When you are a carer for a loved one with a disability, taking a break might not be a regular affair. It is where NDIS respite care comes in. If you are looking forward to gaining some knowledge about respite care, we are here to help! Read ahead to learn more.
What is Respite Care?
Respite offers caregivers a chance to take a break from their caregiving duties. Alternative consideration can be given during the day, overnight, or for an extended period at home or in a specialised facility. Respite care, like short-term accommodation in Melbourne, offers caregivers to take a break and gives disabled individuals a chance to interact with new people and gain more independence.
Respite can be offered by:
- Informal care provided by family or friends (not funded by the NDIS)
- Formal care delivered through centre-based or paid in-home services (may be supported by the NDIS)
- Supports like joining a new community organisation (may be funded by the NDIS)
- Extra personal assistance for brief periods enables the person to stay at home when families or caregivers are unavailable (may be funded by the NDIS).
How does Respite Care Function Under NDIS?
The purpose of respite care is to facilitate continued relationships between participants and their unpaid carers. Respite care can continue for up to fourteen days. A different kind of NDIS funding is needed for longer-term agreements (medium-term accommodation or supported independent living).
In your NDIS Plan, funding for short-term accommodation and assistance (including respite) is listed under core supports – Services with daily life. If you have this budget, you can opt for respite care services.
The NDIS respite care covers the following:
Every fundamental cost incurred during a day to provide the Service, including:
- Temporary housing in a suitable setting
- Assistance with activities of self-care or community access
- Overnight assistance
- Food
- Activity negotiated.
What are the Types of Respite Care?
There are many types of respite care, and the kind that is right for you depends on your circumstances. Some common types of respite care include in-home support, community-based support, and residential respite care.
1. In-Home Support
In-home support is when someone comes into your home to help you with your caring duties while you take a break. This type of respite care can get tailored to meet your individual needs, including personal care, meal preparation, and transportation to appointments.
2. Community-Based Support
Community-based support is when you or your loved one goes to an external facility to receive support. This type of respite care can include day programs, overnight stays, or even short-term stays in residential aged care facilities.
3. Residential Respite Care
Residential respite care is when your loved one goes to live in a supported accommodation facility for a short time while taking a break. This type of respite care can be for a few days, weeks, or even months, depending on your individual needs.
What are the Benefits of Respite Care?
1. Increased Sensory Stimulation
Daily life is frequently tricky for those with impairments, making it challenging to seek new experiences. However, engaging in novel experiences—activities or sensory stimulation—helps people learn, maintain brain activity, and make discoveries. Respite care involves various activities, new sounds, sights, textures, and people to interact with. Theses activities excite the brain’s sensory region and make life more enjoyable for the person receiving care just by changing their surroundings. Because of the increased sensory stimulation, attending respite care can be a delightful, cheerful experience.
2. Social Interaction
Did you know lacking social support, feeling lonely, and being socially isolated can affect your mortality and quality of life? People with disabilities frequently experience loneliness and social isolation, partly due to difficulties and obstacles while trying to get out and socialise.
A respite care programme provides various opportunities to overcome social isolation, enhance social interactions, enjoy sensory stimulation from different environments. Participants can also reserve respite care with their friends or NDIS providers to go on outings and participate in activities together, strengthening connections and fostering existing relationships.
3. Increased Independence
Gaining independence is crucial because it enables us to live fulfilling lives with a sense of agency and contribute to society. Young adults can gain life skills through the programmes and activities provided during respite care, easing the transition to a more independent living situation. Participants may participate in numerous life workshops throughout their respite care programme. It may include programmes like food planning, outdoor physical training, discovering hobbies or lifestyle preferences, and obtaining crucial knowledge and skills to lead a more independent life.
A mental “reset” may occasionally be possible with the help of respite care. It can be far too simple for people struggling with mental illnesses like depression to regress and fall deeper into the night of the mind in the familiar routine of daily life. A brief stint in respite care can startle individuals out of their “comfort zone” and offer a much-needed “reset”. It enables them to start over, be renewed, and be prepared to face challenges and explore new opportunities.
Connect with Professional Respite Care: Link Assist
NDIS respite care is an essential type of support that can give caregivers the much-needed break they deserve. Many types of respite care are available; the perfect one will depend on your circumstances and requirements. If you are a caregiver looking for respite, talk to our experts of Link Assist, registered NDIS providers, about the different types of respite care available and how to access them.
Our professionals excel at understanding and supporting NDIS participants in various settings. Find out more about our services at https://mylinkassist.com.au/
