-Home Support offers flexible, lower-intensity care, allowing people to live at home with family or independently. Supported Independent Living (SIL) is a 24/7, high-intensity support model tailored for individuals with significant disability needs.
Brisbane NDIS In-Home Support Services available through swara
Swara is a Brisbane-based registered NDIS provider who offers In-Home Support Services to help you live life with greater independence, with support at home that fits your needs and priorities.
Our friendly and experienced team provides flexible, person-centred assistance that’s shaped around your goals, choices and routines. From small daily tasks to bigger life skills, we’re here to help you do more of what matters to you.
Contact the swara team today for more information on our In-Home Support Service.