NDIS Capacity Building: Improved Health and Wellbeing

Your NDIS Capacity Building plan is there to assist you in the development and training of critical life skills, so you can actively participate in decision-making, shape your future, live a more independent life, improve and expand your social relationships, and contribute to your community. NDIS Capacity Building focuses on the individual’s specific needs related to your handicap and provides funding for vital education in life skills, helping you continue to grow and live a more independent and meaningful life. 

The Improved Health & Wellbeing portion of your NDIS plan offers the assistance of professional exercise physiologists, personal trainers, and dieticians to help you identify your specific physical exercise and dietary needs. Experienced exercise and diet specialists teach you and your caregivers the skills essential to improving and maintaining your health and wellbeing. These health experts help you better understand and manage your nutritional and physical exercise needs.

The Improved Health and Wellbeing category in your NDIS Capacity Building plan is there to assist you in understanding the significant health impact of your disability, assessing your diet and physical activity needs, and gaining the skills to help you build and live a healthier life. Qualified health professionals can assess, advise, and assist you in developing an individualized diet and exercise plan to improve your health and wellbeing.

NDIS Capacity Building For Your Physical Wellbeing

Balance and mobility challenges are common in people with disabilities. The Improved Health and Wellbeing supports included in your NDIS Capacity Building plan provide funding for the services of specialized allied health professionals to assist with your physical and mobility challenges. These experts have the training, skills, and qualifications to assess, plan, implement, and evaluate safe and effective physical activity and exercise for people with a wide range of physical, neurological, and intellectual disabilities. NDIS supports include qualified exercise physiologists and personal trainers to help you maintain and strengthen your physical fitness, improve your mobility capabilities, and empower you to lead a more healthy independent life.

What Is An Exercise Physiologist 

An exercise physiologist is a highly skilled allied health professional trained in the structure, function, and movement of the human body.  An NDIS-qualified exercise physiologist must complete a four-year undergraduate course specializing in exercise science and physiology, be accredited with Exercise and Sports Science Australia, and be registered as a service provider of the NDIS. They can assess your individual needs and prescribe a science-based exercise program designed to improve your physical wellbeing and motivate you to live a healthier lifestyle. 

An exercise physiologist works with people of all disabilities and ages by:

• Improving your physical abilities
• Teaching you the skills needed to exercise safely and independently
• Encouraging your independence
• Building your self-confidence
• Expanding your ability to participate at home, school, work, and in your community
• Improving your health and wellbeing

Who Can An Exercise Physiologist Help

Movement disorders and physical challenges are common in individuals with a variety of disabilities. You may experience difficulties with weakness in muscle tone, muscle spasticity, fine and gross motor skill function, coordination, posture, balance, or mobility. These problems can interfere with your ability to perform normal everyday activities. Simple dressing tasks of tying shoelaces, pulling on a pair of pants, or doing up buttons on your shirt require fine motor skills and become a barrier to your independence. The capability to stand, maintain your balance or sit upright in a chair for long periods can affect your ability to prepare a meal, clean your home, attend a class, participate in sports, engage in family activities, or take part in your community. 

Working directly with you and your caregivers, the NDIS exercise physiologist is dedicated to restoring, maintaining, and improving your mobility and function. They help people with all types of disabilities to determine their health goals, reach their full potential of independence, and improve their quality of life. Your NDIS exercise physiologist will assess your disability-related exercise needs, develop a safe and appropriate plan of treatment, utilize proven and effective exercise and therapy techniques, train you and your caregivers on how to exercise safely and independently, and evaluate your progress. Your NDIS exercise physiologist is there to motivate and support you in reaching your exercise and fitness goals.  

Exercise physiologists work with a wide range of disabilities 

• Physical and sensory impaired
• Mental health conditions
• Traumatic and acquired brain injury
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Muscular dystrophy
• Cerebral Palsy
• Spinal cord injury
• Juvenile arthritis
• Heart disease
• Stroke
• Cancer 
• Fibromyalgia
• Musculoskeletal diseases
• Neuromuscular diseases
• Diabetes 
• Autism spectrum disorder
• Intellectual disabilities
• Developmental delayed
• Chronic pain management
• Chronic fatigue 

How An Exercise Physiologist Can Help You

Exercise physiologists are highly trained and skilled in the assessment and management of physical disabilities and movement disorders. A specialized health professional offering expert assessment, strategy, instruction, and supervision of your treatment interventions. They will apply their unique knowledge to thoroughly assess your disability-related physical needs to design and implement a safe and evidence-based exercise intervention plan to meet your NDIS improved health and wellbeing goals. 

NDIS-qualified exercise physiologists can provide

• Screening and analysis of physical developmental delays
• Assessment and treatment of the gross and fine motor skills
• Management of muscle weakness or muscle spasticity problems 
• Evaluation of current mobility status and needs
• Training for safe and effective ambulation and transfers
• Posture and coordination coaching
• Balance training strategies designed for your specific needs
• Exercise plans to improve and maintain physical strength
• Movement pattern retraining
• Injury rehabilitation programs
• Manual Therapy for joints, muscles, and neural tissues
• Contrast therapy utilizing heat and cold treatments 
• Functional task training to make exercise a natural part of everyday life 
• Pain management techniques

Where Can An NDIS Exercise Physiologist Work

An NDIS exercise physiologist is part of the health and medical sector and works in a variety of places including, in-home, in a community group, health center, fitness facility, or via telehealth. Sessions can be private or in a group. 

