Australia is a developed country with healthy social programs for its people. Despite the rage of COVID-19, the government left the country’s welfare funds untouched. Thus, many health beneficiaries continue to receive their part. These recipients include a fine-specific populace of seniors with mental disabilities.
Here is a list of the assistance still available for mentally challenged seniors amid the pandemic.
National Disability Insurance Scheme
The National Disability Insurance Scheme is the most successful government-run insurance program. NDIS provides the fundings and network necessary to support the skills and independence of disabled people. The greatest asset that NDIS can offer is through its support coordination scheme.
Most NDIS participants sent their plans for approval before their application. With support coordination, it enables the use of coordinators that accommodates these plans. These coordinators offer a wide network of contacts that assists at their disposal. Think of them as a bridge between the necessity of these individuals and the assets to suffice it.
NDIS is still up and running even when the pandemic strikes Australia because of its COVID-19 measures. No participants will receive less fundings than expected. NDIS assures a stream of essential support for seniors with mental disabilities. They guarantee that the government’s vaccination package will prioritize its elderly participants.
Commonwealth Home Support Program
Arising from the 1997 Aged Care Act is the Commonwealth Home Support Program. CHSP’s purpose is to provide quality aged care services to seniors. Albeit not a pension inclusion, CHSP’s services are retiree-friendly. This feature also allows homeless seniors to enjoy the same benefits as employed individuals.
Aside from CHSP, aged care programs in the country also offer a Home Care Package. The program opts for only a ninety-ten share of fees between the grants and beneficiaries, respectively. Of course, the more prices each beneficiary contributes, the better the quality of services that the senior receives.
HCP, together with CHSP and Home Support Program, offers a wide array of services as follows:
- Nursing Care for senior individuals needing intensive and medical care
- Personal assistance on activities like bathing, dressing, and excreting waste
- Therapy services and nutritional dietary assistance
- Provision of social supports on all types
Dementia Support
Dementia is a spectrum of mental symptoms when a mental disorder is severely affecting the condition of one’s brain. The disorder also affects the person’s cognition, coordination, and behaviour. Through this rationale, the government funds the program Dementia Support. This program, as implied in its name, provides meaningful assistance to its beneficiaries.
Dementia Support is an advocate of mental health awareness. Their site contains free resources about dementia and how to support an individual with the symptoms. Dementia Support is also the leading researching group in the country to study all aspects of dementia. Their aim continues to be the symptom’s causes, diagnosis, prevention, and cure.
But this welfare program boasts its service to its lifeline systems. Dementia Support conducts counseling and training to caregivers to better support their recipients. The group also functions to assist individuals through behavioral therapies and medical aids. With the recent government funding of $229 million, Dementia Supports continues its assistance to these people.
National Companion Card
Socializing is one important aspect needed by a mentally challenged individual. The last thing these people want from their social activities is an additional cost burden for their companions. With that, another effective welfare scheme for this specific populace is the National Companion Card. The scheme allows entitled duos to avail of events and services for a cost of one person only.
Cardholders can present it at various events, including holiday traveling. They can even use its perk at majorly cutting discounts on their transportation cost. Interestingly enough, NCC works with senior citizen discount bonuses too.
The way NCC works is through the registration of these disabled individuals along with its companion. There is a need for a medical certification for the disability of the person in question. The registration might require the verification of the companionship relationship. Similarly, organizations need to register their affiliation to the policy.
Carer Gateway
Carer Gateway is a platform catering to caregivers instead of their care recipients. This program treats caregiving as a profession rather than a mere passionate expression.
Through this perspective, Carer Gateway extends support to companions and caregivers alike. This group sees to it that caregivers receive the same support as care recipients do. The platform also offers invaluable caregiving career skill courses. These nationally accredited courses help prepare interested individuals to serve their recipients better.
Carer Gateway offers a multitude of career guidance and professional counseling for its members. Caregivers can also vent their issues and concerns through hotlines, support teams, and self-guided coaching.
Lastly, Carer Gateway considers the welfare of caregivers across the continent through Respite. Respite is when a substitute carer temporarily takes care of the person. Respite care services give caregivers them momentarily leave to refresh and contemplate.
