Disabled call the shots

A host of industry leaders gathered at Outlook to speak about the introduction of the NDIS in Cardinia. 147394_02

BY JARROD McALEESE

INDUSTRY leaders recently delivered a detailed overview of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) at the Outlook Community Centre.
Administered by the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA), the scheme is set to provide disabled citizens unprecedented control of their care programs and will cover fixed and flexible support for individuals with disabilities from birth and acquired disabilities.
The focus of the project is to maximise the accessibility of services and enable people with a disability to construct a personalised support plan.
Where previously disabled citizens were assigned a structure dictated by their specific ailment, under the NDIS residents will have the power to select specific service providers and manage their allotted financial support.
And National Disability Services state manager David Moody believes that this measure will trigger an improvement in the quality of assistance offered to locals by companies.
“Providers have to respond or they won’t get their business under the NDIS,” Mr Moody said.
Though the NDIS is not scheduled to arrive in Cardinia until September 2018, trials are being conducted in other locations across the state and feedback from participants has been unanimously favourable.
Tina Gulino, a sufferer of cerebral palsy quadriplegia and receiver of benefits as a NDIS trial citizen since 2013, revealed the disengagement that she endured prior to the NDIS.
“I was existing – not living.
“We had stop gap measures, they were always stop gap measures.
“It was really stressful. I didn’t realise at the time just how soul-destroying they were,” Ms Gulino said.
“Previous to NDIS, I’d get an hour and a half in the morning driven by the provider and what time they’d want to do it, not by me.
“One day they got me up at 2 in the afternoon, I’d been in a wet bed without any food or drink,” Ms Gulino said.
The individual-first philosophy that the NDIS is endeavouring to promote is undoubtedly present, Ms Gulino believes.
“Now somebody gets me up at a regular time, when I’d like to get up.
“It happens at times that are suitable to my lifestyle.
“I choose who provides that service and how they provide service,” Ms Gulino said.
Beyond lifestyle conveniences, Ms Gulino feels the NDIS has given her a platform to pursue career aspirations that were previously unfeasible.
“In that first year (under the NDIS) I went from existing back to living, now I’m setting goals about returning to study, getting my own ABN and starting a business.
“I’m talking about becoming a productive citizen.
“I feel I have a purpose, a role and a value again,” Ms Gulino said.
Outlook consultant Trisha Malowney says that in addition to empowering members of the community with disabilities, the NDIS will alleviate the financial and physical workload from family members who selflessly offer to become carers for disabled citizens.
“Family members who have been providing services and getting worn out for free don’t have to give up their lives,” Ms Malowney said.
Mr Moody says that the release of pressure from family members will have socio-economic benefits for the community.
“The scheme means that those people can eventually return to being valuable economic resources,” Moody said.
And Ms Gulino has already seen evidence of this in one of her siblings.
“My sister’s a mum now instead of a full time care giver and instead of having to pay for my care,” Ms Gulino said.
Ms Gulino’s improved quality of life under the NDIS is a preview of what disabled residents and their loved ones can expect when the program initiates in Cardinia.
The Outlook Community Centre in Pakenham currently offers a highly supportive disabled care network and according to Ms Malowney, will be aiming to continue to provide Casey and Cardinia residents with people-centric service upon the arrival of the NDIS.
And with the Productivity Commissions report envisaging that the national disabled workforce will need to double to accommodate the number of new citizens covered by the NDIS, Malowney foresees the creation of new jobs in the area.
“Outlook is already based on the person, so we should be increasing as more people are coming in,” Ms Malowney said.