Month: September 2025

What is NDIS support coordination? It’s a funded NDIS support that helps you understand and manage your plan. It sits under Capacity Building and focuses on turning your plan into action.

A coordinator works with you to choose services, organise providers, and build up your confidence. If your plan feels hard to navigate, support coordination can make it easier to move forward.

Understanding Support Coordination

What is a support coordinator for NDIS? A support coordinator connects your goals with the right supports. Your coordinator unpacks your plan and explores service options with you. When you’ve decided what you need, they help you organise it.

Support coordination is not quite the same thing as plan management. Plan management is more about invoicing and budgeting, whereas coordination aims to connect you to the services you need.

You can learn more about what’s included on Aussie Best Care’s support coordination page.

Benefits of Support Coordination

We’ve answered the question, “What is support coordination in NDIS?”

Now, here are some of the major benefits of using it.

Understanding and Using Your NDIS Plan

Your coordinator explains what’s in your plan and how exactly your funding works. From there, you work together to ensure your services line up with your goals.

Connecting with the Right Supports

Your coordinator finds providers and compares your options. This can include community-based programs.

Building Skills and Confidence

You can learn how to manage services, speak up for your needs, and make decisions independently. Over time, this leads to more resilience and reduces reliance on others.

Specialist Support for Complex Needs

If your situation is complex or high-risk, a specialist coordinator can step in. They manage risks and coordinate providers, so you get consistent care.

Levels of Support Coordination

You may be able to access different levels of support coordination depending on what your needs are. For example, some people need help getting started with their NDIS plan. Others need ongoing support. The sections below explain what each level involves.

Support Connection

This is the most basic level. It’s for participants who need help making initial contact with providers and local services. A support coordinator can assist you in setting things up and getting to know what’s available.

Support Coordination (Coordination of Supports)

This is the standard level. It includes ongoing coordination between multiple services. Your coordinator manages schedules and adjusts support when needed. They can also solve problems that come up along the way.

Specialist Support Coordination

This level is for people with more complex needs. A specialist coordinator works over several providers to manage risks and make sure your plan works in high-pressure situations. It requires deeper expertise and closer involvement.

How Support Coordination Is Funded in the NDIS Plan

Support coordination is not included in every NDIS plan by default. It must be funded under the Capacity Building category. Whether it’s included depends on your specific situation.

An NDIS planner decides this based on how much support you need to navigate your plan. If it’s approved, you can choose a provider that matches your plan type:

• If your plan is NDIS-managed, you’ll need to use a registered provider.
• If you are self-managed or plan-managed, you have more flexibility.

To explore broader options under your plan, visit the NDIS services page.

Why Support Coordination Matters

You want to get the most out of your plan and make smart decisions that benefit you now and in the long term. Support coordination can deliver exactly that. It cuts through confusion and removes roadblocks, so you can access what matters most.

For example, you might use support coordination to:

• Get access to therapies that match your goals.
• Join local community programs that build social skills.
• Learn daily routines that support independent living.

To see what this might look like in practice, check out Aussie Best Care’s Life Skills program.

Final Thoughts

Support coordination gives you a clearer path forward through the NDIS. It helps you manage your services. But more than that, it fosters the skills and confidence you need to make decisions on your own terms.

Discover personalised options like support coordination, life skills programs, or community engagement by contacting Aussie Best Care.

You don’t have to figure it out alone. Stop wondering, “What are NDIS support coordinators?” and start getting the support and confidence you deserve.

Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) are day-to-day tasks that enable independent living. When they get difficult, safety and privacy may be at risk. That’s why understanding what they are and the supports available is key to preserving quality of life as long as possible.

Often, ADLs apply to older adults. They are also relevant to people with disability, illnesses, or injuries. Many NDIS participants get support with ADLs as a part of their plan. In this guide, we’ll give you an Activities of Daily Living definition. We’ll guide you through how they’re assessed and the positive impact they can have on quality of life.

What Are Activities of Daily Living (ADLs)?

