PIP Again...(sorry) 13 December 2015 at 3:01AM edited 30 November -1 at 1:00AM in Disability Money Matters 6 replies 1.2K views

Chorlie

Not been around this board of late, so I'm not up to date on things sorry.

I'm on DLA have been for more years that I can remember (High Mobility / Mid Care)...

I'm trying to get my head around PIP, the mobility side it fine, I'm in a wheelchair, I can't walk / stand so 12 points...

It's the care side that's I'm scratching my head on, more so what is classed as an aid / appliance...

Certain things I'm ok with I have grab handles for the bath & toilet, use a bath board and shower that way, so I guess they are classed as aids / appliances and I need use them evertime.

However, is a wheelchair an aid because without it I couldn't prepare a meal (couldn't move around the kitchen or be able to reach cupboards, microwave, sink etc.) and what about dressing, I do it lying on the bed so is that an aid, because without it how do I get dressed I can't stand so I'd have to be on the floor....?


I'm so used to just doing things my way (which I've done all my life) it's hard to get my head around what I'm doing (compared to someone else). I'm just a stuborn independent guy in a wheelchair who's upper body works fine but sod all below the waist, who has his way of doing everyday things / coping; but it's basic sense that I find things like dressing, washing, cooking and toilet stuff harder than an able-bodied person would but having problem how to answer those questions....

So any advice / thoughts would be most grateful.

nannytone_2

i would say the wheelchair is an aid because you use it purely because of your disability, in the same way you use the grab rails just because of your disability.

your bed isn't an aid though ... it is a bed and everyone has one regardless of disability.

im not physically disabled ( I'm blind) but sit on my bed when i dress, so i use it as a seat as well as a bed ... but it definitely isn't an aid

nannytone_2

just looked at another thread which said a bed or a chair COULD be considered an aid.

seems strange though, as i said, i sit on the bed when i get dressed.... not because its an aid but because I'm being lazy

Chorlie

That's half my issue, I do things because I always have; ie I have a little fold up step in the bathroom I use to lift myself up onto the loo and onto my wheelchair, so that's an aid for me but it's not classed as a disabled aid it's just something I've found that makes my life a little easier.

Also with bathing is states an unadapted bath, so is my bath board an adaption, without it I couldn't use the bath (couldn't get in / out without someone's help), so is that 3 points or just the 2.

It's very strange thinking about everything you do, how you do it and how others (able-bodied) would do it...

nannytone_2

i would say the bath board is an aid because it isn't usual for non disabled people to need to use one.
i would say the stop is an aid too because although many people use one, they don't usually use one in order to sit in a chair.

in that vein, I'm beginning to think your bed may be classed as an aid, if you use it for a purpose other than for which it was designed..

going to have to put some thought in for when i move over to PIP ...

i put elastic bands around the shampoo bottle so i can tell the difference between shampoo and conditioner. i suppose this makes elastic bands an aid

Chorlie

When I last did DLA (25yrs+ ago) it was all about what you couldn't do or what help you needed to do things.

So things like washing clothes, hanging them out, ironing them, shopping & putting the shopping away was all covered, as was help getting up and down stairs plus keeping the house clean / tidy, so hovering & dusting etc. That was all on top of the likes of dressing, bathing, toilet needs, cooking etc. but those don't seem to be covered anymore (guess everyone must have, cleaners, widow cleaners, gardeners and shop online) ��

pmlindyloo

These are the key words that you should be using in your PIP application.

• Safely – in a manner unlikely to cause harm to themselves or to
another person, either during or after completion of the activity
• To an acceptable standard
• Repeatedly – able to repeat the activity as often as is
reasonably required
• In a reasonable time period – no more than twice as long as the
maximum period that a non-disabled person would normally
take to complete that activity.

You are obviously one determined person and as such you need to consider how a non disabled person would carry out the daily living activities in comparison with yourself.

It does not matter that you do not receive assistance from another person. What matters is if having another person assisting you would make each activity safer/more reliable/done in a more timely manner.

Anything you use to help you complete any of the activities would be classed as an aid ( a wheelchair is an appliance) so at the minimum you should score 2 points on some of the activities.

I would like to suggest that you keep a diary explaining in detail how you manage during a day (keep it for a week or so)

Consider how a non disabled person would carry out the task and why you cannot do this. Consider how much quicker/safer things would be if you had assistance.

Getting some help to complete the form might be a good idea. CAB or a welfare advisor for instance.

Look at calman367's post on this link - a few ideas there

http://www.apparelyzed.com/forums/topic/32329-the-daily-living-component-of-pip-questions-re-the-descriptors-and-points/