What is personal care?

A strong routine of personal care is the cornerstone of our daily activity. Waking up, using the bathroom, brushing our teeth, showering, doing our hair, choosing our outfit – personal care encompasses a wide variety of small, important details that help us to feel our very best. Personal care support, available via NDIS funding, is a powerful resource in ensuring individuals feel empowered and ready for the world on a daily basis.

Personal care also extends beyond daily routines, encompassing regular exercise routines, accompaniments to medical appointments and errands, and navigating the wider community for social and personal reasons.

For individuals living with a permanent or significant disability, or ageing individuals, aspects of personal care can be challenging. By accessing support with these personal care considerations from someone who’s not a family member, individuals can maintain a high degree of dignity and privacy, while also ensuring comfort, safety and independence.

Personal care support can also enable individuals to live in their home for as long as possible, keeping them connected to a familiar and welcoming home environment. When personal care is prioritised, individuals are also able to engage with their community on a deeper level. We all know what it is to look and feel our best, and personal care support ensures dignity and respect is awarded to individuals of all ages and experiences.

Types of personal care needs

No two routines are the same, but there are some common areas of personal care that are made all the easier through thoughtful support. These include areas such as:

Hygiene – showering, toileting, and managing continence
Personal appearance – dressing, shaving, grooming
Eating – food preparation, feeding and clean-up
Moving in and out of bed – transfers using chairs or wheelchairs
Medication administration
Social and community access – help with participation in social or community activities
Exercise – assistance to get out and about to enjoy fresh air, build regular movement routines and remain active

Specialist care is also available for individuals experiencing challenges with vision, in need of dementia care, respite care or palliative care. Personal care services are tailored to suit the needs of the individual, including their desired daily outcomes and personal capacities.

Whatever your personal care needs, funding from the NDIS can support you in making the most of your daily routine and activities. Thoughtful, strategic support in the area of personal care can make sure you’re equipped to reach your goals and build a life of your choosing.

Personal care funding

Personal care services are eligible for funding via the Australian Government’s Aged Care support (accessible at the My Aged Care website) or via NDIS funding, designed to assist people with complex care needs in their everyday lives.

Personal care is available across a wide range of timeframes. Whether individuals need just a few hours of support on an occasional basis, weekly visits or 24-hour care, individual care packages are designed to accommodate specific needs and circumstances.

Personal care for ageing individuals

Ageing is an experience that brings about many changes, with one area being the capacity of people to meet their own personal care needs. Ageing people may find they need more help around the house with things like cleaning, gardening, food preparation or grocery shopping, while others may be in need of a companion to accompany them on regular appointments and across their daily activities.

With support available that can be tailored on a case-by-case basis, those who have age-related personal care concerns can find the support they need while maintaining their independence and living in their own home.

Support for ageing individuals is available via My Aged Care funding, which can then be facilitated by individual service providers. As personal care providers in Melbourne, SAI Home and Community Care works with all manners of individuals to provide thoughtful and beneficial personal care support.

Personal care for individuals with disabilities

Individuals living with a permanent or significant disability can access personal care support via NDIS funding. This can be designed based on the individual’s goals and needs, meeting a wide range of daily personal care considerations while supporting independence and autonomy.

SAI Home and Community Care provides personal care for those with disabilities across areas such as dressing and grooming, showering and continence management, hand and hair care, bathroom assistance and further specialised support.

Our focus is on ensuring people accessing personal care feel safe, supported and happy with the service they receive. This means all supports are tailored to individual needs, with a key focus on serving locals within Melbourne through personal care resources and support.

Enquire about our services

SAI Home and Community Care works with a wide range of clients across Melbourne to provide care 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. With carers (or support workers) who are fully qualified to support our clients, our focus is on maintaining independence with dignity and respect. Each of our staff members are committed to providing exceptional service within the comfort of your home.

If you’re looking to access personal care services, don’t hesitate to reach out to our Care Service team. They’re the best in the business and can help you find the support you need, so you can go about each day refreshed, ready and engaged with your wider community. Contact us so we can learn more about your needs.