ADLs, Activities of Daily Living, are the core self-care tasks needed to get by at home.

Activities of Daily Living examples include:

• Mobility: Standing, walking, sitting, and moving
• Eating: Feeding yourself without support
• Dressing: Choosing your clothes and putting them on
• Toileting: Getting to and from the toilet and managing hygiene
• Personal hygiene: Bathing, brushing your teeth, and grooming

These are different from Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs). IADLs require more planning or coordination. They include:

• Preparing meals
• Shopping
• Managing medications
• Handling money

If any of these tasks are becoming harder, assistance with daily living may be available through care services or an NDIS plan.

Why ADLs Matter

ADLs are a telltale sign of how independently someone can live. Challenges often signal changes in physical or cognitive ability, which can occur gradually or as a result of a sudden health event or accident.

In care planning, ADLs are used to identify what kind of support a person needs and how often. This includes aged care, disability services, short-term rehab, and recovery programs.

With an accurate ADL assessment, the best-fit supports become available — not just those that are assumed by the health-care team. This is important, as everyone is different with unique needs. It also helps set goals and track progress for better long-term outcomes.

How ADLs Are Assessed

Health professionals use formal tools to assess how well someone can manage ADLs and IADLs.

Barthel Index

Used in hospitals, aged care, and NDIS planning, the Barthel Index measures ability over 10 core tasks: feeding, bathing, toileting, moving safely around the home, and more. It’s also monitored over time to track recovery or decline.

Katz Index of ADL

The Katz Index covers six basic activities. These include dressing, continence, and transferring from bed or a chair. Each task is rated as either independent or dependent. It’s a quicker way to determine how much day-to-day support someone could need.

Lawton–Brody IADL Scale

This scale looks at more complex tasks like cooking, transportation, overseeing bills, and taking medication. It gives insight into the early signs of cognitive decline and planning support before more serious risks occur.

Common Examples of ADLs and IADLs

Different tasks carry different weights. Some ADLs and IADLs are essential for personal care and well-being. Others support independent living, but if needed, can be managed in a different way.

ADL Support Examples

Basic ADLs involve self-care and physical safety. If these become difficult to achieve independently, health and daily comfort may be compromised.

Some common support areas include:

• Showering and bathing
• Grooming or brushing hair
• Dressing and undressing
• Using the toilet
• Eating or drinking
• Getting in and out of bed or chairs

If you or someone close to you needs support with these tasks, this daily living service provides safe, practical assistance at home.

IADL Support Examples

IADLs demand more planning and organisation. These tasks go hand in hand with independent living but often become harder due to illness, disability, or cognitive changes.

Support is commonly provided for:

• Meal preparation or cooking
• Grocery shopping or errands
• Medication reminders
• Transport to appointments or social activities
• Managing bills or home admin

When more structured support is needed, supported independent living can give you or a loved one the right environment and routine.

Steps to Take if ADLs Become Difficult

When basic tasks become more challenging, early action can anticipate and prevent risks. Follow these four steps:

1. Self-Check and Awareness

Make a list of what’s becoming harder: getting dressed, cooking, or managing appointments, as examples. Use this insight to communicate clearly with care providers or family.

2. Consulting Health Professionals

The health professionals you see can help you determine whether your daily challenges would be resolved by aids or supports. You can consult with a GP or allied health providers.

3. Accessing My Aged Care Services

If you are an older Australian, you can use My Aged Care to be assessed and get the services you need. If you have disability-related needs, it’s worth getting guidance on your NDIS funding options.

4. Tracking and Building Independence

Apps, physiotherapy, and regular routines can support progress. The goal is more than keeping you safe. It’s about maintaining independence where possible.

Final Notes on ADLs

The Activities of Daily Living meaning goes deeper than what you need. It’s how you live day-to-day. It’s your quality of life. Whether support comes from aged care, the NDIS, family, or a care worker, the goal is to preserve your independence.

To learn more, visit Aussie Best Care or contact our team for guidance.