Author: Manager

An Individualised Living Option (ILO) gives you the freedom to choose the home you live in and will provide the supports needed set up your unique supports. These supports will help you work out how you want to live your day-to-day life, where you want to live, and who you want to live with. There are a lot of choices with ILO, you can either:

• Share a home with friends or housemates.
• Live in the home with a host family.
• Live on your own with the support you need.

ILO supports are designed to work with other support you receive including NDIS support coordination, support from your family or friends, or other networks so that you can have a sense of belonging, build connection with others, and live a safe and supportive lifestyle

ILO Supports are added to your plan in two stages:

1. The first stage relates to exploring and designing the supports you need. You will work out where you want to live, the supports you’ll need and who you want to provide that support.
2. The second stage is providing the support to put all you need into place. The support depends on how and where you want to live.

ILO supports can be changed, and will be designed to offer the safety, stability, and flexibility you need. The NDIS will identify which supports are necessary to fund for the second stage once you have completed the first stage.

ILO might be right for you if:

• You are over the age of 18.
• You need assistance at home for at least six hours per day.
• You are ready to explore your home and living needs.
• You are willing to invest time and effort towards creating your future home.
• Your family or friends might be part of your ILO supports.

Often, those who you know well can play an important part in helping you explore options and make decisions. You can involve them in helping to design and manage your ILO.

What support could your ILO include?

• Assistance in decision making, including where you want to leave, and the supports you need to make that happen.
• Personal care, such as shopping and cooking.
• Help to set up and manage your home.
• Support in building your independence.
• Building and maintaining connections with others.
• Help with day-to-day decision making.
• Support in managing behaviour and emotions.
• Unpaid volunteers, family, friends, neighbours, or carers who help you on a regular basis
• People on-call available to help when needed.
• Training for those who support you.

ILO supports don’t usually include support for activities outside your home, like work or study, playing sport or socialising outside. However, there are other ways that we can help with these. You may also need separate support for other home and living such as home modifications.

At Nextt, we can help you identify if ILO supports is suited for you. For more information click here to fill out an enquiry form or contact us on 1300 369 568.

At Nextt, we are proud to have supported dozens of people in Australia find the appropriate living space suitable for their lifestyle and support needs, including those living in the bright sunny city of Brisbane.

Brisbane is one of the fastest growing capital cities in Australia. Not only is it a great place to work (and with an Olympics coming to Brisbane, there’s about to be a boom in international investment and interest) it’s also ideal as a lifestyle living location.

One of the other great benefits of living in Brisbane is the excellent healthcare system. Residents have access to both public and private sectors, including hospitals, general practitioners, specialists, and other allied healthcare professionals. Urgent and emergency medical care is also readily available.

At Nextt we are proud to be part of the local community and do our part to deliver a leading lifestyle to our customers. We offer the appropriate disability support services for our clients to live independently and get the most out of their lives. We ensure our clients understand which supports are available, and we work together to build their personal plan to reach their goals.

We also aim to offer the best housing options suited for individual needs. We carefully match tenants based on similar interests and backgrounds and work with all our clients to ensure a smooth transition.

We currently have a variety of supported independent living (SIL) and specialist disability accommodation (SDA) vacancies in Brisbane including:

Brassall

Nextt is looking for someone to share a SIL home with one of our existing clients located in the heart of Brassall, Ipswich. This home is perfect for a male housemate in his mid-twenties to mid-thirties who is outgoing and loves to socialise. This SIL property is located in the new Gainsborough Meadows Estate. The home is a tidy three-bedroom duplex, with a large yard with modern appliances and cooling throughout the home. This is home ticks all the boxes. The local shopping centre, fast food restaurants and petrol stations are all just a short drive from the property. Click here to learn more about this property.

Wellington Point

We are looking for someone to share a SIL home with our clients in the wonderful Wellington Point, Brisbane. Our current resident is quiet in nature, very caring and friendly. This home is ideal for a female in her 40’s or 50’s who also enjoys being around people and likes listening to music. Wellington Point is surrounded on both sides with water and is a great spot for various water sports and visiting parks. The property in on a quiet street and has its choices of cafes and shops to visit. Click here to learn more about this property.

Once your eligibility for SIL has been established, it is time to find the appropriate home, and housemates for you to move in with. Nextt currently supports several people living independently in supported accommodation, and we have a team of experts available to support you in starting this process. Call us on 1300 369 568, or register your interest here, for more information. 

The type of disability accommodation that you will benefit from will depend on your support needs, and the funding available to you. At Nextt, we will support you to find disability accommodation that is right for you.

National Insurance Disability Scheme (NDIS)

The NDIS provides a number of different housing options that can either help you to live independently, or that can provide you with more specialised support, such as: ownership to rentals, independent living to those that need sustained care, and allow for the need to make modifications to the property in order to ensure the environment is right for the individual.

Some of the options that we’ve explored for our clients at Nextt include:

Specialised Disability Accommodation (SDA)

If the design of a home will assist in you living more independently, then SDA may be the right option for you. Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) are innovative homes specially built for people with extreme functional impairment or very high support needs. To apply for SDA, you need:

• A Housing Goal: include housing goals within your NDIS plan
• Create a Housing Plan (including housing needs): this is usually done by your support coordinator or occupational therapist. It may also be completed by yourself, or any Allied Health professional that supports you.

The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) can assess if you need SDA funding, once approved, they will fit you into one of four ‘Design Standards’, which define your SDA level. Once you have your SDA level, it is yours for life, and you don’t need to reapply unless you want your level reassessed.

