u/Suspicious_Parsnip61

I’m self managed and thought of maybe going private instead of using a platform. Permanent part time (not casual) is what I keep coming back to. Guaranteed hours, they get paid leave, and honestly the idea of one person who actually knows me and my routine and needs instead of a rotating cast sounds so much better.

But I keep wondering what I’m not seeing. Has anyone actually done this? For what it’s worth my core assistance with daily living is flexible and I am looking at roughly 15 hours per week plus hiring a private cleaner for 2 hours per week. Also I am very comfortable with keeping up with admin and finance 👍

I’ve just had my first NDIS plan approved and I’m now trying to work out what supports are actually going to be useful for me in real life.

One of the things discussed was personal care, around 1 hour a day. My funding is Core flexible, so I’m trying to understand what that could actually look like, not just what it says on paper.

Showering/personal care difficulties were part of my access evidence, but I’m still trying to work out what kind of help would actually help. I don’t know yet whether I need help with showering itself, or whether it’s more the things around it — getting set up, towels/clothes ready, hair brushing or detangling, help afterwards, or just getting the bathroom tidied afterwards.

I’m finding the idea of shower support pretty vulnerable, so I’d really appreciate hearing how this works in real life.

For participants:

What does shower or personal care support look like for you?
Did you start with help outside the bathroom before any hands-on help?
How did you get used to having someone involved in such a private task?
Were there routines or boundaries that made it feel less awkward?

For support workers:

How do you usually help someone with showering while still protecting their privacy and dignity?
Is it normal to help with things like setup, hair brushing, towels/clothes, bathroom reset, etc. rather than physically washing the person?
What helps make the routine calm and not awkward?

I’m not asking anyone to share anything they’re not comfortable with. I’m just trying to get my head around what this can look like before I start arranging support.

Thanks to anyone willing to share.

Oh and I am 51 and on NDIS due to RA/Fibro I have severe chronic pain that is disabling and I am an ambulatory wheelchair user both outside and inside the home.