Afea’s Supported Independent Living home is centrally located, recently refurbished and secure. Take a tour with Maria, our Partnerships and Alliances Team Leader.
Fore more information, see our Supported Independent Living Page
Category: Disability
We are an experienced disability care provider. Our blogs provide you with the latest updates from the industry, including to the NDIS, and what we’re doing internally for all of our disability clients.
Disability Accommodation Vacancies!
We are looking for housemates for this recently refurbished home, perfect for NDIS participants who have low to standard needs with a diagnosed mental health disorder or intellectual disability.
Supported Independent Living, Short Term Accommodation and Medium Term Accommodation are all available in this beautiful home.
About the home
- Secure garden
- New fridge and TV
- Furnished shared living spaces
- Central location in Western Sydney
- Garage with internal access to house
- Accessible by bus and close to train stations
- Active daily assistance and overnight assistance
- Assistance from property manager 5 days a week
We will offer 24/7 support from our qualified and experienced Afea Carers to help residents maintain independence
Contact us today for more information 1300 65 11 33
Updates to transport funding in the NDIS Price Guide
As you’ve probably heard, the guidelines around transport in NDIS plans have once again been updated. Participants now have the ability to use core support funding to cover additional non-labour costs associated with transporting them to and from NDIS funded community-based activities. There is also more flexibility in accessing transport funding in within plans. The changes were brought about in response to feedback from clients and providers asking for a fair and consistent solution to claiming non-labour transport costs to ensure participants can continue to access supports in their community – worry free. In this update, we provide you with an explanation of what has changed and what that means for Afea’s NDIS Clients.
The changes explained
In a nutshell, the NDIA now allows participants to claim the non-labour costs associated with transport from their core support funding. These costs, on top of the Carer’s time, are at a per kilometre rate, and are charged separately to the service they are receiving. Prior to this, the participant was required to claim funds from their transport funding and/or contribute out of their own pocket. This offered little flexibility to participants as the transport budget is determined at the beginning of a plan and is often a limited amount.
The other significant change is that participants need not contribute themselves for other costs relating to transportation, such as road tolls, parking and transport fares.
The NDIA has laid out a guide for what providers can charge their participants for costs associated with travel. Now, providers can claim:
- A mileage cost per kilometre that is agreed upon by the provider and participant
- Up to the full amount for other costs (including road tolls, parking and public transport fares)
What it means for participants
NDIS participants and their providers must agree on the amount that is to be charged. This is in the form of the service agreement which participants would have signed at the beginning of their plan (or review). In other words, the participant and provider must agree to have the amount deducted from core supports using the correct support item.
Participants and their providers will need to consider the costs of transportation when creating a budget and schedule so as not to run out of funds too early.
And for Afea’s NDIS Clients?
Afea Clients will be charged at $1.10 per kilometre (GST exempt) for transport in their scheduled services. Our transportation is often as a part of another service by a Carer. In which case, the travel costs will be charged from core supports under the correct line item as part of the supports to help the client participate more in the community.
If you have any transport or other NDIS-related questions, reach out to our experts now! 1300 65 11 33
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Tips for Independent Living
Moving into a new home is a huge step towards gaining independence. Having a safe and stable home provides a solid foundation for other aspects of life. But living independently can be a little daunting at times, so it helps to have a few routines and strategies in place to stay on top of everything. In honour of our newly refurbished Supported Independent Living Home in Oxley Park, we put together these handy tips for living independently
- Build a support network
It is important to have a steady support network before you move out. This might include professional help such as Support Coordinators, Counsellors, Social Workers and Carers, as well as informal support such as friends, family and community groups. Be honest and open with them about what your goals are and how you will go about achieving them. It is ok to lean on this network if you feel you could use some extra help or some advice.
- Have a mental health plan
Mental health is a buzz term that is thrown around a lot these days. Nevertheless, it is worth having some maintenance strategies to encourage mental and emotional stability. Knowing your triggers and who you can turn to in times of crisis are small steps to take to give yourself the best chance in life. Undertaking small activities that keep you organised and make you happy go a long way in overall mental health whilst. Of course, these strategies will need to go hand in hand with any professional help you are receiving. Keeping a list of contacts and emergency numbers you can call by the phone is a good idea in case you find yourself in need of immediate help.
- Set achievable goals and check in on them
Before you access Supported Independent Living funding you will need to have a think about what goals you wish to achieve. This, along with your needs will determine the budget for your care plan. Make it work for you by really thinking about what you can achieve and let your Carers and other professionals help you reach these goals.
- Involve yourself in social or fun activities
Getting involved in local community groups can help keep you active, social and happy. Think about some activities you might be interested and see if there are any groups you can be a part of, such as walking groups, sports teams or even classes. Councils are often a good place to look, and your Support Coordinator or someone in your network may be able to help you access them.
- Rome wasn’t built in a day
Perhaps most importantly – try not to sweat the small stuff! Focusing your energy on making small improvements can often make more of a difference than trying to first tackle the big things, which have a higher risk of delay or failure. A good place to start is to try to make positive behaviours habits, like learning to prepare simple meals, brushing your teeth twice a day or going for a walk every Saturday morning.
If you want to hear more advice about Supported Independent Living or would like to enquire about our recently refurbished Home in Oxley Park, call us today on 1300 65 11 33.