scyzoaffective disorder

when_will_it_end

hi my daughter has now been diagnosed with the title she was origanally diagnosed with bi-polar

im having to go through appeal with the dla as they say she only need reasurance she also self harms in a big way which im not sure if it is part of this illness

has or is any one suffering thesame and applied for dla any help on what evidence to collate would be helpfull

thanks

Indie_Kid

DLA is based on care and /or mobility needs. You need to get as much evidence as you can about the help she needs.

when_will_it_end

sh1305 wrote: »

DLA is based on care and /or mobility needs. You need to get as much evidence as you can about the help she needs.

hi i did do that last time sent everything i had an still they say no its just that it was based on the bi-polar but this will be based on the
S A D just had a thought will they ask me to start this as a new claim as the illness synpotoms have not changed just the name

Indie_Kid

DLA isn't based on diagnosis; they won't ask you to fill in a new form just because the diagnosis has changed.

idvi

i might have schizoaffective too (docs cant decide) and self harm

i get mid rate dla for self harm care needs (danger to myself) so you might not get any higher, even tho I need it at night too

99% sure you wouldnt get high rate mobility. maybe low rate if she needs someone with her when shes out. i should have low mobility for that because of my bad anxieties too but dont

when_will_it_end

idvi wrote: »

i might have schizoaffective too (docs cant decide) and self harm

i get mid rate dla for self harm care needs (danger to myself) so you might not get any higher, even tho I need it at night too

99% sure you wouldnt get high rate mobility. maybe low rate if she needs someone with her when shes out. i should have low mobility for that because of my bad anxieties too but dont

hi

the dela people dont seem to think she is of danger to her self i know its personal an u dont have to answer but have u tried to kill your self she has taken several overdoses an i have to hide sharp object ect... and all meds are locked up i just dont know how to make them see

idvi

when_will_it_end wrote: »

hi

the dela people dont seem to think she is of danger to her self i know its personal an u dont have to answer but have u tried to kill your self she has taken several overdoses an i have to hide sharp object ect... and all meds are locked up i just dont know how to make them see

yeah i have tried to in the past

what rates of dla has she been given? (or has she been given nothing at all??)

when_will_it_end

2 yrs ago when she had some signs an the suicidal atempt she was given HRC this time even tho she had been diagnosed an things are obviously worse she was refused any thing i have just compleated the gl4 for tribunral

ash4becks

when_will_it_end wrote: »

2 yrs ago when she had some signs an the suicidal atempt she was given HRC this time even tho she had been diagnosed an things are obviously worse she was refused any thing i have just compleated the gl4 for tribunral

have you requested the last form might help you point might get across if same thing in that app are in this 1 too , and did you get any help with the form cab etc

when_will_it_end

ash4becks wrote: »

have you requested the last form might help you point might get across if same thing in that app are in this 1 too , and did you get any help with the form cab etc

i do have the last form with that one i appealed over the phone an they changed there descision it does confuse me tho that she was awarded then an now with obvious evidence an a dramatic change in her illness they say no i understand there trying to cut out those that exagerate there conditions but surely they can tell when its not an its all true to the form either that or they need other doctors that understand all medical conditions

Hannah_10

Schizoaffective Disorder affects different people at different levels, in exactly the same way as for some people asthma barely affects them (some of the Olympic team have it in fact) and for others it is a constant life/death danger that prevents them from living even a slightly normal life. If we gave DLA out based on the name of the condition you can see why it wouldn't work can't you.

It's assessed on whether or not a person is thought to need care or if thier mobility is impaired, so a change of diagnosis from Bi-Polar Disorder to Schizoaffective Disorder isn't going to make any difference in its own right. You're saying that she has care needs as she is a risk to herself if not supervised, but somehow or other they are not recognising this from the form you are filling in. In which case you would be wise to get her CPN to talk you through the form as I suspect you are probably answering in terms that aren't clear enough or that you're talking about her best times and forgetting her worst.

If you're asked something like can she bath herself the tendancy is to say well yes, because you are thinking in terms of someone who perhaps has arms or legs that don't work. Actually if you really thought about it, how many times in an average month do you have to supervise her so that she wont hold her arm under the hot tap to self injure lets say? If you do have to supervise bathtime then the answer is NO she can't bath on her own. Mentally insert the word "always" into these questions, can she ALWAYS bath herself- er no. Then you explain, in as much detail as you can, why not. What they want to know is how often she needs help (including supervision) and what the risk is (what's the biggest risk she poses to herself- if she's attempted suicide before the answer is the risk of death).
When you look over the form again you may well find many other things she can not always safely do alone. Meal preparation is another point of concearn with a self injurer, can she be trusted in the kitchen? If she can't be trusted the answer is she can't do it. That might be once a month, once a week, or every meal that she is unable to prepare her own meal. As her Mum if I asked you if she can cook a dinner you'd probably say yes, but think about it again, they're not asking what she's able to do when she's having a good day they're asking you to detail each and every part of her life where her illness stops her doing the essential things. Any time you've had to stand there leaning up against the knife drawer watching her counts as NO, she can't. Write as much additional information as you can fit on the form too, if it's about the hot tap or the knife drawer or whatever. Also make a point of noting how often you have to get her to casualty and how much time that really takes out of your day. Some self injurers are needing of thier carers (and that includes thier Mum) present for a trip to A&E once a month for 7 or 8 hours and some are in Minor Injuries Units every other day quite litterally but do not feel the need for a supportive person with them. Get it all on the form, warts and all.

That is often the reason for a DLA refusal. A claimant relies too much on the DWP staff "just knowing" what life with a certain condition is like and I think that's perhaps what's happened with you. You need to spell out every tiny aspect of her life which is affected by her illness, even if it's only once a month, and honestly estimate how many hours you are needed for and how often. That she hasn't needed to be supervised in the kitchen for a week is great if she's in a good spell, but don't forget to take an average to account for all the times when it's been every meal for days on end she's not been safe to cook. They want to know the ins and outs of every aspect of her life, not that on a good day she's practically Nigella.