A confusing question at a difficult age

Turning 65 raises a genuinely confusing question for a lot of people already receiving NDIS supports, or newly navigating disability and ageing at the same time. Does NDIS still apply, or does everything shift over to the aged care system? The short answer is it depends on when someone entered the NDIS, but the details matter enough that it’s worth understanding properly rather than assuming.

If you’re already an NDIS participant

If someone was already an NDIS participant before turning 65, they generally have the choice to stay on the NDIS for as long as they continue to meet the eligibility requirements, rather than being automatically moved into aged care. This matters because NDIS and aged care funding work quite differently. NDIS supports are built around individual goals and reasonable and necessary support, while aged care funding, through programs like Home Care Packages, tends to operate with more fixed funding tiers and a different assessment process altogether.

If you’re approaching 65 without NDIS access

For someone approaching 65 who isn’t yet an NDIS participant, the situation is different. Generally, new access requests to the NDIS need to be made before turning 65, since the scheme’s standard access requirements include an age limit for new participants. Missing that window typically means the aged care system becomes the primary pathway for support, which is why it’s worth seeking advice well before the birthday itself if there’s any chance disability supports might be needed.

How the two systems differ in practice

The practical differences between the two systems go beyond just funding structure:

• NDIS plans are typically reviewed and can be adjusted based on changing goals and circumstances, with a strong emphasis on capacity building and skill development.
• Aged care funding tends to focus more on maintaining safety and independence at a stable level, rather than building new skills, reflecting a different underlying philosophy about what support is meant to achieve at different life stages.

Getting advice specific to your situation

Given how much is riding on the specific timing and circumstances involved, this is genuinely one of those situations where general information only goes so far. A provider experienced in both systems can walk through someone’s specific situation, when they turned or will turn 65, what support they currently receive, and what their goals actually are, and help figure out which pathway genuinely serves them better, rather than leaving families to work out the technicalities alone during an already stressful transition.