so I’ve had rheumatoid arthritis since I was born in 1972 and thinking about pip and the future changes I’m just wondering how to approach my answers. Let me give an example
Taking nutrition, I use built up knives and forks, that’s a slam dunk 2 points for use of aids, if I didn’t have them I believe I could still manage to eat but it would be more difficult, slow and painful. I’m not going to need someone to feed me.
Let’s look at washing, between shoulders and waist, I can do my chest fine but my back not at all, I can’t even hold a slippery wet back brush and still the rotation of my shoulders would cause real problems for me so I just don’t wash my back aside from the water from the shower landing on it. If I fell into a muddy puddle and my back was caked in muck I would need someone to wash it off. So how do I answer this question. I don’t have anyone to assist me to wash it because I chose not to wash it because I can’t. Does this mean I have an underlying need to have assistance washing between my shoulder and waist and should tick the box needs assistance despite not having assistance?
Different argument with toileting. I have a clos o mat toilet. It cleans me, I can’t do it myself. It’s an aid, 2 points , but if it broke I would require assistance. It’s different in my eyes to the built up cutlery in that without it I could not manage. How should I answer this question? Under the new reform having a closomat would make me not disabled , lose pip not be able to afford to have it serviced, it breaks, I need assistance I suddenly become disabled again? Can then afford to repair the toilet with pip payment and become not disabled again? How should I answer this question, to me I cannot do the task , it’s not a matter of an aid making it easier. I kind of think I have an underlying need of assistance even though I don’t use have assistance, I don’t know. Advice please.
ps I know these changes don’t come into force for a long time I’m just generally curious about how I should answer these questions now
