Help with DLA night time care needs

krisskross

I have never understood how it is possible to get a high rate DLA/AA award when a person lives alone and presumably never gets the night time care needs fulfilled. They ask how long it takes on average each night for the care to be given. How do you answer this if there is no actual care? Surely if you do it yourself, even with difficulty then that care need doesn't exist?

ash4becks

krisskross wrote: »

I have never understood how it is possible to get a high rate DLA/AA award when a person lives alone and presumably never gets the night time care needs fulfilled. They ask how long it takes on average each night for the care to be given. How do you answer this if there is no actual care? Surely if you do it yourself, even with difficulty then that care need doesn't exist?

i get high rate care, but have got mine because under DLA they class me as :

at risk of harming myslef
at risk of dangourus behavoiur
at risk of harming others

so dont think its just for help geting in and out of bed etc, it can be so meds can be given at night, to be watched over that i do infact go to sleep and when i was well enough didnt go on one at night and smash the place up or walk of late at night and get myslef in dangourus situation which has happened before

TOBRUK

I receive HRC and live alone, and yes I have care needs although I can understand why you would think that if I'm not receiving help that care need doesn't exist? They do actually exist and no, some things I can't always manage even with taking time they just aren't done.

I struggle, I have numerous falls regularly, there are nights where I don't get to bed. I have a phone in every room as well as a mobile and next door neighbour has a key to my house as well as my sister who lives 40 miles away! I have had 3 falls in the bathroom during the past week, hurt my right side and hit my head. I have a paralysed right arm, difficulties with lower back and weakened right leg, I have M.E. and get around with a crutch. Using the stairs has become extremely difficult.

The fact that I don't receive the help I need doesn't mean that I don't need help.

krisskross

TOBRUK wrote: »

I receive HRC and live alone, and yes I have care needs although I can understand why you would think that if I'm not receiving help that care need doesn't exist? They do actually exist and no, some things I can't always manage even with taking time they just aren't done.

I struggle, I have numerous falls regularly, there are nights where I don't get to bed. I have a phone in every room as well as a mobile and next door neighbour has a key to my house as well as my sister who lives 40 miles away! I have had 3 falls in the bathroom during the past week, hurt my right side and hit my head. I have a paralysed right arm, difficulties with lower back and weakened right leg, I have M.E. and get around with a crutch. Using the stairs has become extremely difficult.

The fact that I don't receive the help I need doesn't mean that I don't need help.

i do understand all this. That you therefore have unmet care needs. So what difference does having the extra money make? Is it sort of compensation for your poor health? How do you answer the time questions on the forms?

krisskross

ash4becks wrote: »

i get high rate care, but have got mine because under DLA they class me as :

at risk of harming myslef
at risk of dangourus behavoiur
at risk of harming others

so dont think its just for help geting in and out of bed etc, it can be so meds can be given at night, to be watched over that i do infact go to sleep and when i was well enough didnt go on one at night and smash the place up or walk of late at night and get myslef in dangourus situation which has happened before

No i don't think it is only given for physical things but how does extra money stop the things you list happening if there is no one there to monitor you?

ash4becks

krisskross wrote: »

i do understand all this. That you therefore have unmet care needs. So what difference does having the extra money make? Is it sort of compensation for your poor health?

paying for a cleaner to help in the house, giving a few quid to friends for petrol when geting out of the house is just not a option when you run out of food or when family ie my dad goes on hoilday otfen family drop dinners of for me or takeaways when its to dangours for me to cook, then theres taxis cost if freinds havent got money to pay for if i go mentaly in a state and stay the night at silly hours

krisskross

I think this is an area that will be looked at in future when assessing DLA payments. If the taxpayer is paying for care needs to be met then surely it should be able to be shown that they are. And if someone is saying that they need for instance 2 hours of care a night then if it is being allowed for then it should be provided.

TOBRUK

I don't believe anyone receiving DLA looks upon it as COMPENSATION FOR THEIR ILL HEALTH do they?

