The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) supports Australians aged 7-65 who have a significant and permanent disability.
But what happens when you blow out the candles on your 65th birthday cake? What happens if you develop a significant and permanent disability after the age of 65? How do aged care and disability services work in Australia?
Broadly speaking, the government funds two separate systems for disability and aged care:
- The NDIS for under 65s with a disability
- MyAgedCare for people over 65, including people with disabilities.
Can you use the NDIS after 65?
Yes, but only if you were already using it before you turned 65.
If you were an NDIS Participant before turning 65, you can continue receiving NDIS services unless you:
- Start receiving permanent in-home care, such as help with personal care, meals and household chores
- Enter residential aged care.
So, if nothing has changed, continue using your NDIS Plan. Your Plan is reviewed annually and is a good time to assess whether the NDIS can still meet your needs or whether it’s time to start moving into MyAgedCare.
If your Plan review isn’t due for a while but you’ve started to need more support, talk to your Plan Manager about transitioning to MyAgedCare.
What happens if you develop a disability after the age of 65?
If you were not using the NDIS before your 65th birthday and you now need help to manage a significant or permanent disability, your disability support will be through MyAgedCare, not the NDIS.
How do you get started with MyAgedCare?
The first step is to apply for an aged care assessment. You can apply online or call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422.
Have your Medicare card nearby as they’ll ask for that number. You can nominate a friend or family member to help you apply or speak on your behalf if you wish.
What disability support does MyAgedCare provide?
Just like the NDIS, MyAgedCare provides government-funded services to help you live independently for as long as possible.
Depending on your needs, your support may include:
- Home modifications to make your home safer or easier to move around in
- Aids to help with everyday tasks
- Personal care such as grooming, hygiene and self-care
- Allied health therapies such as physiotherapy, podiatry, occupational therapy or speech therapy
- Transport, so you can get to medical appointments and social get-togethers
- Nursing, so that medical needs and other healthcare is supported in your home.
Just like the NDIS, you can choose your own service providers once you’ve received your funds.
Which MyAgedCare providers are good at supporting people with disabilities?
It’s important to choose a provider that’s used to working with people who have disabilities and understand how to provide support in a way that empowers you to live your life.
You can use the MyAgedCare find a provider tool to find those services in your area. On the left hand side of the tool, you can filter results using the ‘specialisations’ menu. You can choose options such as ‘vision’, ‘mobility’, ‘continence’ or ‘assistive technology’ to help identify providers experienced in working with people with disabilities.
How can Focused Health Care help with disability support for over-65s?
If you’re over 65 and need help at home, Focused Health Care is here for you. We’re run by Registered Nurses, meaning we blend high clinical standards with compassionate care. We are based in Brisbane and Townsville, and provide services across Queensland.
We understand the different funding streams available for care and can help you navigate MyAgedCare or the NDIS (we’re providers under both schemes).
We believe you should feel comfortable with your in-home carers so we do our best to match clients with carers who share similar personalities or interests. If you’d like help at home, please give us a call on 1300 201 351.
Disclaimer
All information is general in nature.