Your NDIS exercise physiologist will 

• Provide a detailed assessment based on your specific disability-related goals, medical history, your current level of function, and fitness capability
• Design an individualized therapy and exercise strategy utilizing proven treatments and techniques 
• Teach you and your caregivers how to follow your plan safely and effectively
• Evaluate your progress and offer advice to improve your outcomes
• Provide vital support for you and your caregivers ensuring your success in meeting your NDIS physical wellbeing goals

What Is An NDIS Personal Trainer 

A personal trainer is an allied health professional with specialized training in creating individualized-based exercise programs, helping to set and reach realistic fitness goals, and leading exercise classes. An NDIS-qualified professional trainer must have a level III or IV certificate in Fitness, or a diploma in exercise science or human movement, and be registered as a service provider of the NDIS. The NDIS personal trainer is dedicated to providing safe and supportive exercise for people with mental, neurological, or physical disabilities.

Why Fitness Is For Everyone

Adequate physical activity plays a critical part in your bone strength, cardiovascular health, respiratory function, cognitive condition, healthy weight management, mental health status, and your general wellbeing. Research has shown that individuals with physical disabilities or movement disorders are at greater risk of low levels of physical activity and exercise.  

This decreased daily physical activity can have a devastating impact on your health and wellbeing. A negative cycle of sedentary life begins. The harmful influences of inactivity affect weight gain or loss, interrupted and reduced sleep, changes in appetite, diminishing strength and fitness, declining cognitive function, loss of interest, and increasing isolation. As a result, sedentary life and a dependence on others grow. For many people with disabilities, exercise or physical activities can be difficult, embarrassing, frightening, and overwhelming. 

An NDIS-qualified personal trainer can provide you with fitness and exercise services in a variety of non-intimidating, safe, and comfortable environments. You can receive expert fitness instruction in the privacy of your own home, a private studio, community center, physical therapy facility, or public gym. Choose the type of fitness experience that best fits your disability-related needs with options in private, semi-private, small groups, or virtual. 

How An NDIS Personal Trainer Can Help You

The knowledge of general fitness, motivational techniques, and supportive instruction make exercise fun and effective with an NDIS personal trainer. Fitness is for everyone and your NDIS Improved Health and Wellbeing supports provide access to a personal trainer to help you reach your disability-related fitness goals. An NDIS personal trainer can accommodate and support all disabilities and needs with a customized fitness and exercise program designed in partnership with your exercise physiologist or doctor.

NDIS-qualified personal trainers can 

• Design and lead your personalized fitness program
• Instruct you in safe and effective exercise technique
• Provide motivation and support for your personal fitness goals
• Build your general fitness and strength
• Support your participation in other sports and recreational activities

NDIS Capacity Building For Your Nutritional Wellbeing

Your NDIS Capacity Building plan focuses on your disability-related support needs to develop and improve your abilities in self-care, lifelong learning, decision making, self-determination, and social inclusion. Dietetic services are an important part of your NDIS Capacity Building plan.

Understanding Dietetics 

 Dietetics is the science and understanding of what we eat and how it affects our health. It looks at our food needs and habits from the physical, psychological, economical, and cultural perspectives of the individual. It provides vital information about the importance of making the best dietary choices possible and promoting a healthier life. 

What Is A Dietician?

A dietician is a healthcare professional educated in the science of food and nutrition. An NDIS-qualified dietician must complete a recognized and approved university degree in dietetics, be accredited and practicing with the Dieticians Association of Australia, and be registered as an NDIS service provider. Experts in human nutrition and diet using evidence-based science to design food and nutrition strategies to improve and maintain your NDIS Improved Health and Wellbeing goals.

How Can An NDIS Dietician Help You?

An NDIS dietician is uniquely trained as both a nutritionist and a dietician, giving them an in-depth understanding of your nutritional health needs. They will help you understand more about the food you need, how your eating habits impact your health and improve the way you eat. Your diet and nutrition play an important role in your overall health and wellbeing and your NDIS dietician can offer the critical diet advice you need.

Your NDIS dietician will

• Provide a detailed nutritional needs assessment considering your medical history, current diet, lifestyle, and health goals
• Help to understand your eating habits
• Develop a personalized nutrition and eating plan
• Teach you to prepare meals yourself
• Offer healthy eating advice
• Show you healthy food shopping skills
• Plan and support weight loss and weight gain program
• Create meal plans to manage specific health conditions and meet your disability-related needs
• Give expert advice to treat gastrointestinal disorders and diet-related illnesses through healthy eating habits and nutrition
•  Assist in the management of food allergies
• Develop customized diets for chewing and swallowing difficulties
• Share effective strategies to reduce mealtime stress

 The goal of NDIS Capacity Building supports is to assist you in increasing your self-management skills and empowering you to live a healthier and more independent life.

 Your Improved Health and Wellbeing services include qualified exercise physiologists, personal trainers, and dieticians to help you reach those goals. Their expert advice and training can help you build and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

The CareSide offers a wide range of NDIS support services. Our professional and compassionate staff is experienced in working with individuals of all disabilities and ages. We can assist you in reaching your NDIS plan goals and living a healthier, happier life.

If Support Coordination would be helpful, it may be part of your Capacity Building budget. This provides a set amount of funding to assist you in coordinating and receiving the NDIS supports you need. The knowledgeable and compassionate staff at The CareSide can help.