The ‘Design Standards’ are:

1. Improved Liveability: including the basic physical needs such as wider doors, or luminous contrasts.
2. Fully Accessible: including physical needs such as wheelchair access to the kitchen and bathroom
3. High Physical Support: the higher physical support needs such as communicative technology, and ceiling hoists.
4. Robust: including strong walls, clear lines of site, and retreat areas for support workers and other visitors.

Supported Independent Living (SIL)

SIL helps people to live independently in their own home. It is usually provided 24/7 in a house where care is shared among the household residents. Because of this, we take the time to match each client carefully to make sure they are living with people who have similar personalities, goals, and support needs. To apply for SIL you need:

• A Housing Goal: include housing goals within your NDIS plan
• Reports and Assessments from the NDA: showing the supports required to assist in achieving your independent living goal.
• SIL will be included in your plan as Quote Pending.
• Quote from SIL Provider: once you find a home that you want to live in, Nextt will provide you with a quote for our services. This is sent to the NDIA, and once approved, the funding will be added to your NDIS plan, and will pay and liaise directly with your SIL provider.

NDIS Core Supports

NDIS Core funding supports you with daily living activities and to work towards your goals. Examples of core supports include transportation, and assistance with household tasks.

Individual Living Options (ILO)

These include the living arrangements that focus on the individual, such as:

• Living Alone
• Co-residency
• Host Arrangements, and
• Living Together.

Nextt will help you define what living option that will best suit your needs and will then work with you to help you deliver on that plan. To start, we will create a quote and email the NDIS for review. 

Home Renovations

Home renovations include any changes to the structure, layout, or fittings to a disability home, so that residents can safely access it, and comfortably move around the areas that are frequently used. The process would be assessing the property and retrieve quotes for the changes, including equipment, labour, and servicing. We will also send reports to the NDIA from an Allied Health professional as proof that these changes need to be made.

Mainstream Services

Even if you have daily support needs, you can live somewhere that suits your circumstances and lifestyle. You do not need to settle for what is immediately available, and you can use your NDIS Core Funding to organise support workers to assist you when needed. You can search for homes that are for sale or rent by calling local real-estate agents for their listings, or looking online through websites such as Domain, or RealEstate.com.au.

Buying a Home

You may be eligible to purchase a home by using Trusts: Specialist Disability Trust and other types of Trusts may be used, which can assist a person with achieving the dream of home ownership. The government also offers Shared Home Ownership for low-income earners.

In most cases, you get approval from a bank first to get a home loan. To get a loan to buy a home you need to have saved up a deposit which is usually around 20% of the total purchase price.

Renting a property

To rent a home, you first need to find a rental property that you like and apply either directly through a real estate agency or online. You will need to prove your income, prove your identity, and show a rental history, or letter of recommendation that you are a good tenant. Once approved, you will need to pay one month’s rent in advance and a bond. Your bond will then be refunded to you when you move out, only if you have not damaged the property.

If you are unsure where to start or need assistance with any part of this process, Nextt have the specialists that can assist. Contact us on 1300 369 568 for more information regarding disability housing options. Or to view our SIL and SDA vacancies, click here.

At Nextt, we have helped over 150 people in Australia find the right living space suitable for their lifestyle and support needs, some of which are living in the great city of Melbourne.

Melbourne prides itself for its rich history and diversity. It is made up of many different people from all kinds of cultures and ages. Melbourne is a wonderful place to live as the locals are inclusive, progressive, and respectful of people’s differences.

One of the main benefits of living in Melbourne is its comprehensive range of world-class health and wellbeing services available. Here at Nextt, we are proud to be among the finest health services in Melbourne.

We provide the right disability support for our clients to get the most out of their lives. We help our clients understand their services choices, and we work together to build their plan and reach their goals.

Our goal is to provide you with disability housing options suited to your needs. We carefully match tenants based on common interests and backgrounds and work with all our clients to ensure a smooth individualised transition.

We currently have a variety of supported independent living (SIL) and specialist disability accommodation (SDA) vacancies in Melbourne, including:

Westmeadows

Our Westmeadows SIL vacancy is supported by Nextt and the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing. This home will be perfect for a female, aged 30-40, who respects privacy, and is willing to participate in communal activities. If you are looking for a property in a quiet suburb, with a large yard, and air-conditioning and heating throughout, this home is ideal for you. This Westmeadows home is located close to public transport options including bus, trains, and trams, and is also near the Global Drive Reserve and Gladstone Park Shopping Centre offering recreational, dining and shopping opportunities. Click here to learn more about this property.

Richmond

Located right in the heart of Richmond, Nextt and Guardian Living have a vacancy for a two-bedroom apartment. This SDA apartment is specially designed for someone who requires high physical support and are rated to ‘Platinum Plus’ standards in accordance with the Liveable Housing Australia Guidelines. The apartment block is located adjacent to Victoria Gardens Shopping Centre, overlooking the famous Yarra River, and only a short train or tram ride to Melbourne’s sport precinct and the CBD. Click here to learn more about this property.

Melton

Located in Melbourne’s outer western suburbs, Melton is a safe and vibrant city, accessible to all. Nextt is looking for someone to share this new SDA Improved Liveability home, with accessible bedrooms, bathrooms, and kitchen. It is a four-bedroom home, with a low maintenance garden, outdoor entertainment area, and rear access to the property. It has large doors throughout house for easy access, and every room has a private ensuite. Click here to learn more about this property.

Once your eligibility for SIL has been determined, it is time to find the right home, and housemates for you to move in with. Nextt currently support many people living in disability accommodation, we have a team of experts available to support you in starting this process. Call us on 1300 369 568, or register your interest here, for more information.