DLA renewal. Disability the same, circumstances changed.

Owain_Moneysaver

Lum wrote: »

She still wouldn't be able to cook a meal for herself on bad days, but might be able to on good days if we installed a low level table in the kitchen. On bad days the shakes and lack of fine motor control would make using a knife, for example, incredibly dangerous. But if I had to go away for a few days and I stocked the fridge with microwave meals.

"The test looks at whether they would be able to cook a traditional hot meal using a cooker, even if in reality they live on takeaways or do not know how to cook a meal." NHS DLA

"If the inability to cook was on "no more than occasional days", the test would not be satisfied. But if there was a "clear pattern" of a person not being able to provide for himself, it would. In the present case, there was such a clear pattern, because on basis of Mrs Moyna's answers on the claim form, there would sometimes be weeks in which for three days she would "have to forgo her one cooked meal". This was a "significant" disability because there was a regular pattern rather than something "occasional or intermittent"." Moyna case referred to in DSS Decision Makers' Guide (paras 61081/82) cited at Benefits Now

Owain_Moneysaver

Lum wrote: »

I was actually thinking of putting something down on top of the carpet to protect it from the wheelchair... don't want to end up paying for it's replacement at some point down the line and not sure that wheelchair related damage counts as "normal wear and tear" given how watered down the disability rules are when it comes to housing.

you can usually check the council tax on the local council or valuation office website.

You can get floor/wall/door/frame protectors as used by builders when to prevent damage by workmen when buildings are nearing final finish, eg here here

sunnyone

I though a 16" Action 4 or the like would be a good indoor chair for your partner, these are the standard NHS issue in many areas and while transfering takes energy she may not have they are a great indoor chair and if anything happened to my NHS lightweigh active user 'chair I would be happy to have one to replace it because that chair goes nowhere but upstairs. I used one of these chairs when visiting family friends and it had had the push rims removed to stop it damaging the owners fingers/fixtures and it was surprisingly easy to move palm to tyre though this was pre RA/Duypetrons days.

I dont bother to try and protect my carpets from my wheels at home but I hate to leave marks when Im visiting which is why I tried the plastice runner but it was useless, I have noticed the sticky back plastice on TV and I would like to try it to see if it works, if you lookmon 60 minute makeover et al you will see it and it looks quite durable.

Thick carpets can be hard on the hands/arms and they also show the tracks more, we had the dinning room carpet replaced because it was quite thick. we dont have many carpets in our home now because over the past ten years we have had them replaced with more wheelie friendly/allergic Ashma friendly flooring but I still like a carpet in the reception rooms and on the stairs.

Its one hell of a learning curve isnt it?

And then when you think you have it sorted something else happens and you have to start all over again.

Lum

We had an Action 3+ as a hire chair while waiting for her current chair(s) to arrive. I hated that thing, hurt my back every time I lifted it. Currently using a Quickie Helium as the one for indoor use and to use when we travel together, and she uses a Kuschall Champion when out on her own as although it's heavier it fits easily on the passenger seat of her car once folded. The Helium doesn't really fold much at all.

I don't think her current chairs could reasonably get any narrower, but they will be fine indoors at the new place so it's not an issue. The only reason to have an indoor chair so that she doesn't have to do the unload of the Kuschall at the end of a working day, which is about 9PM for her. Instead just a 4 metre walk with no steps or inclines and fall into the Helium.

sunnyone

Lum wrote: »

We had an Action 3+ as a hire chair while waiting for her current chair(s) to arrive. I hated that thing, hurt my back every time I lifted it. Currently using a Quickie Helium as the one for indoor use and to use when we travel together, and she uses a Kuschall Champion when out on her own as although it's heavier it fits easily on the passenger seat of her car once folded. The Helium doesn't really fold much at all.

I don't think her current chairs could reasonably get any narrower, but they will be fine indoors at the new place so it's not an issue. The only reason to have an indoor chair so that she doesn't have to do the unload of the Kuschall at the end of a working day, which is about 9PM for her. Instead just a 4 metre walk with no steps or inclines and fall into the Helium.

The action 4 is perfect for just indoors though which is why I would have one just for that. I have 8 wheelchairs in all including the powerchairs and powertrike set.

I had to get my favorite wheelchair altered for indoor use as the camber made life more difficult than it had to be.

Ive been using a wheelchair for a long time now and they do tend to breed though if you get one for each eventuality, I must admit I did inherit two of my wheelchairs so its not as bad as it could sound.

When you have no option to move independently without aids its understandable to have at least two though, most people who walk independantly have more than one pair of shoes and shoes are a lot easier to find then mobility aids when you compare how many shoes shops there are to mobility aid suppliers in the high street.

Lum

Right now we've spent about 8 grand on mobility aids, those power-assisted wheels aren't cheap, so realistically speaking we probably shouldn't buy any more until the 0% card is paid off using the DLA money.

