NDIS Bathing and Dressing Assistance in Melbourne

Showering and getting dressed are the tasks people most often want help with first, and the ones where the difference between adequate and good support is felt most immediately.

Bathing and showering

• Safe transfers into and out of the shower or bath
• Washing, or assistance with the parts you cannot manage
• Hair washing and drying
• Thorough drying, particularly skin folds, to prevent skin breakdown
• Applying prescribed creams, emollients and skin treatments
• Support using shower chairs, bath boards, transfer benches and rails
• Bed baths where showering is not possible

Dressing

• Choosing clothing appropriate to the weather and the day ahead
• Putting on and taking off clothing, including difficult fastenings
• Compression garments and stockings, which are genuinely hard to fit correctly
• Support with orthotics, prosthetics and splints
• Footwear, including where swelling or sensitivity affects fit
• Adaptive clothing and dressing aids that increase what you can do unassisted

Equipment that increases independence

A surprising amount of dependence in bathing and dressing is equipment-related rather than ability-related. A shower chair, a long-handled sponge, a sock aid, a button hook, a dressing stick or magnetic and Velcro fastenings can each move a task from impossible to manageable.

An occupational therapist can assess for these, and the assessment often pays for itself in reduced support hours — but more importantly in the difference between doing something yourself and having it done to you. If you have not had an OT look at your bathroom and your dressing routine, it is worth arranging.

Water temperature and safety

Where sensation is reduced — through spinal cord injury, neuropathy, diabetes or other conditions — water temperature must be checked by the worker every time, not assumed. Scalding is a serious and entirely preventable injury, and it is the reason temperature checking should be written into your support plan rather than left to habit.

How it is funded

Bathing and dressing assistance is funded from Core Supports under Assistance with Daily Life, as part of personal care. Equipment such as shower chairs and dressing aids is usually funded from Capital Supports as assistive technology, following an OT assessment.

Common questions

Can I request a worker of the same gender?
Yes. For intimate personal care this is a reasonable request and should be accommodated without you needing to explain why.

What if my bathroom is not accessible?
That is worth addressing directly rather than working around indefinitely. See our home modifications page — bathroom modifications are among the most commonly funded, and they change daily life more than most.

Can I have help in the evening rather than the morning?
Yes. Some people prefer showering at night, and support should follow your preference rather than a roster default.