Caring With Heart: A Day in the Life at AU PLUSCARING
- gmaldonado64
- Sep 20
- 3 min read
Before the first light touches the streets of Western Sydney, the kettle clicks off in the staff room. The day’s plan is already on the table—names protected, goals clearly outlined, and a shared understanding among our team: we move at the participant’s pace, not ours.
At AU PLUSCARING, our work as an NDIS provider in NSW rarely makes headlines. It doesn’t need to. The real stories—of independence, routine, and choice—unfold quietly. They sound like, “How would you like to do this today?” and often end with, “That was your win.”
Morning: Confidence in Motion
Amina is a young adult living with social anxiety and sensory processing sensitivity. She experiences distress in unfamiliar environments and crowded spaces and has previously required full support for community access.
Amina has been working toward a goal for weeks: riding the bus to her local library—alone. We’ve walked the route together, practised tapping the Opal card, identified the right bus number, and rehearsed the phrases she prefers when she needs to ask for help. It’s not about memorising instructions. It’s about feeling safe enough to try.
This morning, I get a text: “Today might be the day.”
We meet early at the bus stop. She’s calm, rehearsed, focused. We agree on the plan: she’ll lead every step, and I’ll stay close—but invisible. The bus pulls up, exhales. She taps on, heads to her favourite seat, glances at me just once, and moves forward. I stay behind.
Twenty minutes later:
“Here.”
A photo follows—Amina standing in the cooking section of the library, holding a book.
It’s not the journey that matters. It’s the confidence. Not the destination, but the independence.
She browses recipes while we talk about her next step: inviting a friend next time, trying the return trip solo. With her permission, I record the milestone in her notes. Nothing dramatic. Just a world growing larger—on her terms.
Midday: One Calm Start at a Time
Tom is a man in his late 30s with an intellectual disability and diagnosed autism spectrum disorder. He becomes overwhelmed by unstructured routines, especially in the mornings, which previously triggered anxiety and task refusal.
By noon, I’m across town at a Supported Independent Living (SIL) home. Tom greets me at the door—early, as always when he’s excited or unsure.
Mornings used to overwhelm him: too many choices, too fast. So together, we built what he now calls his “Morning Calm” routine. He chose the music—a short playlist of calming tracks—and we structured the morning around them:
Kettle. Toast. Medication. Dishes.
“Track two is tea,” he tells me today, stirring his cup in sync with the beat.
At first, we used laminated cards on the fridge. Now, most of the sequence lives in his memory. He adds a song sometimes, skips one other days. The routine is predictable—but flexible. Because it’s his.
This is what SIL can be: not about managing time, but creating space within it. Not about filling a day, but empowering someone to shape it, song by song, step by step.
Late Afternoon: Joined-Up Support
Behind the scenes, our team does the quiet work:
Writing support notes that make sense to the people they’re about
Reporting only what’s relevant and consented
Collaborating with families and Support Coordinators to ensure goals don’t get lost between services
We speak the language of the NDIS Practice Standards—not in jargon, but in action:
Asking before assisting
Respecting privacy
Using plain, respectful communication
Adapting communication formats so that every person has a voice
Whether it’s a solo bus ride, a calm routine, or a clear support note—we move at the participant’s pace.
Quiet Wins
At AU PLUSCARING, the work isn’t flashy. It’s not designed for social media highlights or headlines.
It’s Amina’s steady breath at the bus stop.
It’s Tom choosing his own pace for the morning.
It’s a staff note written in clear, simple words.
These are the quiet wins that shape real lives.
And for us? That’s exactly what caring with heart looks like.
How We Can Help
Are you a Support Coordinator, Recovery Coach, or NDIS decision-maker seeking reliable, participant-centred support in Sydney?
Whether your participants are working toward greater independence, preparing for community access, or navigating daily living within a SIL arrangement — we walk alongside them with care, consistency, and professionalism.
Let’s talk about what matters to them — and how we can shape the next step together.
Contact AU PLUSCARING
Contact Information
Oscar Garcia General Manager M: +61 240 620 904
Privacy & Practice
All names and details in this story have been changed and shared with permission. AU Plus Caring adheres to the NDIS Code of Conduct, the NDIS Practice Standards, and our privacy and confidentiality policies.
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