The house move was also an unplanned for expense.. we've only been in this place for 8 months and the landlord now wants their house back. Letting agent said that because I'd asked for it to go onto periodic, they decided to boot us out and look for a tenant that was prepared to commit for longer. I'm unwilling to do that because if the disability gets worse we might've needed to move at short notice anyway.

It'll be worth it for the accessibility in the new place.. I'm kind of glad for the boot up the backside to actually do this, but really don't want to be spending any more money, especially since one of her current chairs will work ok indoors.

sunnyone

Lum wrote: »

Right now we've spent about 8 grand on mobility aids, those power-assisted wheels aren't cheap, so realistically speaking we probably shouldn't buy any more until the 0% card is paid off using the DLA money.

The house move was also an unplanned for expense.. we've only been in this place for 8 months and the landlord now wants their house back. Letting agent said that because I'd asked for it to go onto periodic, they decided to boot us out and look for a tenant that was prepared to commit for longer. I'm unwilling to do that because if the disability gets worse we might've needed to move at short notice anyway.

It'll be worth it for the accessibility in the new place.. I'm kind of glad for the boot up the backside to actually do this, but really don't want to be spending any more money, especially since one of her current chairs will work ok indoors.

Oh I know how much these type of things cost, my PDQ set up cost just over £4k but it was the only solution to wanting to go on bike rides with my son and the dog and it worked very well until I got RA in my paws.

My indoor outdoor powerchair is NHS but my outdoor indoor isnt and it cost more than my PDQ set up, I got it to drive from as its crash tested and I have a drive from powerchair WAV in which I can also travel in three diffrent positions as a passenger.

I cant see me getting any new wheelchairs for the foreseeable future, well my NHS powerchair is up for renewal but I really like the one I have so I would like to keep it as long as possible.

You wanted out of this home anyway thoug didnt you? Your partner got her latest disability post signing the contract but before you moved in if I remember correctly?

The move is worth it if it saves her some spoons, will it be better for her personel care too?

Moveing costs a lot and so I can understand why you dont want to buy anther chair (plus you have a huge bill already, I have had years to build up my collection) and if space is tight another wheelchair would be in the way.

Lum

You do remember correctly, and in a way I'm kind of grateful for the kick up the backside to move out of here.

It's just that accessible houses are few and far between and this one is very much at the upper range of our budget.

For now I think two chairs is enough, given that the wheels are interchangeable.

sunnyone

Lum wrote: »

You do remember correctly, and in a way I'm kind of grateful for the kick up the backside to move out of here.

It's just that accessible houses are few and far between and this one is very much at the upper range of our budget.

For now I think two chairs is enough, given that the wheels are interchangeable.

We owned a three bed semi in a place that was perfect for us when I had my accident and we loved that house but over time it becames more and more unsuitable despite every adaption that could be done so we had a look around for more suitable housing and there just wasnt any that worked for a family, the bungalows etc. in social housing had only one or two beds and were on developments for the elderly which even if they had an extra bed it wouldnt have been fair on them or my kids to move somewhere like that.

Bungalows cost considerably more than houses to buy or to rent, people dont aspire to a country cottage anymore but to a bungalow according to surveys.

Luckily because I was a passenger in the car crash at least I got enough money to buy a almost suitable house but like everything else when you are disabled it costs more than ABs because they dont have to have loads of extra space to wheel around, they dont have to have extra large bathrooms to accomadate accessable personel care or even have to have a large garage so I can leave a wheelchair ready to transfer into when I need to.

I could buy a house suitable for us all for half the price this one cost if I was not disabled, I cant remember where I saw the survey but it said that nearly 90% of disabled people lived in unsuitable housing and even though I bought this house to accomadte my disabilities it could still be better, Im sure your new home could be improved too to make it even easier for your partner but we are the lucky ones in that at least we can use a wheelchair indoors because many other people who need to cant.

The council tax is more because we need more expensive homes, thats why you get a council tax reduction for using a wheelchair indoors and that helps but it should really be more since (in my case) my loverly semi was band B, this house is Band E reduced to beand C.

Im sure you have looked at the money saving advice which is abundant on this site so you can economise as much as possible to help with funding your new home?

GlasweJen

I wouldn't worry too much OP, if your wife's renewal is a while off then her next claim might be for PIP which is a lot less subjective than DLA. I'm sure she needs more care at night than just help getting to the loo anyway but you're so used to providing it that it doesn't register any more.

As for wheeling around indoors we got permission from the landlord to lift the carpets and install laminate on the agreement that we will put the carpets back down when I am able to walk about again. You could discuss this with your landlord/ their agent. We got the laminate cheap from a builders cash and carry and my dad laid it for me and he's the least DIY capable person ever!