It has been said that nutrition plays an important role in the first 1000 days of life as this stage is very crucial in determining the long-term health of a person. Studies show that the current health status or condition of a person is related to the first 1000 days of life or the first 2 years of life This means that nutrition has a big role to act during this phase, as others may term it as a unique window of opportunity to help reduce or eliminate any long term health that may develop in the future.
Nutrition and disability are directly related to each other. It is important to monitor the nutrition of those living with disabilities as it is a given fact that people with disabilities are at risk of nutritional problems and therefore access to dietetic services for this group is very crucial. The NDIA acknowledges the importance of dieticians in terms of providing care for the health and wellness of the participants.
Who is a dietician and what is the scope of his/her responsibilities :
A dietician is someone who takes charge of all the aspects of food and nutritional care of an individual. They are experts in the field of food and nutrition as they have studied dietetics involving food and nutritional science, nutrition education, and medical nutrition therapy. To name some of the services that dieticians may offer :
· Provides treatment
· Counsel special dietary modifications
· Provides nutritional assessment
· Therapy
· Provides advice to overcome mealtime anxiety and stress
· Provides advice to address underweight and overweight issues
· Dietary information and advice
· Provides clinical assessment
· Provides recommendation for provision of aids like eating utensils
· Provides assessment of modifications to the home environment
· Provides meal preparation appropriate to the dietary requirements of the participant -recipe development and resources
· Management of food allergies
· Management of food intolerances
· Creating visual tools and educational materials to support meal planning
· Education on planning and preparing of meals, and shopping lists
What are the benefits of the above-mentioned nutritional interventions?
· Improved food and fluid consumption
· Better immunity
· Improved nutritional status
· Lower rates of hospitalization
· Improved overall health and well-being
· Improved relationship with food and nutrition
· Improved quality of life
Ever wondered if you should go to a dietician or a nutritionist? A lot has struggled to distinguish between the two and has caused confusion. We came across an article (source: https://eduadvisor.my/articles/major-differences-between-a-dietitian-and-a-nutritionist/) which cited the difference between the two:
1. Dietitians work with healthy and sick people while nutritionists are limited to healthy individuals only
2.The term “dietitian” is regulated while “nutritionist” is not
3. Both study similar subjects at the start but deviate towards the later part of the degree
4. Dietitians and nutritionists work in different workplaces
We hope that this has shed light and clear any cloud of doubt within you. Let us now discuss how to access funding from the NDIS.
When dealing with dietitians, it is important to know the health issues not covered by the NDIS funding.
Dieticians and the NDIS:
The relevant NDIS budgets which pay for the service/s rendered by a dietician are as follows:
Core supports
Assistance with daily living which includes assistance with meal preparation.
Consumables budgets cover the purchase of feeding sets, specialized utensils, feeding tubes and accessories, nutrition formula, oral nutrition supplements, and food thickeners.
Capacity Building supports
Capacity Building supports if one of your future goals is to independently plan and make your own healthy meals, then you may use this funding to pay for your dietician.
If you think you will greatly benefit from having a dietician, talk to your LAC or support coordinator to get you started TODAY.
Do you have a plan and in need of a reputable dietician? Get Plan Managed with Yogi Care and access both NDIS-registered and non-registered service providers.
