Attendance Allowance

[Roach70]

I am hoping to make a claim for Attendance Allowance. I have been a type 1 diabetic for 50 years and am now 71 years old. Are there any threads which might help me. Must confess I find it difficult to navigate around the threads!

 

[lovinglife]

Speak to your local Age Concern they should be able to help you, they helped my dad fill out his claim form, Citizen Advice is a good place for help with these kind of things too - good luck

 

[Roach70]

Speak to your local Age Concern they should be able to help you, they helped my dad fill out his claim form, Citizen Advice is a good place for help with these kind of things too - good luck

Thanks for your suggestion. I will Indeed contact Age Concern / Citizen Advice. I have other medical conditions but I have difficulty accepting that I am entitled to support from the government when I have 'managed' to cope with all that life throws at you without such support. You just have to get on with life - not that I would say no to some extra financial help but....

The claim form is 30 pages long!!!!

 

[Oldvatr]

I applied successfully for AA some years ago. I have had some CVE (cardio vascular events) so the diabetes was just an add in rather than a main player. The strokes left me with documented falls as I taught my brain new tricks and this was the main reason for me making the claim.

I also have my daughter registered at the Council as my carer and as she lives in then I claim second adult exemption from council tax I have also negotiated a rates reduction as I have fitted in a wetroom for a disabled person (Me) I use a mobility scooter for my shopping and when visiting the council offices so it fits the part.

It was the falls that was instrumental in my application being accepted. I suppose the risk of hypo could apply for you, but I could not use that since I am T2D on orals. I am also a car driver and still hold a valid licence so claiming hypos would not look good with DVLA. I run my sugars just above hypoland.

 

[Roach70]

I applied successfully for AA some years ago. I have had some CVE (cardio vascular events) so the diabetes was just an add in rather than a main player. The strokes left me with documented falls as I taught my brain new tricks and this was the main reason for me making the claim.

I also have my daughter registered at the Council as my carer and as she lives in then I claim second adult exemption from council tax I have also negotiated a rates reduction as I have fitted in a wetroom for a disabled person (Me) I use a mobility scooter for my shopping and when visiting the council offices so it fits the part.

It was the falls that was instrumental in my application being accepted. I suppose the risk of hypo could apply for you, but I could not use that since I am T2D on orals. I am also a car driver and still hold a valid licence so claiming hypos would not look good with DVLA. I run my sugars just above hypoland.

Many thanks for your kind message. The DVLA revoked my licence recently for eyesite reasons (I had quite extensive laser treatment in both eyes to curb retinopathy) so I am stuck at home more than I was previously used to. Walking is becoming more difficult because of osteoporosis so I need a stick now and cannot bend to reach toes etc.
In the last couple of years I've had 3 pretty severe hypos which forced my wife to call for an ambulance. These were all late evening. I have a raised seat and grab rail for the toilet. I can't get out of the bath without a struggle so have become reliant on deodorant!
I know that I should be writing this all down on the form but it is very demotivating. Perhaps when Age Concern talk it through with me I will get some inspiration!

 

[Oldvatr]

Many thanks for your kind message. The DVLA revoked my licence recently for eyesite reasons (I had quite extensive laser treatment in both eyes to curb retinopathy) so I am stuck at home more than I was previously used to. Walking is becoming more difficult because of osteoporosis so I need a stick now and cannot bend to reach toes etc.
In the last couple of years I've had 3 pretty severe hypos which forced my wife to call for an ambulance. These were all late evening. I have a raised seat and grab rail for the toilet. I can't get out of the bath without a struggle so have become reliant on deodorant!
I know that I should be writing this all down on the form but it is very demotivating. Perhaps when Age Concern talk it through with me I will get some inspiration!

Those are exactly the sort of thing you should be entering on the form. For AA you do not actually need aa carer assigned or identified. It is given to help you get help when you need it. your 3 hypo's with ambulance assistance is such an example. paying for aids is another. I purchased a stand assist device and a riser recliner chair to help me even though I am not reliant on them, they are there in case. Being unable to picjk things up off the floor may indicate you may need to engage a housekeeper / cleaner. Maybe you need to consider a bath lift device?

 

[ElenaP]

Many thanks for your kind message. The DVLA revoked my licence recently for eyesite reasons (I had quite extensive laser treatment in both eyes to curb retinopathy) so I am stuck at home more than I was previously used to. Walking is becoming more difficult because of osteoporosis so I need a stick now and cannot bend to reach toes etc.
In the last couple of years I've had 3 pretty severe hypos which forced my wife to call for an ambulance. These were all late evening. I have a raised seat and grab rail for the toilet. I can't get out of the bath without a struggle so have become reliant on deodorant!
I know that I should be writing this all down on the form but it is very demotivating. Perhaps when Age Concern talk it through with me I will get some inspiration!

I second the use of Age Concern (Are UK). They will fill the Attendance Allowance application form in for you, and send it off. One thing to remember is to say how you feel on the worst day, not to put a brave face on it and say what you can do on the best day. As we age, small health niggles get bigger with time. It does sound that to be safe, you will need another person with you if you want to go to the theatre or even to the pub, or GP surgery - all of which are reasons to claim. But even stronger reasons are that you cannot get out of a bath or reach your toes to put on shoes. There are two levels of attendance allowance. By the sounds of it, you need to apply for the higher rate because that covers needing assistance (from your wife) during the night. The assistance = keeping an eye on, such as calling ambulance and helping you to put on your socks and slippers on.

I was a carer for my husband (with multiple sclerosis) for some 25 years, but it took me years to find out that ambulance paramedics are happy to come to help people up from the floor, or from a bath, without the need to go to hospital, altough sometimes you have to wait for several hours. As for the bath, the local Council can supply you with 'bath lifts' - that is actually a plastic chair that moves up and down. Although I think these are not satisfactory because you are in water only up to your waist. Better too have a shower installed. If you book a disabled assessment with the local Council they ought be able advise you.

Good luck.

 

[Roach70]

Those are exactly the sort of thing you should be entering on the form. For AA you do not actually need aa carer assigned or identified. It is given to help you get help when you need it. your 3 hypo's with ambulance assistance is such an example. paying for aids is another. I purchased a stand assist device and a riser recliner chair to help me even though I am not reliant on them, they are there in case. Being unable to picjk things up off the floor may indicate you may need to engage a housekeeper / cleaner. Maybe you need to consider a bath lift device?

Many thanks. You have given me a bit more confidence to go ahead.

 

[Oldvatr]

Many thanks. You have given me a bit more confidence to go ahead.

I hoped that might help. Good Luck. and Age Concern should help. When I applied, my wife was hooked into the Parkinsons outfit, and their local contact helped her fill out a successful PIP and then helped me. My local age concern were not very active in my area.