Dla home assessment ?

[guinivere67]

I have applied for this several months ago. I've just received a letter saying they are sending an assessor to my home this thursday to make an assessment of my mobility and care needs.

Does anyone have any experience of this and can you please tell me what to expect?

thanks

[bugsy]

Hiya Guinivere

When i first applied for DLA about 5 years ago i had a home assessment, its one of the doctors that comes out to see you.

From what i can remember, he had my application form with him and he was asking questions about that and then he asked me to walk alittle - he did do an examination of my legs as at the time that was my worst problem. My hubby was there with me as i didn't want to be alone for this.

I hope this as helped you, i got really worked up about the doctor coming but it wasn't actually that bad after all. I hope all goes well for you and that you receive DLA. I will keep my fingers crossed for you :fingers:.

Take care :luck: Jo :luck:

[guinivere67]

thanks for your reply. I am nervous about it...he is coming between 3 - 5.30 so my husband may well be out picking the children up from school. I just hope i get the sort of doctor that listens and isn't arrogant...there is such a variation out there isn't there.

Thanks for your reassurances.

[Clare.T]

Hello Jen

These home visits are very tough emotionally because it is essential thet the visitor sees the everyday reality. This often means confronting it yourself for the first time.
Force yourself not to make any special efforts to tidy and clean the house or look your very best. This isn't the right time for creating false impressions, because the aim is not to show how well you cope if need be but how hard it is for you to cope. It's the bad days that matter not the better ones
I suggest having a list to hand of all the problems you encounter because it's easy to forget and underestimate- note how long it takes you to get dressed for example how hard it is for you to do your hair, all those little things he can't actually see for himself and has to take your word for.

It is a tough experience but I have the impression that these assessors are kindly people doing their job and people usually report it wasn't anything like as bad as they feared

All the best and hugs

Clare

[guinivere67]

i am sitting here in a mound of housework that needs doing - it will be so hard for me to leave it (i don't want whoever comes to think i am slovenly) but it is equally hard for me to face the effort it will take to do it. I have my husband to help me - all of the cooking and most of the housework is being done by him at the moment (soooo guilty for that anyway). Would you believe my mother's day flowers are still on the windowsill, wilting away lol.

Most of Sunday despite my dry eyes i did manage to cry quite a lot in pain and frustration at it all...have had a bad week. Yesterday and today slept whilst the children were at school (most of the time).

I've received a letter from work today asking me to go for an InFA (Independent Functional Assessment) to see what my physical state is like; i kind of think this is irrelevant as it is not just the joints and muscles pains that are preventing me from returning to work; the fatigue is so bad at the moment it is my worst enemy. My eyes are always sore. The headaches are practically every day. I also think that they should wait until i see my specialist on May 8th because if i do finally get a diagnosis i may at last be able to start some treatment and all my symptoms may get better.

Anyway thanks for your advice.

[Clare.T]

All I can say is that not just leaving it could risk you your benefit. Of course the assessor should go by your physical condition alone. But the state of the place is very relevant.

You can use that money as you wish and getting help with the housework would be a perfectly legitimate use for it.

It would be a good idea to have a clear chair for him to sit down on :wink2: maybe get the dishes done and any gross messes cleared up. Same with appearance - comb your hair, look neat and tidy, but major effort is faking it up and can only be counter productive

Hugs
Clare

[LolaLola]

I have had several of these visits.
The last one involved about two hours of questions,but I have never had an unpleasant Doc.
If your Hubby is out and you can't get up for the door, leave it on the latch with a note for the Doc. to come in, rather than struggle up.

When they read back your answers make sure you are happy with everything on the form before you sign it,and don't feel guilty if you need time to think of your answers. Also do not feel you need to hurt yourself if they ask for toe touching or other exercise that you can't do. It is not their intention to put you through agony.

Try not to worry though, i have had three different Docs. and five examinations and now have DLA both at High Rate indefinitely,so it can and does come out right sometimes.
X Lola

[guinivere67]

hubby was out when doc arrived picking up children from school, but came in half way through.

Doc was very nice and just went through a form with me however he didn't ask me to sign anything. He asked me about my medical conditions - what was diagnosed and what wasn't - he asked me to walk across the room as well which i could only do half bent over. He examined my knees and hands but there is nothing to see really. I told him about my brain going fuzzy so he asked me the year, which i got right, the month, which i really struggled answering as my brain went fuzzy lol but eventually got right, and the day, again no problems there.

I more or less told him everything that i had already put on the DLA form and he just wrote it all down again.

I hadn't tidied very much - i just couldn't do a lot but hubby ran the hoover over the front room although the fireplace has enough dust over it to plant a small nursery in! He also had somewhere to sit!

I guess i just have to wait now for the decision; anyone got any idea how long it normally takes from now? I'll keep you posted when i know the results. Thanks for all your replies and good advice.