National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) support
If you’ve been diagnosed with dementia and you’re younger than 65, you might be eligible for support from the Australian government through the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is an Australian government program that provides funding for people under the age of 65 with a permanent and significant disability.
The NDIS is run by the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA).
If you or someone you care for has younger onset dementia, the NDIS could be a great help. It could connect you with supports and services to help in your daily life, connect with your community and achieve your goals.
Ways the NDIS can help
NDIS support plans are tailored to meet your needs, but may include help with:
Home modifications
Gardening, cleaning, home maintenance, assistive technologies and equipment.
Daily tasks
Showering, dressing, preparing meals, managing medication and more.
Social relationships
Participating in activities, groups of interest and holidays.
Health and wellbeing
Access to physical health and wellbeing activities and treatments, like speech pathology or dietary advice.
Work
Finding or maintaining paid or voluntary employment.
Planning
Developing a behavioural support plan, including training for carers.
Financial management
Your choice of self-management or support from a Plan Manager or the NDIS with the financial management of your NDIS plan.
For the most recent information, visit the NDIS’s Supports funded by the NDIS page.
Find out if you’re eligible
If you’re an Australian citizen or permanent resident and you were under 65 when you were diagnosed with dementia, you might be eligible for NDIS support. For more, see the NDIS’s Am I eligible? page.
If you’re found to be not eligible for the NDIS, you can appeal to the NDIA for a review. See the NDIS’s If you are found not eligible page.
If you’re unhappy with the decision of the internal review, you can then apply to the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART).
How to apply for NDIS support
If you’re found to be eligible for NDIS support, follow the application process on the NDIS’s How to apply page.
If your application is successful, you will need to attend a planning meeting with a National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) ‘planner’ or a local area coordinator (LAC) to discuss your goals and support needs.
Good preparation can help ensure you get the best quality NDIS plan possible. Here are some tips for a successful planning meeting:
Meet face-to-face
We strongly recommend meeting face‑to‑face. Meeting in‑person will make it easier for you to communicate your goals and needs than over the phone.
The meeting will be held at your home or at the local NDIS office.
Meetings usually go for one to two hours.
Prepare
Make sure you bring any relevant documents with you and a list of questions you want to ask. You can print additional copies of your document to leave with the NDIA representative if required.
Support
You can request to have a support person with you at the meeting if you wish.
Bringing a family member, friend or carer can assist with explaining younger onset dementia to the NDIA representative.
Choice and control
Your NDIS plan is customised to your needs and choices.
Ensure you clearly express your needs, and be honest and realistic about what you can and cannot do.
Be prepared for future changes
It’s important that your plan includes support you may need as your situation changes.
You or your support person should discuss the type(s) of dementia you have with your planner or LAC.
After your NDIA planning meeting, your individual NDIS plan will be made and sent to you.
If NDIA has included Support Coordination in your plan (i.e. someone to help you manage your NDIS plan), your Support Coordinator can help you access and implement your plan.
For the latest information on applying for NDIS support, see the NDIS’s How to apply page.
