Understanding Supported Independent Living (SIL)

What Is Supported Independent Living?

Supported Independent Living (SIL) is one of the most significant supports offered under the NDIS, designed to help people with disability live as independently as possible while receiving tailored assistance in their home. SIL funding covers the daily support a person needs, such as help with personal care, meal preparation, medication, community access, developing life skills, and maintaining household routines. It is most used in shared homes where several residents receive staffed support, but it also applies to individuals living on their own who require regular assistance to live safely.

The Purpose of SIL: Independence with the Right Support

At its core, SIL is about balancing independence with the right level of support, ensuring each person can participate in daily life with dignity, choice and control. This means the environment, routines and tools used in a SIL home must all be shaped around the resident’s abilities, goals and support needs.

In recent years, the sector has seen rising expectations around quality, safety, communication and risk management with greater emphasis on person-centred practice, clearer documentation and stronger incident-prevention strategies. Support coordinators and carers play a critical role in ensuring residents have what they need to live safely and confidently.

Why Assistive Technology Matters in SIL

One area receiving increased attention is the use of assistive technology to enhance independence and reduce avoidable risks. While many people use modern smartphones, a sizeable number of SIL participants cannot safely, confidently or effectively use them due to cognitive disability, vision impairment, fine-motor challenges, age-related decline or anxiety around technology. For these residents, smartphones can introduce risk rather than reduce it. Complex menus, touchscreen errors, notification overload and accidental emergency calls are all common issues that frontline staff encounter.

In addition to usability challenges, smartphones can also create serious safeguarding risks because they provide unrestricted access to the internet, social media, messaging apps and a built-in camera, exposing vulnerable users to situations they may not fully understand or be able to navigate safely.

Participants with cognitive disabilities, impulsivity, reduced decision-making capacity or limited awareness of consequences may unintentionally:

• Access inappropriate online content, including adult material
• Engage with unsafe websites or people
• Share personal or intimate images without understanding the risk
• Be pressured by others to send images or information
• Put themselves or others in compromising situations that may trigger reportable incidents

These behaviours are rarely intentional and malicious; they are usually the result of curiosity, limited digital literacy, impaired judgement, or an inability to recognise online exploitation. However, for SIL providers, these risks can lead to serious safeguarding concerns, emotional harm, reputational damage, and breaches of required NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission standards.

Because smartphones combine unrestricted internet access with a camera and instant messaging, they can quickly become a high-risk device in situations where a participant has reduced control or understanding of what is safe and appropriate online.

This is why many teams look to low-complexity, controlled, purpose-built communication devices that allow residents to stay connected without the risks associated with smartphones.

How Simple Devices Like KISA Companion Help

For participants who cannot use or should not use a standard smartphone, the lack of an accessible communication tool can create unnecessary barriers. It may limit their ability to call for help, communicate needs, or participate independently in community activities. This can result in over-reliance on staff or increased supervision and may also heighten anxiety for both residents and carers.

This is where simple, purpose-built assistive devices become valuable additions to a resident’s support plan. A device like the KISA Companion fills a specific gap: it provides reliable communication without the complexity of a smartphone. With large mechanical buttons, clear labels and one-touch calling, it gives residents a safe, predictable way to contact support workers, family or emergency services when required. For SIL teams, this solves several everyday challenges: ensuring residents can request help promptly, reducing the need for constant physical check-ins, supporting out-of-home activities, and preventing situations where a resident is distressed but unable to operate their device.

Importantly, the purpose of mentioning devices like KISA Companion is not to promote technology for technology’s sake, but to highlight practical solutions for participants who still need accessible communication tools but cannot benefit from mainstream devices. When used appropriately, simple assistive devices support NDIS goals around independence, safety and participation, while also helping staff deliver more effective and responsive care.

Looking Ahead: Better Support Through People + Tools

As SIL continues to evolve, with stronger focus on quality frameworks, risk reduction and person-centred outcomes, the combination of skilled support, stable home environments and the right assistive tools can significantly improve a participant’s daily experience. A well-chosen, easy-to-use device is not a replacement for human support, but an important extension of it. For residents who cannot use a smartphone, a dependable communication companion can be the difference between relying entirely on staff presence and having genuine independence, confidence and autonomy throughout the day.