NDIS vs My Aged Care – Which is Right for Me?

Finding the right support for yourself or a loved one who is older or lives with a disability is an important, sometimes daunting task. With such a wide range of service providers, the complex information around funding options and service fees, and all the different social service systems, it can feel very overwhelming. 

Depending on your age, disability, and other circumstances, you may be eligible to receive funding either through the Commonwealth’s My Aged Care (MAC) scheme, or the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). Read on to find out more about each of these funding schemes, what types of support they offer, and which scheme might be most suitable for you.

My Aged Care and the National Disability Insurance Scheme: What Is the Difference?

My Aged Care (MAC) and the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) are both federally funded funding schemes that aim to provide those aged over 65 years, and/or who live with a disability, with the support they need to lead healthy, safe and independent lives. The main differences between the two schemes relate to the eligibility criteria and who can access them, and the types of support they were designed to provide.

My Aged Care (MAC) is the central point of contact for anyone in Australia aged 65 years and over, or their family, friends or carers, to access aged care services. The main types of support usually funded through My Aged Care include help with living at home independently, including personal care, home nursing and household maintenance tasks like cleaning. My Aged Care can also help fund respite care or short-term care, or permanent care provided by a residential aged care facility. 

The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is the Commonwealth’s central source of funding, support services, information and capacity building for people who live with a disability and who are under the age of 65. The types of support that can be accessed through NDIS support packages depend on the individual circumstances of each applicant or participant, however they commonly include assistance with daily living activities, support to access community programs, services and activities, mobility aids and equipment, help with finding and keeping a job, and some therapeutic interventions that make living with a disability easier. 

Even though the NDIS and MAC exist to support different age groups, there is some crossover between the two, which makes sense considering the likelihood of acquiring a disability increases significantly with age. Some individuals may be eligible for NDIS funding despite being aged over 65, if their disability impacts on their daily life to the extent that MAC funded services are insufficient to enable a full and normal life. Make sure to take your time to fully understand your options before applying for either an NDIS or MAC funding package, and don’t hesitate to reach out for support if you are still unsure.

Eligibility for My Aged Care Funding and Support Services

My Aged Care funding is available to eligible Australians aged over 65, or aged over 50 years for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. In some circumstances, such as if you are experiencing poverty, homelessness or risk of homelessness, you may be eligible for My Aged Care funding if you are aged 50 years or older, or 45 years or older for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. You can find out more about eligibility, and check if you are eligible via the My Aged Care website.

Applying for My Aged Care funding

When you apply for My Aged Care funding, you will need to undergo a thorough assessment process by a My Aged Care staff member. They will assess your situation, including your age, financial circumstances, and the impact of any disability or medical conditions you or your loved one may have on your daily life. Following this process, your assessor will inform you of whether you are eligible for service funding, and if so which services you can access using your allocated My Aged Care funds. A dedicated staff member from My Aged Care should go through the details of your assessment outcome to you, explain the services you can access, and give you information, advice and support to make the next steps in your journey. They can also help provide potential providers of the services you need, taking into account your preferences and location.

If you disagree with the outcome of your assessment, for example, if you are deemed ineligible but you think this decision is incorrect, you can apply for a review. The Commonwealth government outsources the assessment process to a range of different providers, and each will have their own internal processes for reviewing a decision. If you wish to challenge a decision, or make a complaint about your assessment process, you can contact My Aged Care directly on 1800 200 422.

What Services Can I Access Using My Aged Care Funding?

My Aged Care funds support services that help you to live independently, maintain your health and wellbeing, and continue accessing community services and activities for those aged over 65 years. You may wish to access support to enable you to keep living independently in your own home, such as meal delivery services or help with meal preparation. If required, you may also access assistance with personal care like bathing, dressing and grooming, nursing care, and allied health or specialist health services that help you to remain healthy and independent into your later years. 

My Aged Care may also be able to help fund short-term care for older people who are starting to need some help in their home, in order to prevent the need for permanent or long-term care in the future. My Aged Care participants can also access short-term transitional care to help support their recovery after a period in hospital, or respite care to help give you or your carer a break. The types of short-term care available differ depending on where you live, the level of support required and your funding package, so it is a good idea to shop around to find the right choice for you or your loved one.

If you or an older loved one is no longer able to safely or independently live in their own home, My Aged Care can help facilitate the process of moving into residential aged care. There are several types of Aged Care facilities to choose from, so it is a great idea to get some support when embarking on the significant life event of transitioning into aged care.

