What is a needs assessment?
A needs assessment is an important step in understanding whether residential care is the right decision, and if so, the level of care that is needed.
A needs assessment is for people who may no longer be able to live safely at home, even with support. The visit provides the opportunity to discuss you or your family member’s needs with a trained professional who can help guide the next steps.
After your GP referral
Once you’ve spoken to your GP, they can refer you to your local NASC (Needs Assessment and Service Coordination) service. The NASC team will then contact you to arrange a visit and begin the assessment process.
If you’d prefer to start the process yourself, or would like to learn more, you can contact your local NASC directly. The New Zealand NASC Association website is a helpful place to find the right contact in your area. A needs assessment can only go ahead with your agreement, to ensure you're fully involved in the process.
What to expect from the visit
A NASC assessor will meet with you and your family, (usually at home or in a familiar setting) to talk about your current health and wellbeing, daily routine, and any support you already have in place. They’ll work closely with you and your family/whānau to understand:
- How you're coping day-to-day
- What type of support you may need
- Whether it’s safe to continue living independently
- Moving into a care home (rest home) might be the next step
As part of the needs assessment, the needs assessor will also:
- Explain the disability support services available to help you remain at home, if appropriate
- Clarify which services are publicly funded, eligibility and which services may have a cost
- Work with you to create a care plan that supports your independence, if you're managing safely at home
Everyone’s needs are different
No two people are the same. Based on the findings of the needs assessment, the NASC team will recommend the most appropriate level of care,
such as:
- Rest home level care: Day-to-day support with personal care, meals, and everyday tasks
- Hospital level care: Care for people with more complex medical needs, provided by a team of professionals in a care home setting
- Dementia level care: Specialist support in a secure, environment for people living with dementia, to help them feel safe and understood
- Psychogeriatric level care: 24-hour care in a secure setting for older people with advanced dementia or significant behavioural and mental health needs
Each level of care provides different support, depending on the person’s health and wellbeing.
What happens next?
Once your needs assessment is complete, you’ll have a clearer understanding of the level of care that’s right for you or your family member. From here, the next step is creating a personalised action plan - a practical guide to help you move forward with confidence, whether that means arranging residential care or continuing to live at home with extra support.
You can find out more in Step 3: Creating an action plan.
