DLA question

tigtag02

Thanks to all in advance

My step-dad suffered a stroke on Easter Sunday of this year. He is still in hospital and has very limited use of his left side. He has been given by a collegue a DLA application form.

I know a little about DLA but not much, I think (please correct me if I am wrong) that your illness has to have been *there* for three months before he can claim but does he have to wait until he is discharged from hospital?

Thanks again
tigtag

tiamai_d

Yes he has to have been 'affected' for 3 months. But I am pretty sure you can claim while he is in hospital, but you have to state that he is still in hospital, and when he is allowed home, tell them that he is home. You will have to detail everything that he can no longer do, if his left side is affected, he has Hemiplegia, also known as a Hemiparesis. Google it for what type he has, think it's acquired but not sure. There is a website called hemihelp you may be interested in, my son has right sided hemiplegia since birth, and it has been invaluable to me.

Morglin

If your SF is over pension age then he should claim Attendance Allowance.

This site gives useful info on both DLA and AA:

http://www.benefitsnow.co.uk/default.asp

Lin

tigtag02

Thanks guys - he's not yet pension age Lin but I have just had my mum on the phone in tears as the physio has just told her she doesnt think he will walk again (after she had had him out of bed *shuffling*).

He has no movement at all in his left arm. I will google that this evening tia but could you explain what it has to do with a stroke.

I will make sure my mum starts filling in the forms asap.
tigtag

wolfehouse

sorry to hear about step-dad.

dla has the advantage of having a mobility component which he will get indefinately. if he were older he would get a smaller amount for care but no mobility. he may also be entitled to incapacity benefit, then.

my advice is to get some help filling in the forms. the hospital will have social care workers (or social workers) who should be able to help, or the cab or social work welfare rights people... the forms are long winded and your mum might have problems knowing exactly what to put. it is very tedious and repetitive and you do need to restate much the same thing over and over.

saying that, if he has had a stroke he should have an easier time claiming as the dla officials seem to like a good straightforward diagnosis to some of the more obscure forms of disability.

also your mum is entitled to a carers assessment in her own right so get in touch with the carers association in your area. (they might be able to help some with the dla form too).

matphil

tigtag02 wrote: »

I have just had my mum on the phone in tears as the physio has just told her she doesnt think he will walk again (after she had had him out of bed *shuffling*).

Hi.
I wouldn't worry too much at this early stage about the physio saying that he won't walk again. Everyone is different and progresses at different stages.
My Oh was parallised on his left side by a stroke on Easter weekend 4 years ago.
He was progressing well until his physio told him 2 months later in June that he wouldn't walk again. This set him back and he was ready to give up.
2 weeks later he had a new physio who got him back on his feet.
He left hospital 2 months later in a wheelchair but was able to walk slowly with a stick 2 months after that.
Now 4 years later he walks unaided but with a limp.
Hope everything turns out ok for you all.

mutley_muppet

matphil wrote: »

Hi.
I wouldn't worry too much at this early stage about the physio saying that he won't walk again. Everyone is different and progresses at different stages.

I agree. Hugs to you.
MM. x

computerwoman

when my step-dad had his stroke,
he was in the same position he couldn't walk.
I arranged for social service's to come in every day morning and evening to take the stain off myself and my mum, he got attenence allowance and extra income support, he was 78
he was in hospital from july when it happened to november then he came home, we made the dinning room into a downstair's bedroom and SS put in a down stair's shower room, he was ok for 1 year then he got phenmoia and that was tht.
but there are lot's of thing's out there that you can do to get help have a word with the ward sister.
cw.

ps hope he's feeling weller.

tigtag02

Thank you for all your replies - I am going to print this page of and post it to my mum as I think it will really cheer her up.

I'm actually 200 miles away from them but the plan is for them to come home - its a bit of a logistical nightmare for my mum as she has to sell the house, arange for work/housing up here and also the transfer of my SD.

She has already applied to the local council here and recieved her reference number to *bid* with but I have told her to get lots of supporting letters from SD's medical team to hopefull help.

If anyone has any practical or emotional advice to make the transition easie for them then it will be most certainly gratefully received

computerwoman

tigtag02 wrote: »

Thank you for all your replies - I am going to print this page of and post it to my mum as I think it will really cheer her up.

I'm actually 200 miles away from them but the plan is for them to come home - its a bit of a logistical nightmare for my mum as she has to sell the house, arange for work/housing up here and also the transfer of my SD.

She has already applied to the local council here and recieved her reference number to *bid* with but I have told her to get lots of supporting letters from SD's medical team to hopefull help.

If anyone has any practical or emotional advice to make the transition easie for them then it will be most certainly gratefully received

Hi
1st best wishes to your mum and SD

they should be able to get an ambulance to take your SD from the hospital to where he is going to live,

my SD used to go into hospital and sometimes a home for a week once every 2-3 month's to give us all some respite, and also SS can do this for you,

my SD couldn't get out of the house so if he needed to like when his denture's broke, the ambulance came for him,
also when he had to go for physio,
then they all started to come to the house, home visit's when it started getting to much for him.

there is help out there so tell them not to dispair.

also there Gp should be able to help with alot of thing's like district nurse if one need's to come in.

hope all goes well.
and keep us posted.
cw.

Morglin

tigtag02 wrote: »

Thank you for all your replies - I am going to print this page of and post it to my mum as I think it will really cheer her up.

I'm actually 200 miles away from them but the plan is for them to come home - its a bit of a logistical nightmare for my mum as she has to sell the house, arange for work/housing up here and also the transfer of my SD.

She has already applied to the local council here and recieved her reference number to *bid* with but I have told her to get lots of supporting letters from SD's medical team to hopefull help.

If anyone has any practical or emotional advice to make the transition easie for them then it will be most certainly gratefully received

As far as the council house scenario goes - I am in the middle of the same thing, needing to transfer, and it's an uphill struggle. Get ALL the medical evidence you can and send it - until that council give your SF medical priority, you have no chance.

The bidding process is a waste of time really - without seeing a place, it's impossible to say what would be suitable for someone after a stroke, and with mobility needs. (I have the same sort of issues).

After endless hassles, I found out that councils hold back properties for disabled, and you should ask that you be removed form the bidding process, and be offered direct allocations which may be suitable.

That's what I've done, and they have agreed to that.

Lin