Do you lose the NDIS at age 65?
What is your NDIS eligibility over 65?
Reaching the age of 65 can bring a lot of changes in our lives, including changes in healthcare needs and support requirements. It’s the age where you become eligible for government funded aged care services (although it’s 50 years old for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people). It’s also the age where you can no longer apply for the NDIS.
What do you do if you’re already on the NDIS? Do you lose the NDIS at age 65? In this blog, we’re answering some of those common questions.
What are the NDIS age limitations?
To be eligible for the NDIS, you must be younger than 65 on the day you apply. That means the form needs to be received and accepted by the NDIS at least one day before your 65th birthday.
If you’re older than 65, you need to check whether you are eligible for funding through My Aged Care.
Do you lose the NDIS when you’re over 65?
No, not if you don’t want to. If you’re already a NDIS participant when you turn 65, you can continue to receive your NDIS funding, as long as you meet the eligibility criteria.
If you were already living in aged care before 65, you can choose to stay in the NDIS after you turn 65. However, if you start to receive permanent Aged Care funded services like home care, you will need to leave the NDIS. Similarly, if you decide to go into aged care after turning 65, you will need to leave the NDIS and receive your funding from My Aged Care.
Should I stay with the NDIS or receive My Aged Care funded services?
This all depends on your disability, when it first appeared in your life and the level of support you require. The Leading Age Services Australia (LASA) compared the NDIS with the aged care system. In a report released in 2021, they found the range of support and care available to older Australians pales in comparison to the support options available to NDIS participants.
“Overall, we see less funding per aged care recipient and this results in fewer available hours of care when compared with NDIS participants, plus there are limits placed on funding in aged care for reablement, social engagement, behaviour support, care management and assistive technology,” LASA Chief Executive Officer Sean Rooney said.
However, this report was completed around the same time as the Royal Commission into Aged Care was released. The Royal Commission led to several recommendations and improvements in the sector that are still being rolled out.
If you’re not sure whether the NDIS or My Aged Care would work for you, reach out to us at Five Good Friends. Our team are experts in home care and navigating both NDIS and My Aged Care funding. We can talk through your circumstances and come up with the best solution for your needs.
Want to chat about your home care needs? At Five Good Friends, we help people lead engaged and successful lives at home. Give us a call.
