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Which Descriptors
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1 year 3 months ago #282318 by RHAN
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Hi LL26
Im glad you mentioned that i was just going to post another question about that very same thing!! As im stuck on activity 6 dressing & undressing .
My condition fluctuate to the point I'm completely bed-bound for days in agony and unable to speak etc, im stuck in the same clothes for days not even able to physically eat barely drinking even, couldn't eat even if someone brought me food and unable to communicate properly even struggle with speech.
Then its a slow recovery over the next few days which takes me until 1pm before i can attempt getting out of bed, and still struggling needing assistance & supervision as i have short blanking outs and just constantly dizzy, fatigued, and dropping things…its neurological related
Then i may have some betters days but not much Im lucky to get 2-4days a month before the whole nightmare just starts all over again.
So im wondering what descriptors i fit in as it more or less equals…
50/50 of :- I cannot…at all , & need assistance & supervision for safety etc
Then few days a month I can manage alone but still having milder versions of the other days im never 100%.
Im glad you mentioned that i was just going to post another question about that very same thing!! As im stuck on activity 6 dressing & undressing .
My condition fluctuate to the point I'm completely bed-bound for days in agony and unable to speak etc, im stuck in the same clothes for days not even able to physically eat barely drinking even, couldn't eat even if someone brought me food and unable to communicate properly even struggle with speech.
Then its a slow recovery over the next few days which takes me until 1pm before i can attempt getting out of bed, and still struggling needing assistance & supervision as i have short blanking outs and just constantly dizzy, fatigued, and dropping things…its neurological related
Then i may have some betters days but not much Im lucky to get 2-4days a month before the whole nightmare just starts all over again.
So im wondering what descriptors i fit in as it more or less equals…
50/50 of :- I cannot…at all , & need assistance & supervision for safety etc
Then few days a month I can manage alone but still having milder versions of the other days im never 100%.
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1 year 3 months ago #282323 by BIS
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Replied by BIS on topic Which Descriptors
Hi RobinGoch
LL26 may come and give her view, but I just wanted to give my thoughts. You say it's 50/50, and you're undecided about which criteria to put. Surely if you only have 2-4 'better days' per month, then the majority of the time you would need assistance even if you don't get it? Clearly, you want to give an accurate, truthful picture - but be mindful that the person reading your form does not know you and probably won't understand your condition.
In trying to explain fluctuating conditions - I have seen people not get the awards they expected because they give almost too much information and try to give such minute details that the assessor does not take in or understand. I'm not suggesting you're doing that, and you have to tell them whatever you want, but if you're uncertain which box to tick - you can leave them blank and let the assessor decide from your explanation. The most important thing is to make clear what happens on the majority of the days.
BIS
LL26 may come and give her view, but I just wanted to give my thoughts. You say it's 50/50, and you're undecided about which criteria to put. Surely if you only have 2-4 'better days' per month, then the majority of the time you would need assistance even if you don't get it? Clearly, you want to give an accurate, truthful picture - but be mindful that the person reading your form does not know you and probably won't understand your condition.
In trying to explain fluctuating conditions - I have seen people not get the awards they expected because they give almost too much information and try to give such minute details that the assessor does not take in or understand. I'm not suggesting you're doing that, and you have to tell them whatever you want, but if you're uncertain which box to tick - you can leave them blank and let the assessor decide from your explanation. The most important thing is to make clear what happens on the majority of the days.
BIS
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1 year 3 months ago #282326 by RHAN
Replied by RHAN on topic Which Descriptor
Hi Bis
They gave me zero in everything, and i know thats wrong. so I'm doing MR with some help.
I took 7 months to do my claim pack alone, then further 5 months with some help sending in extra documents in increments.
I'm barely getting the better mild days, the remainder days are evenly shared between severe and moderate and thats still on strong painkillers. I have an aged 71yr old husband also unwell in different ways that i actually cared for a decade but now forced to give it up, im 44 now. He cant do much so i force myself out of bed dosed up (1 more than prescribed cant cope otherwise) to struggle with the basic necessities, id be in bed alot more otherwise but someone has to it and family don't live near yet.
So give a week approx as example.
3 days straight severe so cannot at all,
3 days following severe of high supervision & assistance and strictly after 1pm say and on strong painkillers.
then 1 -2 days following it I can manage doing these basic things much better and easier so its all catch up then on basic living, I'm like a different person but still not 100% as I'm still dealing with the neurological issues its just at a much much lesser rate, still mumbling words up now and then and , dizziness , its just alot milder and less dangerous so might lose grip just once that day.