What I spend and any money received as DLA isn't anyone else's business. However, I am able to ask people for help and can pay them. My sister, although 40 miles away (nearest family member) comes to help at least once a week - although she doesn't expect it, I am in a position to pay her or at least pay for petrol. I have a garden but no longer able to tend to it - can I use some DLA to have someone tidy my garden? Can I use some of it to clean the windows, change the bed, do the washing/ironing, shopping,cooking, be here so that I can have a shower, or any other day to day chores I can no longer do?

I can't help that I don't have a partner or husband to care for me, nor that I live so far from family - I moved away to get employment, bought a house, I was working at the BBC, had a good job and great career prospects until I became ill. I worked for years and changed career path after becoming disabled following an accident and losing the use of my right arm.

A number of my family phone me every day a number of times a day/night to see if I'm alright. A few months ago I was found unconscious, I had collapsed and fallen - I woke up in hospital 2 weeks later in Intensive Care. Family were called to the hospital and were told I may not make it. If it wasn't for the fact that my sister thought something was wrong as she was phoning and couldn't get an answer I wouldn't be here.

She drove like a maniac, found me lying on the floor but as my key was in the door couldn't get in - she called the emergency service, the police broke in, the response team and ambulance were here and worked on me for a while before going to hospital. They believe I had been unconcious for over 12 hours.

My GP isn't happy that I live alone and so far from family - it is far from being ideal. My family want me to move 'back home' so that I can be looked after properly and so my house is up for sale.

I am able to buy certain things to make life easier. Every disability aid is expensive. I have a keyboard which cost £300. I have an adapted car - the adaption cost £1000 before fitting. I found a nail cutter which cost £36! The list is endless. Am I less deserving as I live alone than someone who doesn't?

TOBRUK

krisskross wrote: »

i do understand all this. That you therefore have unmet care needs. So what difference does having the extra money make? Is it sort of compensation for your poor health? How do you answer the time questions on the forms?

I answered every question honestly.

krisskross

TOBRUK wrote: »

I don't believe anyone receiving DLA looks upon it as COMPENSATION FOR THEIR ILL HEALTH do they?

What I spend and any money received as DLA isn't anyone else's business. However, I am able to ask people for help and can pay them. My sister, although 40 miles away (nearest family member) comes to help at least once a week - although she doesn't expect it, I am in a position to pay her or at least pay for petrol. I have a garden but no longer able to tend to it - can I use some DLA to have someone tidy my garden? Can I use some of it to clean the windows, change the bed, do the washing/ironing, shopping,cooking, be here so that I can have a shower, or any other day to day chores I can no longer do?

I can't help that I don't have a partner or husband to care for me, nor that I live so far from family - I moved away to get employment, bought a house, I was working at the BBC, had a good job and great career prospects until I became ill. I worked for years and changed career path after becoming disabled following an accident and losing the use of my right arm.

A number of my family phone me every day a number of times a day/night to see if I'm alright. A few months ago I was found unconscious, I had collapsed and fallen - I woke up in hospital 2 weeks later in Intensive Care. Family were called to the hospital and were told I may not make it. If it wasn't for the fact that my sister thought something was wrong as she was phoning and couldn't get an answer I wouldn't be here.

She drove like a maniac, found me lying on the floor but as my key was in the door couldn't get in - she called the emergency service, the police broke in, the response team and ambulance were here and worked on me for a while before going to hospital. They believe I had been unconcious for over 12 hours.

My GP isn't happy that I live alone and so far from family - it is far from being ideal. My family want me to move 'back home' so that I can be looked after properly and so my house is up for sale.

I am able to buy certain things to make life easier. Every disability aid is expensive. I have a keyboard which cost £300. I have an adapted car - the adaption cost £1000 before fitting. I found a nail cutter which cost £36! The list is endless. Am I less deserving as I live alone than someone who doesn't?

No of course you are not less deserving but surely if someone is paid high rate care because they say they NEED 2 hours care each night but manage without it do you not agree that this could be an area that would be looked at when considering the proposed 20% reduction in DLA payments?

It would be better to reduce some people's amounts than to completely take away others.