After careful consideration over the past few weeks, I have decided that it is time to make some changes to my weekly support schedule. This has not been a decision that I have made lightly. I have spent a lot of time thinking about what works well, what doesn’t, and how I can make better use of the support I receive each week.
At the end of the day, my support shifts are there to help me achieve my goals, maintain my home, and improve my overall quality of life. While I always want to be fair and respectful to my support workers, I also need to ensure that my NDIS funding is being used effectively and that I am receiving the full benefit of the services it is paying for.
Over the past year or so, it has become quite common for my support workers to finish their allocated tasks well before the end of their scheduled shift. In many cases, I have been happy to let them leave early, particularly if everything that needed to be done had already been completed or if they had somewhere they needed to be. Despite leaving early, they were still paid for the full duration of the shift, as those hours had already been rostered.
Looking back, there have only been a handful of occasions where a support shift has actually run for its full scheduled time. While I have never really minded this in the past, I have realised that it isn’t the best use of my funding or my support hours.
Moving forward, I have decided that this needs to change.
From now on, support shifts will either run for their full allocated time or I will reduce the length of the shifts so they more accurately reflect the amount of work that needs to be completed. Rather than having workers leave early, I would prefer to use any remaining time productively by tackling other tasks that have been sitting on my to-do list for quite some time.
There are plenty of jobs around my home that often get pushed aside because they are not urgent. For example, organising and sorting through the boxes in my garage has been something I have wanted to do for a long time. There are also a couple of rooms in the house that could benefit from a thorough clean-up and reorganisation. These aren’t jobs that can be completed in a single visit, but by using any spare time during regular support shifts, we can gradually work through them over several weeks.
This approach means I will receive the full benefit of my support hours while also making meaningful progress on projects that have otherwise been left untouched.
My Current Support Schedule
- Monday: 9:00 am – 12:00 pm (3 hours) – House Cleaning
- Tuesday: 9:00 am – 2:00 pm (5 hours) – General Support
- Friday: 8:00 am – 1:00 pm (5 hours) – Weekly shopping, chemist run and cooking (AKA: Friday Routine)
- Saturday: 9:00 am – 3:00 pm (6 hours) – Community Access and Outings
- Every 8 Weeks: Yard Maintenance
- Every 6 Weeks: Podiatry Appointment
Proposed Changes
After reviewing each shift, I believe only two days need adjusting.
- Monday: No changes.
- Tuesday: Reduce from 5 hours to 4 hours (9:00 am – 1:00 pm).
- Friday: Reduce from 5 hours to 4 hours (8:00 am – 12:00 pm).
- Saturday: No changes.
- Yard Maintenance: No changes.
- Podiatry: No changes.
These adjustments are relatively small, reducing just one hour from both my Tuesday and Friday shifts. Even with these reduced hours, I am confident that all of the regular tasks can still be completed comfortably without feeling rushed. It also prevents unnecessary downtime while ensuring my funding is being used responsibly.
For me, this isn’t about cutting support simply for the sake of it. It’s about making sure my support package reflects my actual needs. If I don’t require five hours on certain days, then it makes sense to reduce those shifts accordingly rather than paying for time that isn’t being fully utilised.
I believe this change will benefit everyone involved. My support workers will have clearer expectations regarding their rostered hours, I will receive better value from my support funding, and my weekly routine will become more structured and purposeful.
Over the next few days, I will be contacting my support provider to request these changes. They will not take effect immediately, however. I don’t believe it is fair to alter rosters halfway through an already scheduled cycle, so the revised hours will begin after the current roster finishes, which will be in approximately nine days’ time.
Change is never something I rush into, particularly when it involves my support arrangements. However, after giving this considerable thought, I genuinely believe these adjustments are the right decision. My support needs have evolved, and my schedule needs to evolve with them. Sometimes making small changes can lead to much better outcomes in the long run.
As always, thank you for taking the time to read my updates and follow my journey. I truly appreciate your ongoing support.
Until next time, stay safe, have fun, and most importantly, live life to the fullest.
Note: written with the help of ChatGPT
