Following on from our recent blog on Minister Robert's speech at the National Press Club, this article provides a bit more detail on the improvements identified by the recent review and the priorities highlighted by the Minister. In his recent speech, National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) Minister Stuart Robert confirmed that the plan’s roll-out as the ‘largest social reform this country has seen since the introduction of Medicare.’ Minister Robert admitted, however,

If you or your loved one are newly in need of support, whether it be for companionship, medical or non-medical purposes, it can be overwhelming to navigate the various options available. In this blog we highlight some of the different types of support available and provide some tips and advice on how you can choose the right support team for you. By no means an exhaustive list, below are just some of the main areas of support offered by agencies and providers. Non-Medical Sup

The evidence from the research is clear: behaviours of concern and implementing restrictive practices can typically be reduced with positive behaviour support (PBS) strategies! PBS supports people of all ages in all settings in reducing behaviours of concern by increase the person’s quality of life, and decreasing behaviours that causes harm to the person or others that usually result in restrictive practices. PBS focuses on understanding the purpose that the behaviour of

People often ask for advice and one of the most common questions we get asked is about remaining positive. Recently a mother who we have been supporting at home asked: "I am doing everything I can to remain positive, but it seems like my personal life is becoming harder and harder every day. I know it's important to focus on the positive and not the negative so what should I do to keep thinking positive thoughts?” We know that being positive won't necessarily make things easi

While being a carer can be rewarding it can also be stressful. Balancing your caring role with caring for yourself and the other responsibilities in your life can be challenging. Some stress is good for you. It can help motivate you; help you achieve your goals; or help you overcome an obstacle. Too much stress is not good. Stress is a normal part of caring for someone. Some of the things that cause stress for carers include: lack of time to do the things you want or need to

We all know life can be can be pretty challenging and having healthy coping skills can be the key to getting through tough times. Coping skills help you tolerate, minimise, and deal with stressful situations in life. Managing your stress well can help you feel better physically and psychologically and it can impact your ability to perform your best. Not all coping skills are created equal and sometimes, it’s tempting to engage in strategies that will give quick relief but mig

Following up on our last blog acknowledging National Carers Week, today's blog is all about resilience which is an essential skill and trait that Carers need everyday. Resilience is our ability to adapt and bounce back when things don't go as planned. ​​If you have never experienced challenges in your life, you don't know how strong you can be. A resilient person doesn't give up or fall apart every time something bad happens to them. They work through the problem, and are str

National Carers Week is about recognising and celebrating the outstanding contribution unpaid carers make to our nation. There are over 2.7 million family and friend carers in Australia providing 36 million hours of care and support every week to a family member or friend who has a disability, mental illness, drug and/or alcohol dependency, chronic condition, terminal illness or who is frail. The replacement value of that unpaid care is $1.1 billion per week. Anyone at any ti

When it comes to NDIS service providers one thing you’re not short on is options. So how do you choose the right NDIS service provider for you, your child or your loved one? Service providers are your personal team of supporters. Their job is to help you live your best life and achieve your goals. A service provider is a person, business or organisation who delivers funded services as part of your NDIS Plan. Service providers have different areas of experience and expertise.

Mental Health Month is celebrated each year in the month of October in NSW. This awareness month encourages all of us to think about our mental health and well being, regardless of whether we may have a lived experience of mental illness or not. This month also gives us the opportunity to understand the importance of mental health in our everyday lives. The following blog provides an overview of what mental health is, provides some signs that may indicate that somebody is hav

Carer burnout is more common than you may think and should be taken seriously. It can impact your health, your happiness, and your relationship with your loved one. Carer burnout has a few main causes; Carers are busy, many are also parents and employees, so they’re always jumping from task to task. Carers are always on duty, they often live with their loved one are always waiting for the next task or request. This makes it difficult to relax. Carers can also be lonely, many

A person-centred approach helps organisations provide accessible, responsive and flexible services that meet the diverse needs and preferences of people living in our community. Many of these individuals want to remain independent for as long as possible and rely on the community care system to help them achieve this. Australia is experiencing a demographic shift with a rapid increase in the number of older Australians. The population aged 65 years and over is projected to in

If you are considering in-home support for you or a loved one, it can be a confusing and difficult decision. Older people needing extra help to live at home, whether that’s help with bathing, gardening, transport or physiotherapy, now have greater choice when it comes to the types of subsidised government care they receive. In this blog we provide some tips and information on what to consider, what questions to ask and more importantly what to avoid. Nita Hedrick was 85 years

Put yourself in the shoes of other people and it’ll help you understand them and show them compassion; while studies suggest it may be a quality some of us are born with, empathy is also something we can learn and put into practice Having empathy with others can guide your moral development and influence positively your thoughts and decisions. In her Pulitzer Prize-winning novel To Kill a Mockingbird (1960), author Harper Lee writes, “you never really understand a person unti

Yesterday we were very fortunate to receive an introduction to Conversational Intelligence (C-IQ) from Sarah Moore. Our accommodation leadership team spent two hours being introduced to the principles of Conversational Intelligence and discovering what get's in the way of us having more productive conversations with colleagues, partners and family members. Sarah introduced us to the work of Judith E. Glaser author and organisational anthropologist, her work presents a framewo

Today's blog focuses on loneliness and isolation, which we know many people experience throughout their life. There are times in everyone’s life when we feel lonely or isolated. Whilst some people prefer to live alone, most people don’t want to feel lonely. The mere thought that on any given day, night, week or month there are hundreds of thousands of people without social connections, someone to talk to, or simply living in the community feeling they have no sense of purpose

In Australia, more and more people are living full and productive lives well into their 80's and 90's. Research shows that if you start living a healthy lifestyle earlier in life, you have better chances of staying healthy as you get older. Staying physically active, eating well, socialising and improving your health can help you live a healthy, happy and active life as you get older. Staying Involved and Socialising with Others Learning a new skill keeps your brain working a

When you apply for funding from the NDIS the process requires you to develop a plan that captures the goals you wish to achieve and the support you require to get there. NDIS planners will ask questions about how you are going in different areas of your life. This helps the NDIS develop a plan that provides the right support for you. This blog helps you learn more about goal setting and the different types of goals you may want to consider. What are goals? Goals are things yo

It's never too early or too late to talk about aged care. Talking about getting some extra help doesn't mean you can't live an independent or active life. Read about tips for having a conversation about aged care with a family member or friend here. What help is available You may be eligible to receive services such as: personal care like help getting dressed transport modifications to your home, such as hand rails or ramps nursing, physiotherapy and other care meals and help

We take well-being seriously at Quality Health Care. We know that improving workers' well-being has a payoff to our company through improved resilience, increased productivity, commitment and levels of engagement. In its simplest form, well-being is our ability to feel good and function effectively. This is our physical, mental and social health; and it is more than being free from illness or disease. By adopting a positive approach to well-being, organisations can also enjo