dla
- By MARIA
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Fri 23 May 2008 12:11
hi my daughter is profoundly deaf, and she has just left home to go into a low support flat. She is twenty. She also suffers from diabetes insipudus . If her nasal spray dosnt work she will dyhydrate and become dizzy and could lead to a coma. while she was at home she rcieved middle rate care and low rate mobility. Now they have changed it to low for both. My daughter has alot of communication problems and one of her ways round this is by having to txt. Hence very large mobile phone bills. She gets very fritened walking around alone. and she cnt here danger signals. Is this right? thanks for any comments
Replies
- By kerry.
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Re: dla
Fri 23 May 2008 14:11Hi maria
i would appeal as i think she should be on mid rate at least.as for teh phone, might be better to get her contract phone- mine is with orange and its unlimited texts (plus 300 mins talk time)- there will be better deals out there. mine is about £30 a month but at least u know how much youre paying each montha and also she wont run out of text money in an emergency.
or if she needs to ring 999 (even if the communication is a problem they can trace the phone usually - or maybe u could make services aware just in case she goes into coma)worth appealing tho- mention the phone and other stuff.
- By MARIA
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Re: dla
Fri 23 May 2008 14:23hi kerry thanks for that info. I have reapplied for anothr dla form for my daughter. They were saying they wanted to speak to her, but thats impossible as she is profoundly deaf. they wre saying that bcause she dosnt need much help through he night that she shouldnt get middle rate. My daughter is deaf and thats a body function and i have to keep in regular touch with her and that means even through the night. To make sure her nasal spray has worked. I WILL CHECK OUT HER PHONE. THANX
- By kerry.
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Re: dla
Fri 23 May 2008 15:32If the DLA are isisting on 'talking' to your daughter then fine, they must therefore provide someone who can sign (I assume she can????) or provide some other means of communication.
I'd be inclined to say go for it! Let them worry about how the hell they are gonna communicate with her!
at least youre showing willing that way, and i thought it was high rate if they needed help thru the night, low rate for milder disabilities and mid for in between like your daughter.defo appeal and get some letters of support from whoever you can- social worker, housing support worker, her consultant, GP anyone like that.
They really do help.Good luck!
- By MARIA
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Re: dla
Fri 23 May 2008 16:16hi kerry thankyou for that its lovely to hear from someone on your side. i shall really fight for her middle rate now.
- By mini1here
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Re: dla
Fri 23 May 2008 16:59a friend of mine had to fight for 2yrs after they stoped her 12yr old sons dla he has serious heart problems due to her determination she won it all back dated to when they stopped it
- By MARIA
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Re: dla
Fri 23 May 2008 17:24hi there well thats very interesting to know. Its really unfair that sometimes the dla seem to think that being deaf isnt a disability. My daughter has gone through life with all sorts of predudice. Not able to make loads of friends through them not able to understand her. A silent world can be a lonely world. She gets really fritned of travelling on public transport worrying that the driver hasnt understood her, and will carry on going. My daughter has to have somebody with her most of the day.
- By kerry.
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Re: dla
Fri 23 May 2008 18:45hi maria,
just to boost u a bit- where we used to live in kent, my daughters 2ndary school taught sign language on the curriculum and told them it was now the 4th national language (im not sure if that last bits true tho) but at least they respected peoples rights to communicate and were very forward thinking.
I mean, it isnt their fault they have hearing problems but it is everyone elses fault if we cannot communicate with them!I started off with makaton with my boys (and wot a relief when they realised i could 'get' them!- their frustrations dissipated immediately)
then i went on to stage one BSL then stage 2.
however i didnt do the exam for 2 as we moved just before it, and ive lost a lot of it now, but its easy enough to oick up again- just practice really!
anyway good luck with her claim, keep fighting.
- By MARIA
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Re: dla
Fri 23 May 2008 21:41thankyou everybody i will keep on fighting. YOUVE ALL GIVEN ME SOME REALLY USEFULL TIPS. I will let you know how it goes .
- By Lynn
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Re: dla
Sat 24 May 2008 11:33Maria, it might help to have a look at the RNID website, they have an information sheet on deaf people and DLA with some useful tips including appeals. The more information you can put on the form the better.
Good luck
Lynn
- By meg mackenzie
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Re: dla
Sun 25 May 2008 17:16Be aware if you re-apply for the DLA they will not backdate to the time they downnsized the benefit. However if you appeal their decision and on appeal, or if it goes to tribuneral, the original decision is overturned the benefits are upgraded to the date of the original application.
Persevere............it`s the only way.
Take care
Meg