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Beyond Diagnoses: How Understanding Impairment in Functioning Revolutionises Disability Support

Split image- left side shows a medical diagnosis of impairment in functioning document, right side shows a person actively participating in daily life activities

Estimated reading time: 6 minutes

I’ve lived with bipolar disorder for years. It’s a rollercoaster, to say the least. But here’s the thing: my diagnosis doesn’t tell the whole story. It’s how my condition affects my daily life that really matters. That’s where “impairment in functioning” comes in. It’s a game-changer in disability support, especially for NDIS participants in Melbourne.

Think about it. Two people can have the same diagnosis but very different lives. One might struggle to get out of bed. The other might hold down a full-time job. The difference? Their level of functional impairment.

In this post, we’ll dive into what impairment in functioning really means. We’ll explore how it shapes NDIS support and why it’s so crucial for everyone in the disability community to understand.

Table of contents

Key Takeaways:

  1. Impairment in functioning focuses on how a condition affects daily life, not just the diagnosis.
  2. Understanding functional impairment is crucial for tailoring NDIS supports effectively.
  3. The NDIS uses functional capacity assessments to determine support needs.
  4. Recognizing impairment in functioning can lead to more personalised and effective disability support.
  5. Both mental and physical conditions can cause functional impairment.

What Is Impairment in Functioning?

Let’s break it down. Impairment in functioning isn’t about your diagnosis. It’s about how your condition affects your daily life. It’s the gap between what you want to do and what you can do.

For example, my bipolar disorder doesn’t just mean mood swings. Some days, it means I can’t concentrate enough to read a book. Or I struggle to interact with others. That’s impairment in functioning.

The World Health Organization (WHO) sees disability in three parts:

  1. Impairment: Problems with body function or structure.
  2. Activity Limitation: Difficulties in executing tasks.
  3. Participation Restriction: Problems with involvement in life situations.

Impairment in functioning covers all these areas. It’s not just about what’s happening in your body. It’s about how it impacts your life.

Why It Matters for NDIS Participants

The NDIS isn’t just about ticking boxes. It’s about improving lives. That’s where understanding impairment in functioning becomes crucial.

When you apply for NDIS support, they don’t just look at your diagnosis. They look at how your condition affects your life. This is called a functional capacity assessment.

For instance, if you have autism, they don’t just note that fact. They look at how it affects your ability to communicate, work, or live independently. This helps them provide the right support for you.

The Revolution in Disability Support

Understanding impairment in functioning is revolutionising disability support. Here’s how:

1. Personalised Support Plans

By focusing on functional impairment, NDIS providers (like The SALT Foundation—you can get support from us here) can tailor support to individual needs. It’s not one-size-fits-all anymore.

2. Better Resource Allocation

Understanding functional impairment helps allocate resources more effectively. Support goes where it’s needed most.

3. Empowering Independence

By addressing specific functional impairments, support can focus on building independence. It’s about enabling, not just helping.

4. Improved Quality of Life

When support targets functional impairments, it can significantly improve quality of life. It addresses the real-life challenges people face.

5. More Accurate Assessments

Focusing on functional impairment provides a more accurate picture of a person’s needs than diagnosis alone.

Impairment in Functioning and Mental Health

Mental health conditions can significantly impact functioning. But it’s not always visible. That’s why understanding functional impairment is so important.

For example, depression might impair your ability to concentrate at work. Anxiety might limit your ability to use public transport. These are functional impairments that need addressing.

The NDIS recognises this. They provide support for psychosocial disability, which is all about functional impairment from mental health conditions.

Physical Conditions and Functional Impairment

A woman with a physical disability using public transport in Melbourne with the help of accessibility features

Of course, physical conditions also cause functional impairment. A spinal cord injury might impair your ability to walk. Arthritis might limit your ability to dress yourself.

The key is understanding how these impairments affect daily life. That’s what shapes NDIS support.

How the NDIS Assesses Functional Impairment

The NDIS uses several tools to assess functional impairment. These include:

  1. The World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS)
  2. The Life Skills Profile (LSP-16)
  3. The Camberwell Assessment of Need Short Appraisal Schedule (CANSAS)

These tools help create a comprehensive picture of a person’s functional capacity. They look at areas like:

  • Self-care
  • Mobility
  • Communication
  • Social interaction
  • Learning
  • Work capacity

This assessment helps determine what support a person needs and how much.

The Role of Support Workers

Support workers play a crucial role in addressing functional impairment. They’re not just there to help. They’re there to enable independence.

For instance, a support worker might help someone with a physical impairment learn to use assistive technology. Or they might help someone with a cognitive impairment develop strategies for managing daily tasks.

Understanding functional impairment helps support workers provide more effective, targeted support.

Conclusion

Understanding impairment in functioning is revolutionising disability support. It’s moving us beyond diagnoses to a more holistic, person-centred approach. For NDIS participants in Melbourne and beyond, this means more effective, personalised support.

Remember, your diagnosis doesn’t define you. It’s how you function in daily life that matters. And that’s what the NDIS is here to support.

Action Steps

  1. If you’re an NDIS participant, think about how your condition affects your daily functioning. This can help in your next planning meeting.
  2. Support workers, consider how you can tailor your support to address specific functional impairments.
  3. Families and carers, learn about functional impairment. It can help you better understand and support your loved one.
  4. Everyone, spread awareness about the importance of understanding functional impairment. It’s key to better disability support.
  5. Read the next article in this series that explains the difference between mental illness and mental health.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: What is functional impairment in psychology?

Functional impairment in psychology refers to how a mental health condition affects a person’s ability to perform daily activities. This can include work, social interactions, self-care, and more.

Q: How can MoCA scores relate to impairment in functioning?

The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) is a tool used to detect cognitive impairment. Lower scores can indicate greater impairment in cognitive functioning, which can affect daily activities like managing finances or following instructions.

Q: How does the NDIS use functional impairment assessments?

The NDIS uses functional impairment assessments to determine what support a person needs. These assessments look at how a person’s condition affects their daily life, not just their medical diagnosis.

Q: Can functional impairment change over time?

Yes, functional impairment can change. It may improve with treatment or support, or it may worsen as a condition progresses. That’s why regular reassessments are important.

Q: How does understanding functional impairment benefit NDIS participants?

Understanding functional impairment helps create more personalised and effective support plans. It ensures that support addresses the specific challenges a person faces in their daily life.