Grant

Hi, Was told yesterday that I didn’t qualify for any financial help to assist with paying for the adaptations the OT has suggested we have done to the house. My husband earns too much for us to qualify, plus my Mum died in February and I’m due to inherit some money from the sale of her house. The OT was on about us having a lift installed, knocking two bedrooms into one and making changes to the bathroom and kitchen. Dream on. Like the financial bod said, their criteria only takes account of the money you’ve got going in, not what you’re left with after everything has gone out as well. Heather

Hello Heather, sometime ago I had OT in to make an assessment. He said that due to my income, I had to pay for the first £25,000 of any alterations. Paying for all sorts in order to have a reasonable existence, leaving little left at the end of each month, did not come into it. As this was about 12 years ago the figures are proably out of date and it’s more likely to be the first £40,000 now! I think that’s the way the potty spills (on our feet) and we have to accept it! Sorry to bring negative news. Good wishes, Steve.

Hi Steve, Thanks for your reply. What annoys me most is that the OT isn’t looking at what can be done to help me NOW, but they’re looking to put things in place on the assumption that I’ll be reduced to a vegetable in 10 years time and what I’ll need then, because they don’t want to have to come back and do further adaptations. They want it all over and done within one go. There’s some things that I’m prepared to do now, but not others. At least if I go private I should get a decent job done and not end up feeling like I live in an institution eg. Social Services put some hand grabs up outside by our front door. Our front door is brown but they put white hand grabs up.! This might sound like I’m ungrateful - I’m not - but it looks awful. It advertises to the world that a poor, disabled person lives here who has to accept hand outs. I’m not the only person who lives in our house. There’s no consideration taken for how these adaptations make the other residents feel, in particular towards me. Things they’ve worked hard for to make nice are being replaced, bit by bit, by things where function is the only consideration. Aesthetics doesn’t come into it. It generates a lot of ill feeling. Saturday rant over. Heather

Hi Heather, can’t help re getting financial help. All I would say is that if you are doing this yourself, think about the adaptations you do want and how you want them. I think you are right about the ot wanting it all over in one go, if you are paying yourself you can just do the bits you most want or need to do. Do get several quotes though and you should be able to get most of this work done without paying vat. But ask about the vat situation because whoever is doing the work may not know this. Cheryl:-)

Hi, I`ve had things done with advice and referrals by an OT. One job was to fit a ceiling hoist. I was means tested and what we have coming in didnt count…it was what we have in savings that mattered, we were told. The rule is that anything over 6k in savings, means you should make a contribution. We had a minus balance (and still do), yet we were asked to find £1200!

I asked a charity and they kindly gave us the amount needed.

I am now waiting to hear about a wet room re-vamp and will be means tested again.

I know this is all different to what you were told, so I`m a bit confused now!

pollxx

Dear Heather, so why do you want adaptations for MS disabilities which may never happen?

I did the opposite, went and bought an ancient house and thought that the effort involved to make it right would help stop the rot. So far, it has.

Don’t live for what may happen. It hasn’t happened yet and may never happen.

Personally, I wouldn’t mind some hand grabs outside our bedroom. It’s got a 12 inch step - but that’s all part of the challenge. There is more to life than planning for disability. Follow your diet, take your drugs and don’t live easy. Make life a challenge.

I want to grab life. The hand grabs would help, but in the meantime, there’s always the frame of the bedroom door to grab on to.

If you aren’t disabled, then (please?) don’t live your life as if you are. There are plenty of injured soldiers, people with lifetime disabilities who have no choice. What are you going to do with the rest of your life?

Hey Ibu, I like your style! I think the OT thinks of me as being in denial, but I know all too well what problems I have. I think he feels duty-bound to suggest as much as possible. If I reject his suggestions then hurt myself, it’s not his fault. Not getting a grant has put me back in control. We can do what we want at our own speed. Thanks for your reply. It made my day! Heather