So on these rare better days You may not notice I'm not 100% right , I would appear capable 100% unless I told you my head is still struggling and swaying, or if spoke to you for a long enough and it just comes out mumbling or jumbled up words so just didn't make sense for a few seconds and maybe just that once. Or I just happened to switch off just for split see enough to almost drop something. So may just appear a bit of a Clusty person nothing serious.
Im not well enough to be on here even and on heavy painkillers just to do it, but i have no choice my husband is incapable full stop, and sister is in work , I will be months doing MR if i don't force it now. My claim has dragged on enough as it is.
Hope this rounds things up a bit better. I know I'm at the enhanced rates on both components i even have SAD. I just don't know how to word which descriptors I think applies.
Am I classed as simply “cannot at all”, or both equally cannot & need’s support/supervision?
Thank you in advance.
They gave me zero in everything, and i know thats wrong. so I'm doing MR with some help.
I took 7 months to do my claim pack alone, then further 5 months with some help sending in extra documents in increments.
I'm barely getting the better mild days, the remainder days are evenly shared between severe and moderate and thats still on strong painkillers. I have an aged 71yr old husband also unwell in different ways that i actually cared for a decade but now forced to give it up, im 44 now. He cant do much so i force myself out of bed dosed up (1 more than prescribed cant cope otherwise) to struggle with the basic necessities, id be in bed alot more otherwise but someone has to it and family don't live near yet.
So give a week approx as example.
3 days straight severe so cannot at all,
3 days following severe of high supervision & assistance and strictly after 1pm say and on strong painkillers.
then 1 -2 days following it I can manage doing these basic things much better and easier so its all catch up then on basic living, I'm like a different person but still not 100% as I'm still dealing with the neurological issues its just at a much much lesser rate, still mumbling words up now and then and , dizziness , its just alot milder and less dangerous so might lose grip just once that day.
So on these rare better days You may not notice I'm not 100% right , I would appear capable 100% unless I told you my head is still struggling and swaying, or if spoke to you for a long enough and it just comes out mumbling or jumbled up words so just didn't make sense for a few seconds and maybe just that once. Or I just happened to switch off just for split see enough to almost drop something. So may just appear a bit of a Clusty person nothing serious.
Im not well enough to be on here even and on heavy painkillers just to do it, but i have no choice my husband is incapable full stop, and sister is in work , I will be months doing MR if i don't force it now. My claim has dragged on enough as it is.
Hope this rounds things up a bit better. I know I'm at the enhanced rates on both components i even have SAD. I just don't know how to word which descriptors I think applies.
Am I classed as simply “cannot at all”, or both equally cannot & need’s support/supervision?
Thank you in advance.
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1 year 3 months ago #282329 by RHAN
Replied by RHAN on topic Which Descriptors
I was thinking,
As this MR is enough of a battle as it is,, shall i Not stress over and say which descriptors in each activity i fit in and just say I believe I qualify for enhanced in both components as I know it will be well passed 12 points in each component?
Would that be a wiser move for me? Or would it go in my favour more if I was to say which descriptors actually applies in each activity?
As this MR is enough of a battle as it is,, shall i Not stress over and say which descriptors in each activity i fit in and just say I believe I qualify for enhanced in both components as I know it will be well passed 12 points in each component?
Would that be a wiser move for me? Or would it go in my favour more if I was to say which descriptors actually applies in each activity?
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1 year 3 months ago #282344 by BIS
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Replied by BIS on topic Which Descriptors
Hi RobinGoch
One of the difficulties you face is that you want the 'perfect answer' because you're so keen to get it right. I understand that because so much is at stake, but in reality, there isn't one. Some claimants suggest what they think they should have scored when they submit their MR, and others don't, and whichever way is chosen, it could be successful or it could fail. People are not penalised because they suggest what they should have scored, nor are they penalised if they don't.
We always say you have to do what feels right for you. We're not assessors, we don't know you or your case, and although we can make suggestions at the end of the day, everyone has to do what feels right for themselves. If you don't feel certain which are the best criteria for you - don't suggest it and put your focus on what evidence you have that contradicts the assessor's opinion, which I guess is going to be all of it as they scored you as zero. For me, it comes down to what you can do for the majority of the time - and from what you've described - the majority of the time you can't.
BIS
One of the difficulties you face is that you want the 'perfect answer' because you're so keen to get it right. I understand that because so much is at stake, but in reality, there isn't one. Some claimants suggest what they think they should have scored when they submit their MR, and others don't, and whichever way is chosen, it could be successful or it could fail. People are not penalised because they suggest what they should have scored, nor are they penalised if they don't.
