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GP suggests that I should give up my independence if I want to be awarded Attendance Allowance

Yadnad

Had to go to the GP this week to check up on my sleeping pattern and if the drug he has given me is working - well that is what I thought he wanted.
Unfortunately and as the saying goes that they will always find a problem. Seems that the guy was more interested in my volatile mood swings. He came out with it - you are close to having another breakdown. He offered counselling which I refused given that I have had that for many years with no effect. So true to life, he has upped the Sertraline to the maximum and has told me that I WILL be talking to a counsellor. Um no I won't I said.

At the end of the conversation he asked right out of the blue if his letter of 2016 had helped with the PIP claim. Told him that it had but the latest 2017 re-assessment saw me with 0 points once again so I had decided to close it down.

Then he asked about Attendance Allowance and why was I not receiving it given my age and medical/mental health issues. So I told him what the rules were to be accepted which I do not fit - you need help or supervision throughout the day
He was surprised at the strictness of the criteria and told me that he had helped many of his elderly patients with fewer problems than I have.
I told him that I am far too independent to want to become dependent on someone else to look after me throughout the day.

Am I supposed to let go of life and my independence so as to qualify as being almost a 'cabbage'?

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Comments

wilko

You are making a mountain out of a mole hill here, as for having counselling that didn’t work was it you or the counlsellors who didn’t try to make it work? It’s like the physo giving you the exercises but if you don’t do, participate in doing them you can’t complain of not seeing any improvement, and can’t blame the physo saying it didn’t work tried that waste of time.

Matilda

You could phone Age UK helpline to ask how much attendance a person is supposed to need to qualify for AA. People don't have to take all the attendance they qualify for. And frankly AA would not pay for attendance 'throughout the day'!

Cabbage is an offensive term.

You seem determined to make yourself ineligible for AA. Just apply, be truthful on the form.

Yadnad

wilko said:

You are making a mountain out of a mole hill here, as for having counselling that didn’t work was it you or the counlsellors who didn’t try to make it work? It’s like the physo giving you the exercises but if you don’t do, participate in doing them you can’t complain of not seeing any improvement, and can’t blame the physo saying it didn’t work tried that waste of time.

I don't think so. If I was not as independent as I am (and stubborn with it) I would have had to spend the past 23 years in and out of secure psychiatric wards.
I don't give in easily to anything. I suppose looking back my will was stronger than that of the counsellors'. I do admit that when they were getting too close to the issues I deviated and took them down a road which was really of no significance. I certainly don't blame them for there being no real change after the hours and hours that they worked on me. I just know that if it started again, it would be a waste of their time and mine.

Yadnad

Matilda said:

You could phone Age UK helpline to ask how much attendance a person is supposed to need to qualify for AA. People don't have to take all the attendance they qualify for. And frankly AA would not pay for attendance 'throughout the day'!

Thanks
When I researched the criteria for that benefit, I was assured by the CAB website that you need help or supervision throughout the day.

Taken from the CAB web page:

You should apply for Attendance Allowance if you have a disability or illness and need help or supervision throughout the day or at times during the night (even if you don’t currently get that help)…...Attendance Allowance isn’t just for people with a physical disability or illness. You should also claim if you need help or supervision throughout the day or night and have:

a mental health condition
learning difficulties
a sensory condition - for example if you’re deaf or blind

I read that as meaning that I would have to have the need or receive the help throughout the day starting from when I wake up to when I go to bed. The web page then goes on to describe what the help or need could be:

with personal care - for example getting dressed, eating or drinking, getting in and out of bed, bathing or showering and going to the toilet.

getting dressed/undressed, getting in and out of bed, bathing and going to the toilet are difficult but with the help and equipment supplied by Social Services I can be independent in carrying out all of those functions. for myself. I don't have difficulties with eating or drinking.
It was pointed out to me that when aids etc are provided in order to be independent then those aids go against you when claiming Attendance Allowance as the care and needs that I would have needed had those aids not been supplied no longer exists.

I left my GP in a state of confusion when I explained all of this to him.

Obviously the feeling I got was that to gain the benefit I would have to give up my independence. I can see the logic in that to the point that some elderly people are not as lucky as I am in managing to get the help that I have had from Social Services.