DLA & Attendance Allowance

backpack

Yes, margaretcllare, I believe a lot of people whose mobility is good do not understand the needs of those with a mobility problem, also the physical pain that is also often present.

My nearest bus stop is too far away for me to walk, I have been driving a manual car but now need to change to an automatic. I do not qualify for any financial help towards the cost of changing my car because I have never claimed any benefits. I have purchased all of my own aids for the home including a stairlift and now will struggle with purchase of automatic car.

I am pleased that you are able to get some help and I hope that you enjoy your new car.
Take no notice of negative comments, those people may be in the same situation someday (hopefully they won't).

cattie

backpack wrote: »

My nearest bus stop is too far away for me to walk, I have been driving a manual car but now need to change to an automatic. I do not qualify for any financial help towards the cost of changing my car because I have never claimed any benefits. I have purchased all of my own aids for the home including a stairlift and now will struggle with purchase of automatic car.

I don't know what area you live in but in London/Greater London there is the Dial-a Ride service for people with mobility problems to help them get out & about, things such as going shopping, to the library or social groups etc. It operates everyday of the year & is totally free.

For longer journeys or hospital visits etc. there is the Taxicard service, where you get cut price taxi travel, with your local council subsiding you for a particular amount of trips per year.

margaretclare

cattie wrote: »

I don't know what area you live in but in London/Greater London there is the Dial-a Ride service for people with mobility problems to help them get out & about, things such as going shopping, to the library or social groups etc. It operates everyday of the year & is totally free.

For longer journeys or hospital visits etc. there is the Taxicard service, where you get cut price taxi travel, with your local council subsiding you for a particular amount of trips per year.

You have listed most of the places that older people/disabled people are expected to go to. Shopping, library, doctors etc. The over-50s group and of course, bingo. Yes, I know you didn't include this last, but it is part of the pattern that we're expected to adhere to.

How about popping over the Channel for lunch in our favourite Calais restaurant? Just as an example. There are a lot of places that we go to which wouldn't be covered by any dial-a-ride scheme. Why do we still do it? Because we don't know how long we can, that's why. You're a long time dead.

tomtontom

margaretclare wrote: »

You have listed most of the places that older people/disabled people are expected to go to. Shopping, library, doctors etc. The over-50s group and of course, bingo. Yes, I know you didn't include this last, but it is part of the pattern that we're expected to adhere to.

How about popping over the Channel for lunch in our favourite Calais restaurant? Just as an example. There are a lot of places that we go to which wouldn't be covered by any dial-a-ride scheme. Why do we still do it? Because we don't know how long we can, that's why. You're a long time dead.

All sympathy lost when you said this. Surely you do not expect the state to subsidise your little day trips to Calais?

cattie

margaretclare wrote: »

You have listed most of the places that older people/disabled people are expected to go to. Shopping, library, doctors etc. The over-50s group and of course, bingo. Yes, I know you didn't include this last, but it is part of the pattern that we're expected to adhere to.

How about popping over the Channel for lunch in our favourite Calais restaurant? Just as an example. There are a lot of places that we go to which wouldn't be covered by any dial-a-ride scheme. Why do we still do it? Because we don't know how long we can, that's why. You're a long time dead.

You seem to be insinuating that I've listed the typical types of places that only older people go to, when in fact people of all ages need to do or go to the places mentioned. Plus I was only giving a very broad indication of perhaps the most common places that disabled people might need to go to. I know when I recovered from a very serious illness, being able to use Dial-a Ride to do these very things saved my sanity.

If you can afford to pop over the channel for lunch then bully for you, but some people don't have the money to spend on such things & are satisfied with simpler pleasures such as meeting up with friends locally for tea & a chat, or visiting a friend or relative for dinner at the weekend. So please don't deride the services of Dial-a Ride that allow a lot of disabled people, especially those that live alone, to have some sort of a social life & interact with friends & family outside of their own homes.

margaretclare

tomtontom wrote: »

All sympathy lost when you said this. Surely you do not expect the state to subsidise your little day trips to Calais?

No, nobody subsidises them. They're an infrequent treat, something to look forward to. We're not on any means-tested benefit. AA is not means-tested nor is it taxable. DH and I are still taxpayers. Nor are we asking for anyone's sympathy.

teddysmum

Last year there was a newspaper story about a retired couple who had mobility problems. The lady lost her leg at 66, but her husband had arthritis, so found pushing her in a wheelchair difficult.


Had this happened just a couple of years earlier, they would have had help with external mobility for years (as the allowance was earned before 65), instead of being housebound for long periods.


It is very unfair, as in this case the loss of mobility was not age related.

margaretclare

teddysmum wrote: »

Last year there was a newspaper story about a retired couple who had mobility problems. The lady lost her leg at 66, but her husband had arthritis, so found pushing her in a wheelchair difficult.


Had this happened just a couple of years earlier, they would have had help with external mobility for years (as the allowance was earned before 65), instead of being housebound for long periods.


It is very unfair, as in this case the loss of mobility was not age related.

Yes, this is true. Pushing someone in a wheelchair on the pavement is very difficult. It's possible that might have happened to us, it still might.

My point earlier was that we go to a lot of places where Dial-a-Ride wouldn't go. Just to relax and see the scenery, the wildlife etc. Yesterday because Ford's accounting systems had crashed we couldn't go to change the car. So we went and sat by the sea-wall looking out on the tide and watching ships go up and down, then went to a nearby supermarket for a coffee. We don't know how long we'll have to still be able to do these things so we do them while we can.

If I lived in London I wouldn't bother with a car at all.

backpack

cattie wrote: »

I don't know what area you live in but in London/Greater London there is the Dial-a Ride service for people with mobility problems to help them get out & about, things such as going shopping, to the library or social groups etc. It operates everyday of the year & is totally free.

For longer journeys or hospital visits etc. there is the Taxicard service, where you get cut price taxi travel, with your local council subsiding you for a particular amount of trips per year.

Thank you for your input cattie, I live near (just over the boundary) Coventry where there is a 'dial a ride' service but unfortunately does not cover the area that I live in. Also no Taxicard service. I do have a bus pass, but cannot get to the bus stop.

I am unable to drive, at the moment, and in all probability I am going to have to change my manually operated car to automatic, when I am ok to drive again, hopefully soon.

pipkin71

margaretclare wrote: »

We don't know how long we'll have to still be able to do these things so we do them while we can.

Carry on doing and enjoying them as long as you possibly can - even your trips to France, for lunch. Then, when you can no longer get out as much, you will still have your fabulous memories