If this is your first visit, check out the community guide. You will have to Join us or Sign in before you can post.
Have your say about your online community! Complete our annual survey.
My mum's health and attendance allowance
Meemaw
Member Posts: 1 Listener
Hi. My mum is 70 years old. she resides in a sheltered accommodation flat. She suffers with severe COPD and uses a mobility scooter to get out and about. She was refused Attendance Allowance about a year ago when she claimed with the support of the warden from where she lives. She's managing financially on her Pension and pension credit along with housing benefit. Sadly, she suffered a heart attack just last Tuesday 18 Sept. she had a stent fitted and was discharged last Friday 21 Sept. she's completely shattered not only physically, but mentally too - worried about what she should and shouldn't do and has aged before my eyes. she's awaiting some input from the Coronary Care Community Team but i wonder if she shouldn't be applying for attendance allowance again. Do you think she would qualify now, given the deterioration in her health. Also does anyone know if there is a time limit between claims? any advice would be appreciated. thanks in advance.
Replies
I'm so sorry to hear about what you and your mum have been coping with recently, it must have been really tough on you both. Hopefully some of our members more knowledgeable about AA will be along to advise soon, but I just wanted to let you know your post had been acknowledged.
In the meantime, I wonder if you've considered seeing your GP so they're informed about your current situation. It could be that they can refer you for some further support/ help with day to day life to make things easier on you both. Please do keep us updated and let us know how you get on!
That is an issue I have. Whilst needing help at some points of the day, the criteria is as above - throughout the day - from waking to going to bed.
Thankfully I am not at that stage myself of needing that level of care/help throughout the day.
If the poster's mum could be said to need help from carers over that timespan then put a claim in.
Think we need to be clear though that someone who can get about on a mobility scooter may well have COPD but not sufficiently badly to qualify for AA. It’s also likely the next 6 months will see less need for care post heart attack rather than more.
You are right there is a waiting period but only so long as to dealing with issue of her heart condition. I would have thought that the reasons she made a claim 12 months ago will still probably stand - COPD - today. The heart condition is very recent.
The definition of day you’re referring to was simply to establish the difference between day and night time needs.
I have looked both up on the net which to be honest has me confused even more so.
forming an unbroken whole; without interruption.
As for the case law, I have no idea which one you are referring to and how to access it.
At best guess it should be continual and not continuous. In fact the CAB website makes no mention of either of these words it just says throughout the day meaning continual or as you say continuous??.