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Disability support

If you are assessed by a needs assessor at your District Health Board (DHB) or Needs Assessment Service Co-ordination (NASC) agency as needing disability support, you may be entitled to a package of funded assistance including:
  • personal care (eg help with toileting or bathing)
  • home help (eg cleaning, meal preparation)
  • equipment
  • housing modifications
  • communications assistance, such as help towards the cost of hearing aids.

The amount of assistance will depend on your assessed level of need.

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Disability support contacts

District Health Boards

Health and disability services for older people are funded by District Health Boards. For more information about disability support services in your area, contact your local DHB (see your local phone book for contact details).

Disability Information and Advice

The Ministry of Health funds a number of organisations throughout the country to provide disability information and advice (DIAS). Some of these services are individual regional organisations while others provide information through a national network.

A DIAS provides information on both Ministry and non-Ministry funded disability support services and how you can find them.

You can find DIAS organisations on the Ministry of Health website or by contacting your local Needs Assessment Service Co-ordination (NASC) agency.  Some DIAS are also listed under Personal Help Services - Health - at the front of the white pages or under "D" in the white pages. Your doctor should also be able to help you find a DIAS organisation that can meet your needs.

Environmental Support Services (ESS)

Environmental Support Services are a range of services funded by the Ministry of Health for:

  • equipment such as wheelchairs, hoists, hearing aids, cochlear implants, spectacles
  • housing modifications such as door widening, ramp access and level access showers
  • modifications and purchase of vehicles.

The Ministry of Health contracts two agencies to manage Environmental Support Services. They are:

  • Accessable for people living in the Auckland/Northland region. Accessable can be contacted on 0508 001 002.  
  • Enable New Zealand for people living in the rest of New Zealand. Enable New Zealand can be contacted on 0800 171 981.  

For these services you will have to be assessed by a specialised assessor to determine what you will require, whether you will be eligible for Ministry of Health funded support, and to recommend equipment or modifications.

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