NDIS is the short form for National Disability Insurance Scheme is an initiative of the Australian government that provides funding for the cost of living for people with disability. The legislation for this scheme happened in 2013 but the actual operation started in 2020.
This scheme is designed to provide funding that enables disabled people to have more time with their families and also get the necessary support they need. This support is meant to give them greater independence in all aspects of their lives thereby improving the quality of their lives.
One of the aspects that NDIS can help people with disabilities is the aspect of food prep and every task associated with meal prep. However, there are conditions for qualification for this funding. You can visit this site: https://ourguidelines.ndis.gov.au/ for more information.
In this article, we will share tips on how to leverage the NDIS funding for meal delivery and how to get the best company to do the delivery.
Basic Conditions to Qualify for NDIS Funding for Nutrition Support
Every nutritionist will tell you that the right type of food or nutrition is the first and best line of defense against sickness, disease, and allergies. Therefore everyone must eat right. Now imagine how important it is for people living with disability to eat right.
The NDIS has a nutrition support scheme that includes getting a dietician to create individual meal plans or provision nutritional supplements. On the other hand, it could be getting someone that will help you follow the meal plan. For people whose condition makes it difficult to plan, go shopping for, and prepare their meals, the scheme will provide funding for the support system that will do the job. In some cases, the beneficiaries of the scheme may need to have their meals prepared by approved food vendors and delivered to them.
So the basic condition for qualification for the above nutrition support includes but is not limited to the following:-
- People who cannot go shopping for their food, or cook and clean up after preparing their meals.
- People who find it difficult to plan their meals or follow instructions for preparing the meals in their nutrition plan.
- People who can’t feed through their mouth but have to be fed intravenously or through medical interventions. Click here to understand this condition better.
Simple Steps for Ordering from an NDIS Meal Provider in Sydney
Since this scheme is designed to fund support for people living with disabilities, the major driving force of the scheme is the support providers. These service providers are registered in different categories with the commission. In this case, now, the providers we are focusing on are food service providers.
These food service providers ensure that they provide meals that meet the criteria and standards of the dieticians and nutritionists that oversee the ‘patients’.
The following are steps to take if you want to order from an NDIS meal provider:-
- Get an inquiry form from the website of your preferred vendor/provider, fill it out, and submit it. In the form, you will be required to give information about your NDIS plan so that the provider can confirm your eligibility.
- After confirmation by the provider, you choose the approved meals for your dietary needs or based on what you prefer.
- Take delivery of your meal!
How to Choose the Best NDIS Meal Provider
Seeing that this is not your regular food vendor, can be sure that the criteria for choosing a meal provider will surely be different. To get the best NDIS Meal provider in Sydney, you have to pay attention to certain factors. Below are some of the factors to consider before making a choice:-
- Ensure that you find out the method of food preparation especially if you opt for frozen meals. The best method to look out for if you choose frozen meals is Snap Frozen Meals. You might also decide to go for freshly made meals which means that your meals will be delivered daily. Note that this may affect the cost of your meals so check your plan and be sure of what your funding covers and what it doesn’t.
- Look out for only providers that adhere strictly to the meal plans designed by participants’ dieticians or doctors.
- Check out the kind of ingredients they use; of course, they must be of the highest quality.
- Look out for personalized service and not a provider that does a one-meal-fit –all type of service.
- Make sure the provider has a culture of timely delivery.
- Look out for flexibility; they must be able to quickly adapt to a change in meal plan or time of delivery.
Conclusion
If you or any of your loved ones is a participant in the National Disability Insurance Scheme, you owe it to yourself or that loved one, to get conversant with every aspect of the scheme. One very important aspect you mustn’t play with is nutrition. That is why we have shared the above information; feel free to share them with those concerned and also bear them in mind going forward.
