Attendance Allowance for Mum

lmclean100

Hi

My mum (78) who lives with me was diagnosed with Alzheimers' in May this year. She is a widow, has been for 45 years and therefore gets a reduced old age pension and receives income support.

I'd been advised to apply for Attendance Allowance for mum, as to be honest she's only going to get worse, Alzheimers isn't something that you recover from. I completed the form on-line and sent it off. About two weeks later we received the letter from the Benefits Agency saying that mum's condition didn't warrant Attendance Allowance, as she can walk.

I phoned the Benefits Agency and said that she may be able to walk but if she doesn't actually know where she is it's not much good. She's scared to go out on her own cause she knows something is wrong, and in her lucid moments accepts that she's got Alzheimers but when she 'away with it' she claims that there's nothing wrong with her its everyone else whose a bit weird. The woman from the Benefits Agency said that as the form is self-assessment that you really need to put everything down on it and said that she'd send me out another claim form to complete.

Trouble is I'm not sure what to put on the form. Was told that mum would be assigned a social worker once she was diagnosed but nothing so far and no word from social services about when one would be assigned.

Anyone got any ideas on how to complete the form?

Thanks

L

chesky369

Take it to your local Citizens' Advice or Help the Aged office. They'll gladly help you complete it.

lmclean100

Been trying to get through to both of them since last Wednesday but the lines are constantly busy, suppose it's sign of the times.

mancitychick

My Nana know gets this. This is the way I understood it..........Attendance allowance is for the recipient to pay someone with if they need someone to attend to them. (different from carers allowance). However if it is to pay someone for things like going shopping for them or doing the garden then they won't qualify nhowever if like my Nana you need help with personal care like bathing etc. you qualify. We explained how my nana was on the forms and explained that she has someone in to assist her each day (various family members at present) and that she cannot take care of herself without help. She qualified for the higher amount per week.

glossgal

Hi,
Firstly I would ask how long has your mum been ill for? She must have had her problems for at least 6 months before the claim can be accepted.

Also, your mum must have care needs throughout the day to qualify and it doesn't matter what the illness is as people wrongly assume. Even with cancer or a brain tumour for example if the person doesn't have care needs they won't qualify-you can't make a claim based on a future deterioration. Not wanting to sound harsh at all, just think it could mess up future claims if you were to keep making them too soon or at the wrong time.

As already stated I would contact a specialist advice agency as they know these things better and will give you honest advice about what to do.

Mojisola

Our council's Welfare Officers have been very helpful. They know the system inside out. Age Concern are also worth speaking to.

Chase up Social Services. You don't have to wait until they contact you.

sp1987

Maybe try the Alzheimers Society helpline for advice? These people are apparently absolute stars (just like Age Concern/Help the Aged organisations) and after all, Alzheimers is their specialised subject! They may be a little easier to get through to than the CAB/Age Concern too, being more 'niche'.

http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/helpline

Oldernotwiser

I don't know where the idea of walking comes into things as there isn't a mobility element to AA.

Does your mother have care needs - does she need help with bathing, toiletting etc?

Errata

Phone your council and ask for the older people's social work team. Tell them you need a social worker for your mum asap (they'll help fill in the AA form, they do them all the time and know the right phrases and words to use) and at the same time tell them you want a Carers Assessment asap.

Don't ask them tell them.

lmclean100

Thanks for all your comments and suggestions. While mum was diagnosed in May she's been showing the signes for about 18 months to 2 years. The problem was getting her to the doctor to get the ball rolling as she maintained there was nothing wrong and her only problem was that all her friends were dead and she had no-one to go out with. Finally managed in January this year to get her to the GP who was brilliant and she had her assessment in April, with the final diagnosis in May.

She attends a day centre at present one day per week but I've got the option of having this increased if I think she needs it. She doesn't need help with personal washing at present but she does have strange ideas about the cleanliness of cloths, but I don't know if she'll be entitled to a home help or meals on wheels, if she lives with me. She insists on doing the washing and ironing - she does this while I'm at work even though I've told her at least 10 times per day not to do them. She doesn't do dusting or vaccuming any more, she thinks she has but hasn't and in fact doesn't know how to work the new vaccum.

Mum does get very confused and is scared to go out on her own as she can't remember where to get the bus home, she can't remember our home phone number and maintains that she doesn't know where I work (I've worked in the same place for 20 years).

Forgot to mention that we live in Scotland so things are a bit different up here, we get free personal care if required.

I'll contact the social work dept and see what happens.

L

zzzLazyDaisy

You really need to know what you are doing with these forms. If you have no experience of them, you really need the assistance of a CAB worker, or a welfare benefits worker. They will know what questions to ask you, and how to put the information across on the form. Please do get help.