Have you been holding off on committing to much needed assistive technology items or home modifications due to cost or inaccessibility? No more. If you’ve been approved for Capital Supports in your NDIS plan, you could access the technology and modifications you need to live your life more independently.
What are Capital Supports?
Capital Supports are one of the three NDIS support budgets (alongside Core Supports and Capital Building Supports) that NDIS participants may be eligible to access. The Capital Supports category includes Assistive Technology and Home Modifications, both of which can make a pretty big impact on NDIS participants’ ability to live as independently as possible.
What you need to know
Your Capital Supports budget for Assistive Technology (AT) or Home Modifications will also include the assessment, delivery, set-up, adjustment and maintenance costs.
Assistive Technology
AT are aids or equipment supports that can help you to live more independently or help your carer provide for your needs.
AT includes items for mobility, personal care, communication, recreational inclusion like:
Wheelchairs and accessories
Standing frames, walking supports, wheeled walkers
Prosthesis
Pressure mattresses
Specialised strollers, pram buggies and push chairs
Bathing and toilet equipment
Personal readers and vision equipment
Transfer equipment and hoists
Vehicle modifications
AT can include vehicle modifications that are considered to be ‘reasonable and necessary’ by the NDIS. These modifications will include the installation of equipment in a vehicle and any changes to a vehicle to ensure your safety and that of anyone else in the vehicle.
Modifications can help by:
Getting you in and out of the vehicle with or without a wheelchair
Carrying your wheelchair in or on the vehicle without lifting
Being transported safely whilst seated in your wheelchair
Assisting you to drive the vehicle with specialised controls or adaptations
The NDIS will not cover the cost of additional cosmetic or personalised features that are not considered ‘reasonable and necessary’.
Home Modifications
Home modifications help you to live safely and independently at home. The modifications made could be to the structure, layout or fittings in your home.
Home modifications might be included in your NDIS plan if:
The impact of your disability means that you or your carers cannot reasonably access and use rooms and spaces in your primary residence;
A qualified Occupational Therapist has performed an assessment and recommended home modifications if other alternatives (i.e. the use of equipment) are not enough; and
Your primary residence and its location have significant impacts on the sustainability of your current living and care arrangements.
Quotes will be requested for any home modifications needed. And, it’s important to know, that just like with any building work, there are laws and regulations that will need to be followed when undertaking home modifications.
Home modifications may include:
Grab rails
Accessible bathroom
Slip-resistant coating on flooring
Installing ramps and landscaping modifications
Specialist Disability Accommodation
Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) also falls under home modifications. If you have an extreme functional impairment or very high support needs, you may be eligible for SDA funding support. SDA is a house, apartment or unit, or another type of building suitable to your specific needs.
How to spend your Capital Support funding
If you’ve been funded for aids or equipment in your NDIS plan, that funding will generally be ‘stated’ so it can only be used for the items you’ve been funded for, meaning Capital Support funding is not flexible.
Example
If you’ve been funded for a wheelchair under Capital Supports, you can’t then decide to use that funding on installing grab railings in your bathroom.
If there are multiple AT or home modifications you may need funding for, make sure you discuss them with your LAC or NDIA planner and if you have any quotes it’s good idea to bring any recommendations or reports and the quotes them to your planning meeting.
Read more about the benefits of working with an independent, professional Plan Manager. Alternatively, contact our friendly team on 1300 322 273 or support@first2care.com.au.