Short term accommodation & respite -
Can I use my NDIS funding?
Introduction
Short term accommodation is a great shape option for people looking for respite or accommodation for short periods of time. It can be used to help recover from an injury or simply give you some extra support while you're living at home. In this article, we're going to talk about short term accommodation, what it is and how you can use your NDIS funding to pay for it.
In this article, we're going to talk about short term accommodation, what it is and how you can use your NDIS funding to pay for it.
Short term accommodation is an option for people who need to stay with family or friends. It's also sometimes called respite care, especially if its short term.
Respite involves staying with your family or friends while you get some time out of the house and a break from caring for your loved one. This can help reduce stress and allow you to take care of yourself as well as give them some time away from their regular routine too. Respite care can be provided by a paid professional, such as a healthcare assistant, or by family members if they're willing and able to help out in this way.
NDIS (National Insurance scheme) funding is available for short term accommodation depending on what type of disability you have and where you live in Australia, see our article "How does NDIS work?" for more information about how this system works overall!
Using your NDIS funding correctly
If you're looking to use your NDIS funding to pay for short term accommodation or respite care, you're in the right place.
Short term accommodation is a great option for people who need a break from their primary home and live independently but still need support from time to time.Respite care allows you to stay in your own home while still getting the support you need when it comes to managing stressors, helping with daily tasks and more.
What is short term accommodations?
Short term accommodation is a type of supported accommodation for people with disability for a limited period of time. It can include residential facilities and 24 hour support programs.
The NDIS offers funding for short term accommodation if you have an eligible plan and meet the requirements to be able to purchase this particular service. You will also need to enter into an agreement with your NDIS provider before purchasing short term accommodation from them.
If you are going to be staying in a residential facility, your NDIS provider has to make sure that it meets the standards set out by their accrediting body (if there is such an organisation). Depending on what kind of respite care you need, there could be different types of facilities available for this purpose:
A boarding house or hostel where people who live independently share meals together in common dining areas; or
A nursing home where residents receive care around-the-clock under supervision by qualified staff members; or
Short term accommodation supports include residential facilities and 24 hour support programs.
Short term accommodation supports include residential facilities and 24 hour support programs. Residential facilities are a type of short term accommodation where you stay in a house or unit with other people, who may also have a disability. You will be supported by staff on-site in these types of settings.
You may also be able to access short term or respite care through an early intervention program if you are eligible for an NDIS package. These programs help families and individuals plan for the future needs they may have as they grow older, so that they can continue living independently as long as possible.
There are lots of different options available under the short-term accommodation category.
There are lots of different options available under the short-term accommodation category. You can set up a shared house, a boarding house or an independent unit. You can also consider renting an apartment or house for your NDIS participant to live in.
There’s no limit on how long someone can stay in short term accommodation – it’s just as suitable for people who need respite care as those who have more permanent needs.
However, if you want to move them into their own home then you may be able to do this after 12 months of living in shared accommodation. Depending on what type of NDIS plan they have, there may be other reasons why moving isn't possible straight away (for example if they aren't ready). If you think it would benefit your participant's wellbeing then speak with their disability specialist about whether this is something that could work for them and how best to go about doing it.
What about flights?
In the case of short-term accommodation and respite, you can use your NDIS funding to pay for flights.
The catch is that the reason you need to travel must be related to your disability. For example:
If your NDIS plan says that you have a severe intellectual impairment, then you may need special equipment that's only available in another state or territory.
If your NDIS plan says that you have autism spectrum disorder, then it might be necessary for someone in your family to accompany you on a trip because they help with managing sensory overload when travelling (e.g., looking at maps) or being around other people who don't know how best to interact with someone who has ASD).