Attendance Allowance question- Encouraging in Laws to Claim

bobsa1

My in laws are aged 76 and 73 and both have quite severe medical problems.

My FIl had a stroke two years ago and has no peripheral vision (sp) and problems with memory and mobility.

He can manage in the house as long as he is reminded to do things eg. turn cooker off, take toast out of toaster etc but can't go out alone as he has no sense of direction and becomes totally disorientated due to lack of vision and memory.

Mother in law is very, very lame, she can't walk more than the length of the garden path and is due to have a hip replacement in a fortnight. They think this will help but she is still going to have severe problems with walking.

A friend I was talking too last night suggested that they apply for attendance allowance.

I'd appreciate views on whether this is a possibility and if so how to raise it with them

My inlaws are very private people and don't discuss money and those types of issues and I know that they are going to be very resistant to applying for anything.

If they are unlikely to qualify I really don't want to upset them by even mentioning it, they are fiercly independant and really dislike the fact that they need help from DH and I with shopping, household tasks etc.

Any thoughts appreciated.

lilac_lady

Could you visit their GP and explain the situation to him/her? Sometimes people will do what a doctor suggests rather than their family members. If your parents suffer severe ill health I'm sure the GP will be supportive.

bobsa1

Unfortunately the GP is no use. They belong to a large practice and although FIL attends every month he has not seen his GP in person for 2 years. MIL had not been for 18years until DH forced her there in December 2007 when she could not even walk to her bedroom!!!

When I say they are private it is probably the biggest understatement in the world!

lilac_lady

Both have seen a doctor from the practice fairly recently so there should be notes about their medical condition even though they were seen by different doctors. I would call the surgery and ask if you could speak to someone about your problem. As long as the notes are there I think the GP you speak to will try and help you.

Biggles

Do they see the District Nurse (or the Practice Nurse) at all? It's not really something the GP would need to be bothered for.

The form is quite complex and the nurse will be really good at answering the questions in the right terminology. I doubt I could have done it without her. You don't really need your outlaws to be involved at that point, as long as they are happy to sign the forms afterwards.

chesky369

http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/index/life/benefits/benefits_for_people_who_are_sick_or_disabled.htm#attendance_allowance

try the above link - it's the citizens' advice bureau piece about attendance allowance and who is entitled to it. they will help you if you can drop in to see them and will tell you if your in-laws are entitled.

bobsa1

Thanks for your responses FIL sees practice nurse regulalry and MIL is now seeing a consultant.

Had a look on cab site and it appears that they may qualify. Will get Dh to fill forms in and speak to healthcentre.

It seems such a shame that they are both struggling and yet won't accept help easily.

chesky369

I was looking at these forms the other day - I think they're very off-putting and quite long, which is why people at CAB are quite used to helping to fill them in. So if your DH gets a bit bogged down, pop round to see them. I've just started to train to volunteer so I'm still full of admiration for them.

bobsa1

Just had a look on the website and you are absolutely correct. Given that this allowance is for over 65's you think they would be simpler

chesky369

nah - half the people who start to fill in these forms give up and I think they literally 'bank' on this happening. If everyone who was entitled actually did claim and didn't get discouraged, it would cost them an arm and a leg more.

Ted_Hutchinson

Claiming Disability Living Allowance and Attendance Allowance

I think it would be worth anyone's while paying for the above guide to claiming AA. It may be worth preparing answers for them to agree with or reword rather than just presenting the form.

When we had to put in a claim for MIL there was absolutely no way MIL was going to mention certain of her care needs. (incontinence) So we had to fill in the form get her to sign it and then before posting it add in the relevent care needs that she would never own up to.

Age Concern can help you make a claim – contact your local Age Concern today.

Benefits Advice Programme contact details

Who can claim Attendance Allowance? - Help the Aged