Eligibility for National Disability Insurance Scheme Funding and Support Services

To be eligible to receive National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) funding, you need to be a permanent resident of Australia, be aged between seven and 65 years of age, and have a diagnosed disability that impacts your ability to live, work and play independently. This might mean that you rely on a loved one, friend or family member to support you on a daily basis, or that you require specialist equipment to carry out daily living activities. You may also be eligible for NDIS funding if you can demonstrate that funding for support now will reduce your support needs in the future.

The NDIS is an insurance scheme, meaning that, If putting support services in place now will enable you to live independently and more fully into the future, as a result of delaying further disability progression for example, the NDIS may choose to provide funding to ‘insure’ your future health and wellbeing. You can use the NDIS eligibility checklist on their website to determine if the NDIS is the right support provider for you, before beginning the application process.

Applying for National Disability Insurance Scheme funding

If you have decided that you wish to apply for National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) funding, your first step is to contact the NDIS and notify them of your intention to apply. You will need to complete an Access Request Form. You can do this by calling the NDIS on 1800 800 110 and asking to complete an Access Request, by downloading and emailing a completed Access Request Form to [email protected]. Alternatively, you can contact your local National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) office, or request support from a Local Area Coordinator to request NDIS access.

What are NDIS Local Area Coordinators (LACs)?

Due to the large scale and diverse population groups that the National Disability Insurance Scheme supports, the NDIA partners with many community organisation partners to deliver the NDIS across Australia. Local Area Coordinators (LACs) are important partners in the roll out of the NDIS. The role of LACs is to help people understand and access the NDIS in their local community, and connect NDIS participants to suitable disability support providers, activities in their communities and other government services where required. For most people, your LAC will be your main point of contact throughout the process of accessing NDIS funding and NDIS funded services. You can find out who your local LAC providers are in your area by checking the NDIS website.

What Services Can I Access Using National Disability Insurance Scheme Funding?

The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) funds support services and activities that will enable people living with disability in Australia to lead a fulfilling, independent and meaningful life. It does not fund services that are covered by other funding schemes, for example, you cannot use NDIS funds to access healthcare which is funded by Medicare. Services are only funded under the NDIS if you can demonstrate that they are ‘reasonable’ and ‘necessary’ for you to achieve your goals for your life, and which cannot be provided by other sources of support such as family, friends, carers or other service providers. You can find out more about what reasonable and necessary supports are via the NDIS website.

NDIS Plan Support Budget Types

NDIS funding packages are categorised into one of the three following types of support budgets. 

Core Support Budget

This is your most flexible of the three types of support budgets. This budget is typically used for consumables (everyday items such as continence aids), support with daily activities such as household tasks or personal care, transport, and support to access social and community activities such as sport or art classes, that help you to develop your independence and skills. 

Capacity Building Budget

This support budget is allocated for support services from one of eight fixed categories. Capacity Building funds are less flexible than those in your Core Support Budget, meaning you cannot move funding from between these categories. The support categories covered by this budget area are:

Choice and control

This category funds activities that help empower you to take control over your own support services.

Daily activity

Funding for support to increase your independence and participate meaningfully in your community. This can include training and development or various types of therapies.

Employment

This category funds support services to help you find and keep a job.

Health and wellbeing

Funding for support from health practitioners such as a dietician or exercise physiologist. Services funded under this category should not replicate those available through the health system and Medicare, and should be directly related to your disability.

Home living

Support to find suitable accommodation, including independent living, group homes or outreach programs.

Lifelong learning

Funding to support you to access further education or other development opportunities.

Relationships

These funds can be used for activities that help maintain healthy relationships, such as social skills development or positive behaviour management support.

Social and community participation

These funds are allocated to help you stay active and engaged in your community. This may include accessing recreational activities or community programs.

Capital Support Budget

This budget is allocated for physical supports such as adaptive equipment or home modifications to allow you to lead a safe, healthy and independent life. This budget area is not flexible, and requires you to submit quotes from suppliers in your application. Funds in this budget can only be used for the specific purpose they are allocated for. 

Still Unsure of Which Option Is Best for You?

If you’re still uncertain of which funding scheme best meets your needs, or the needs of a loved one who is older or lives with disability, there are other places you can go for guidance and support. If you or your loved one are already connected with a disability or aged care service provider that you know and trust, you may like to seek their advice or guidance on which funding scheme will best meet your needs. Changing your mind about the type of funding you receive can be complex and time consuming, so it’s important that you make this important decision fully informed and confident that you’ve made the best choice for you.