Watch Matilda's story below: When Matilda was diagnosed with dementia a few years ago, her whānau knew straight away what mattered most helping her stay in her own home in Ōpōtiki for as long as possible. She’s always been strong-willed (and still is!), and with her health otherwise in good shape, the family wanted to make sure she could keep her independence, while still having the right support around her. That’s where her son Chris stepped in. With the help of SupportNet,

Managing your own disability support funding can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. At Manawanui, New Zealand’s first and most trusted Individualised Funding (IF) host, we make self-managing your disability supports simple, flexible, and empowering. What is Individualised Funding (IF)? IF allows you to decide how, when, and who delivers your support services, giving you choice and control. Whether you’re new to self-management or looking to switch IF hosts, Manawan

In New Zealand, funded support for our elderly and disabled comes in a few different forms. Individualised Funding (IF) and Home Based Agency Care offer different approaches to disability support, each with its own benefits. Here’s a breakdown of how they compare: Benefits of Individualised Funding (IF) Individualised Funding (IF) is built on a simple principle: the people closest to the care needs are best placed to decide how those needs should be met. IF provides funding d

Individualised funding works best when you understand how to make it work to suit your needs. Let's take a look at the path towards self-directed funding.  Step 1:  Have a needs assessment A needs assesment may be done through your DHB or Ministry of Health NASC. Visit www.whaikaha.govt.nz for services near you.  Be prepared to talk about ALL the support you need – perhaps provide them with what a typical day and week looks like and how you need to be supported. If you need

With financial support now available for NZQA training, there’s never been a better time for support workers to upskill and get qualifications that really count.   Getting a Certificate in Health and Wellbeing is a really useful qualification for support workers who are focused on self-directed support and is a great way to boost the confidence and skills of your staff while they support you. At Manawanui, we want to make things as easy for you and your support workers. We ha

Respite supports full-time carers of a person with a disability to take a temporary break from caregiving and provide the person with a positive experience. Who can get IF Respite? People who are eligible for Ministry of Health funded disability supports and who have been allocated Respite supports by the NASC. People who are eligible for DHB funded disability support and have a Respite allocation. Who can provide Respite services? Host family including family members from wi

Get choice, flexibility and control over how you use your funding and who provides your support to live the life you want. Long time Manawanui customer, Jaden Movold has done exactly this, and blown us away with his achievements. Find out more about Individualised Funding» Jaden is an ambassador, athlete, paralympian, leader, advocate and fundraiser. He encompasses a positive can-do spirit despite facing disability challenges every day. Living with Spina Bifida and a rare con

Michelle overcomes her fear of individualised funding For years the thought of individualised funding scared Michelle Smith. In August last year, she finally decided to take the plunge. She shares her journey with In Touch Magazine.  When I was first approached by my needs assessor Kelly about individualised funding nearly four years ago, I immediately said no. The thought of it scared me. I had spoken to people about it in the past, but the idea of employing staff, dealing w

As Individualised Funding started gaining real traction 6 years ago, Manawanui wanted to understand its effectiveness and cost benefits over more traditional care support models. We commissioned Dovetail to run independent research to review the care and support costs of clients using the Individualised Funding model (IF) versus those using non-IF funding options. The research company found IF is more cost-efficient and more ‘stable’ than non-IF funding for similar care needs