At Ability8, we love working with our customers to help tailor the app to meet their needs. We appreciate that everyone's disability care needs are unique. Which is why feedback that allows us to support our customers better is so important.
Jenny has been using Ability8 for around five years and is one of our earliest customers.
She's given us plenty of ideas to help us customise the app to suit her needs better. Jenny's from Townsville, but now lives on the Sunshine Coast and is a busy mum of three boys. She also cares for her mother, who has dementia. Jenny’s time is valuable. So she uses Ability8 to reduce the amount of manual time spent keeping track of staff and budgets. Jenny uses the Staff Plan to manage Zayne’s disability support workers - with time to spare.
Before Ability8
When the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) was first introduced, Jenny wanted a platform for NDIS self-management to help her:
schedule care
coordinate payments and
help reduce the time spent on administration
She wanted to stop using Excel spreadsheets and keep everything in one location. She also wanted to ensure Zayne’s care staff were fairly paid. Without her having to pay commissions to platform providers.
After conducting some online research, she discovered Ability8. Jenny reached out to creator Mark to learn more about the system. "After speaking to Mark, I signed up for the free trial, and the app did exactly what I was looking for and more," Jenny says. "Before using Ability8, I spent a lot of time coordinating care and trying to organise rosters. It was hard work because of the number of support workers (SW) Zayne has. I was trying to work around university commitments and holidays without much visibility."
Managing Care Needs with Ability8
Since using Ability8, Jenny spends much less time doing administration. Plus she's confident Zayne is getting the support he requires.
Jenny and her husband even enjoyed a recent short holiday away. She had the confidence of knowing she had organised all Zayne's needs before they left using the app. While away, she knew her son was being cared for and could use the app to receive notifications and check in with support workers.
"I love using the schedule to see which support worker is with Zayne on which day. I can also check if he has any appointments coming up. The visibility is great," she said. Jenny also loves how easy the app is to use and how helpful it is to keep everything in one place. She loves not having to manage multiple spreadsheets for calendars and budgeting. She says Ability8’s easy-to-use dashboard means she knows exactly how much is left in her plan budget.
What Jenny Loves Most About the App
"I love the new planning mode in the schedule. It means I can plan and schedule shifts, make changes or move things around. I only notify staff when I’m completely happy with how the schedule looks. All with the touch of a button".
Jenny also loves that the app does the calculations for her. And that it works out her staff's super contributions and tax deductions, saving her time. She recommends anyone considering Ability8 give it a go. She believes the 30-day free trial is a great option, so you can jump on and see what the system can do for you.
Although she knows Excel works for many people, she’s confident Ability8 is a better choice. She says they'll never return once people see the app's benefits.
“You’ve got nothing to lose, so see if it works for you. You’re going to love it,” she says.
Because the app offers so much functionality and customisation, she recommends learning one feature at a time. For example, start with the schedule to get your support workers organised. Then learn how to send notifications about shifts and check they accept their roster.
Once you understand how the schedule works, move onto timesheets and payments. Jenny says each feature flows into the next, making it user-friendly.
"The thing I love with Ability8 is that you can make it as in-depth as you want or keep it super simple. Some people worry when using a new app, particularly for scheduling and paying for disability care. But I just love Ability8. Mark does a great job and offers plenty of support to help get you set up. He even introduced a new colour-coordinating option within the calendar. I can colour code staff, appointments and more to help me keep track of everything,” she says.
If you're interested in discovering more, sign up for our 30-day free trial or contact us to learn more.
Comments