NDIS personal care is support with personal daily activities that you may find difficult because of your disability. It can include help with showering, dressing, grooming, toileting, eating, moving around and other personal tasks.
I wrote this guide because personal care is one of those NDIS supports that sounds simple until you start working out what can actually be included. I checked current information from the National Disability Insurance Agency and focused on practical examples that can help participants and families understand the support.
This article is for NDIS participants, families, carers and anyone trying to understand whether personal care support may be suitable for their needs.
Table of Contents
What Does NDIS Personal Care Mean?
NDIS personal care generally refers to assistance with, or supervision of, personal tasks of daily life.
The NDIS lists personal hygiene, showering, bathing, oral hygiene, dressing and grooming as examples. Personal care can also include toileting, bladder and bowel management, menstrual care, eating and drinking, mobility and transferring.
The level of assistance depends on your disability-related needs.
For example, you might be able to shower independently but need someone nearby for safety. Another person may need hands-on assistance with showering, dressing and moving between their bed and bathroom.
The support should match what you need rather than follow the same routine for every participant.
What Can NDIS Personal Care Include?
Personal care can cover different activities depending on your plan and circumstances.
Examples include:
- Showering and bathing
- Washing and drying your hair
- Brushing your teeth
- Dressing and undressing
- Grooming
- Toileting
- Bladder and bowel management
- Menstrual care
- Eating and drinking
- Moving or transferring
- Using certain aids or appliances
- Basic disability-related personal support
The NDIS also recognises that personal care may be required in different settings. This can include your home, education, employment, social activities, recreational activities or holidays.
For example, if you need disability-related assistance getting ready before attending work, that need may be different from the support you require at home.
Who Provides NDIS Personal Care?
A support worker can provide personal care when it is included in your NDIS supports and matches your needs.
Support workers may work independently or for a provider. The NDIS states that participants can choose who they work with and when they receive support.
When choosing a worker or provider, think about practical things such as:
- Whether they understand your support needs
- Whether you feel comfortable with them
- Their availability
- Their communication style
- Their experience with the type of assistance you require
- Whether they have completed the relevant NDIS worker screening requirements
Personal care can involve private and sensitive activities. Feeling comfortable with the person supporting you matters.
Is Personal Care Covered by NDIS Funding?
Personal care can be funded through your NDIS plan when it relates to your disability and meets the NDIS funding requirements.
Personal care commonly falls under Core Supports, particularly Assistance with Daily Life. The NDIS explains that Core Supports can help participants with everyday activities such as cooking, cleaning and personal care.
Your individual plan determines what funding you have available. You should check your plan and the specific funding rules before arranging a service.
Having an NDIS plan does not mean every type of personal expense can be paid for with NDIS funding. The support needs to meet the relevant NDIS requirements.
How Much Personal Care Do You Need?
There is no single amount of personal care that applies to every participant.
Your needs may change depending on your disability, functional capacity, living situation and daily routine.
For example, one participant may need 30 minutes of assistance each morning with dressing and grooming. Another may need several hours of support throughout the day for personal care, meals and mobility.
The NDIS considers the individual circumstances and disability-related support needs when determining funding.
Current NDIS guidance also notes that personal care supports may generally be limited to a maximum of 6 hours per day when determining this type of support, with specific considerations for different activities and circumstances. This should not be treated as an automatic entitlement or fixed limit for every person.
If your needs are more complex, the NDIA may consider the evidence and circumstances relevant to your situation.
Can Personal Care Help You Become More Independent?
Yes, personal care can sometimes focus on helping you develop or maintain skills.
A support worker may assist you while encouraging you to complete parts of a task yourself.
For example, if you struggle with getting dressed, the worker might provide physical assistance where required while allowing you to complete the steps you can manage independently.
The NDIS describes daily personal activity supports as assistance or supervision intended to help participants live as autonomously as possible.
The goal is not always for someone else to do everything for you. Depending on your abilities and goals, support can help you participate in the task and build your independence.
Personal Care and Other NDIS Supports
Personal care can work alongside other supports.
For example, you may receive personal care from a support worker while also working with an occupational therapist on ways to improve your ability to complete daily activities.
Therapy supports can focus on skills such as getting washed and dressed, mobility and everyday functioning.
You may also receive household or community support if these are included in your plan and relate to your disability needs.
Each support has a different purpose, so it is useful to understand what your plan actually funds.
How to Choose an NDIS Personal Care Provider
Before choosing a provider, ask practical questions.
Ask what personal care services they provide and whether they have experience with your specific needs.
You can also ask:
- Who will provide my support?
- Can I request the same support worker?
- What happens if my regular worker is unavailable?
- How are changes to my support schedule handled?
- How do you protect my privacy?
- What happens if I am unhappy with the service?
A clear service agreement can also help both sides understand what has been agreed. The NDIS recommends service agreements because they can set out what you and your provider have agreed to.
FAQs
Can I choose my NDIS personal care worker?
Yes. Participants generally have choice over who provides their support, subject to the rules that apply to their plan and provider arrangements.
Can NDIS pay for someone to help me shower?
Yes, NDIS funding may cover assistance with showering when the support relates to your disability and is included within the supports you are funded for.
