In the process of applying for the NDIS, you may have seen the words ‘functional capacity assessment’ and have wondered what it all means!
A full Functional Capacity Assessment is not required during the application process for NDIS funding, as there are various ways you can demonstrate the impact of your disability – such as a supporting letter from a treating health professional, detailing how your disability impacts your daily life.
Commonly abbreviated to FCA, essentially it explains what’s going on currently, and where to go next for you. It assesses your current unmet needs and then usually provides an outline of what support could be put into place to help you achieve your goals.
It can also give you some really good ideas about what to spend your NDIS funding on!
FCA’s are done by occupational therapists (OT’s) and usually take place in your home, which is where the majority of people need the most help.
A full assessment can take around 10 hours to complete, so it’s likely that it will be completed over a few sessions with the OT, to make sure that every area is covered, and you can get all the help and support you need. It’s often recommended that once your funding has been approved, you request funding specifically for a full FCA during your first planning meeting, with an OT.
Our OT’s are experienced and highly knowledgeable, and able to advise on many different supports for areas such as:
- Mobility and transfers
- Showering, toileting, dressing and personal hygiene
- General household tasks and chores – such as shopping, gardening, cleaning and money management etc
- Feeding/eating
- General access of your home
Based on the information the OT has from the assessment, they can make recommendations about the most suitable services, home adaptations and any assistive technology that would be beneficial (which could be anything from an electronic kitchen utensils to a stair lift).
If you would like more information, or want to book in to have an appointment with one of our OT’s, head to www.lifereadymobile.com or give us a call on 1300 832 371, we’d love to help you out!
