- As a Carer, Sister, Spouse and NDIS Plan Nominee for two participants.
We have already had to go through the AAT system 2 years ago costing the NDIS thousands and thousands of wasted $, and got exactly what we asked for 6 months earlier. Why waste all that money fighting us!! They paid for Lawyers to fight us! That’s the fraud. We ask for minimal and never spend on what is not required, never. NDIS has regularly blocked my husband for having what is needed. He may be profoundly deaf but he’s not stupid! He needs Auslan interpreters, it’s obvious tough not to NDIS. They say he has cochlear implants (CI’s) so he can hear, yes but he missed out on language development as a child, his brain can only comprehend the words he has already learnt which limited. He needs the CI’s for environmental sound for his safety along with hearing some words. Because he’s over 65 we’re getting the strong impression (and also told to me verbally) that they’re trying to push him onto aged care but - he’s not sick or infirm, he can’t get assistance from them! Nor do they cover the $18,000 cost for replacement Sound Processors for the CI’s when they wear out. We don’t have that sort of money on a full Age Pension.
-
On to my Sister, chronic psychosocial disability for 50 years. NDIS is trying to push those with a psychosocial disability off the system back to what didn’t work for her pre NDIS. They say psychosocial disabilities are not permanent, well I think 50+ years is pretty permanent! She won’t leave the house, she’s too petrified. She’ll never go to group activities. She would just fall through the -cracks and eventually die. At lest now a support worker attends every week and we know she’s alive and hear how she is faring. Plus it gives her one bit of human contact for the week. She rarely answers her phone and never replies to emails. She’s petrified of getting caught in a scam. She has had a very poor quality life, don’t let it be made any worse.
-
Thirdly I’d like to say - the new way of assessing participants is likely to miss my husbands needs because with an Auslan interpreter will him he cope with life perfectly fine but he doesn’t have an Auslan interpreter 24/7, they have to be booked weeks in advance. Lots of unexpected instances crop up all the time. Yes he can physically do anything so long as it doesn’t involve communication. Try that for a day and see how we go!
-
And for my sister she’ll say yes yes yes to whatever they ask but it won’t be actually true. She doesn’t
- Like people to think she’s not coping.
She won’t ever let the assessor know what her worst day is like. Even I don’t know the depth of it.