For individuals with disabilities, finding the right accommodation can be challenging as they require a suitable house and financial support. The good news is that the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) aims to help them with accommodation and funding.
However, there are many factors one must understand and consider when selecting the Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) to make sure it fits your requirements. Here is a blog post covering everything you need to know about NDIS Specialist Disability Accommodations.
What is Specialist Disability Accommodation?
Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) is a range of housing support offered to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) eligible participants with disabilities or impairments. These SDAs are built to improve their quality of life and enable them to live more independently. You can find more information here https://www.apeironhomes.com.au/specialist-disability-accommodation/
Who can get Specialist Disability Accommodation?
Not every person who is disabled can avail of SDA funding. It is available for individuals with severe functional disabilities who are highly dependent. Participants are assessed to see if they meet the SDA-eligible criteria. Anyone who thinks they might be eligible for NDIS support can apply along with the documentation of the medical conditions.
Here is the eligibility checklist: The NDIS is available to people
- Aged between 7 and 65
- Who are Australian citizens, permanent residents, or Protected Special Category Visa holders
- Living in Australia
- Who has a disability caused by a permanent impairment (Intellectual, cognitive, neurological, sensory, physical, or psychosocial)
- Who needs disability-specific support to complete daily life activities
You can get more details on the eligibility requirements on the NDIS website
The role of the Specialist Disability Accommodation Provider
The SDA housing providers design Specialist Disability Accommodations for people living with impairments so they can enjoy an improved standard of living. The NDIS enables the SDA providers by supplying the funding to increase the number of accommodations and to design more innovative housing models that meet the needs of people.
The housing is developed and maintained to a standard that is consistent with the surrounding properties and the design standards for registering with the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
The SDA providers advertise the vacancies on online accommodation portals. When a participant moves into an accommodation registered as SDA, the provider can claim the participant’s charges. The SDA price limits are determined depending on the housing category and the level of accessibility it offers.
How the National Disability Insurance Scheme can help you pay for your accommodation
The individuals qualifying for the SDA benefits will receive funding for housing payments. The NDIS Pricing Arrangements department determines the payment amount to be made. They also decide the limit of the price that the SDA providers can charge for the housing/accommodation services.
The payments are directly sent to the NDIS participants. The participants then make the payment to the SDA provider.
Different types of Specialist Disability Accommodation
The SDA residences are broadly classified into different types based on :
- Whether the property is new or existing
- The design – level of accessibility and support, and the
- The location of the accommodation
Below are SDA types depending on the design and accessibility level.
1. Improved Livability:
Accommodation is designed to enhance ”Livability” by including a moderate level of physical access for people with sensory and cognitive impairment. It must comprise one or more improved liveability design features.
2. Fully Accessible:
Housing that is designed to offer a high level of physical access arrangements for people with notable physical disabilities.
3. Robust:
Accommodation is designed to offer a good level of physical access arrangement, reducing the possibility of reactive maintenance and the risk to the participants.
4. High Physical Support:
Housing that is designed to comprise a high level of physical access provision that can support high physical impairment and are highly dependent. Funding for High Physical Support SDA is open to new builds and existing stock.
The amount of funding the eligible SDA participant receives relies on the category type. The accommodations that don’t fall into these categories will not be able to be enlisted in the SDA program.
What should you look for when choosing a specialist disability accommodation?
There are a few things to tick off when choosing an SDA provider.
- Check if the SDA housing provider is registered with NDIS and qualified
- Check the location or the premises where the SDA is built and see if that suits
- If you need any specialist equipment or support system, double-check if the SDA has it or not
- Check the accommodation details, services offered, fees etc., and make sure they understand your needs and preferences.
Here is a quick look at some new apartments available in West Footscray, with city views, open spaces, great local community
Benefits of SDA accommodation
SDAs are built with special designs that can cater to and support people with very high needs. They offer many advantages which are discussed below.
Stress-free Living
SDA accommodation improves the quality of life by tailoring the homes to suit the needs, preferences, and disability conditions. This leaves them with a stress-free life, the best amenities, and medical attention.
Improved Lifestyle
With the aid of SDA-style homes, individuals can take more control of their daily activities, such as doing chores at home and engaging in simple activities.
Better Community
The NDIA helps the participants to choose where they want to live and with whom. This offers a better community feeling while boosting the opportunities for socialising.
Having access to additional support
SDA providers offer benefits other than accommodation support. One can avail the help from workers and a support system.
Improved Living With SDAs
People living with disabilities in Australia can benefit enormously from the SDA programme. They can get access to better accessible living spaces and support for the payments. We have covered everything that you might want to know about SDAs in this blog post.
Apeiron Homes Pty Ltd is an authorised Specialist Disability housing Provider registered with National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)
We are committed to delivering person-centred accommodations to support people with disabilities. If you are looking for an SDA for yourself or your loved ones, we can assist you in moving to the right SDA that suits your needs. Get in touch with us today