We always say you have to do what feels right for you. We're not assessors, we don't know you or your case, and although we can make suggestions at the end of the day, everyone has to do what feels right for themselves. If you don't feel certain which are the best criteria for you - don't suggest it and put your focus on what evidence you have that contradicts the assessor's opinion, which I guess is going to be all of it as they scored you as zero. For me, it comes down to what you can do for the majority of the time - and from what you've described - the majority of the time you can't.
BIS
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1 year 3 months ago #282359 by LL26
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Replied by LL26 on topic Which Descriptors
Hi RobinGoch,
Maybe this will help...?
I will use preparation of food as an example.
Days in bed can't do anything as too ill to get up - this will be I cannot cook or prepare food. - supervision won't help, as the helper will have to do the whole cooking process themself. Aids ir microwave won't be any use either.
How many days are spent in bed too unwell to get up. If this comprises the majority f days then your correct descriptor is the "I cannot cook" one.
So, if you can't reach the majority of days by being unwell in bed, perhaps you can get by with supervision. Does that comprise a majority of days? If so that is your correct descriptor.
So you have yet to gey any one descriptor over the 50% mark.
If cannot cook days and supervision days each comprise 3 days per week, then adding them you get to 6/7 - both descriptors apply equally, hence I can not cook is the highest value so that is the correct score. (1 f 8pts) If cannot cook days are 2 days and supervision is 3 days, then supervision is the correct descriptor. ( 4 pts 1e)
OK, perhaps the days are less obvious.
Then think about the problem in a different way.
What cooking can you undertake?
What prevents you doing more?
Do you have accidents?- why?
Think about the 'reliability' criteria.
Safety
Time
Repetition
Acceptable standard
If you have accidents eg cuts, drop things, which could cause burns, scalds, or bruises, or slip hazards, this might indicate you need physical help or supervision., or at the very least an aid or appliance.
Reasonable time - no more than twice that of non disabled person.
Repetition - repeat across the day as many times as reasonably required- cooking is likely to be 3 or 4, but other activities will have different repetitions. Unless the repetion is of a very insignificant nature- if you can't repeat eg do one or more daily cooking times, then you can't repeat and this again indicates help or an aid.
Acceptable standard- lack of safety indicates non acceptable standard, but also leaving the kitchen in a terrible dangerous mess, over or undercooked food etc could all comprise this.
If you need an aid or physical help/supervision then this will add to the quotient, and then can be added together or to the other possible descriptors, on accordance with Reg 7 as explained above.
It might be that due to a variety of reasons, being in bed, safety, taking too long etc that no amount of aids or human help will allow you to cook reliably fir any day, let alone the majority so then clearly you can't cook and prepare food, so 1 f is indeed correct.
A similar analysis can be done on all descriptors.
I hope this helps to clarify.
LL26
Maybe this will help...?
I will use preparation of food as an example.
Days in bed can't do anything as too ill to get up - this will be I cannot cook or prepare food. - supervision won't help, as the helper will have to do the whole cooking process themself. Aids ir microwave won't be any use either.
How many days are spent in bed too unwell to get up. If this comprises the majority f days then your correct descriptor is the "I cannot cook" one.
So, if you can't reach the majority of days by being unwell in bed, perhaps you can get by with supervision. Does that comprise a majority of days? If so that is your correct descriptor.
So you have yet to gey any one descriptor over the 50% mark.
If cannot cook days and supervision days each comprise 3 days per week, then adding them you get to 6/7 - both descriptors apply equally, hence I can not cook is the highest value so that is the correct score. (1 f 8pts) If cannot cook days are 2 days and supervision is 3 days, then supervision is the correct descriptor. ( 4 pts 1e)
OK, perhaps the days are less obvious.
Then think about the problem in a different way.
What cooking can you undertake?
What prevents you doing more?
Do you have accidents?- why?
Think about the 'reliability' criteria.
Safety
Time
Repetition
Acceptable standard
If you have accidents eg cuts, drop things, which could cause burns, scalds, or bruises, or slip hazards, this might indicate you need physical help or supervision., or at the very least an aid or appliance.
Reasonable time - no more than twice that of non disabled person.
Repetition - repeat across the day as many times as reasonably required- cooking is likely to be 3 or 4, but other activities will have different repetitions. Unless the repetion is of a very insignificant nature- if you can't repeat eg do one or more daily cooking times, then you can't repeat and this again indicates help or an aid.
Acceptable standard- lack of safety indicates non acceptable standard, but also leaving the kitchen in a terrible dangerous mess, over or undercooked food etc could all comprise this.
If you need an aid or physical help/supervision then this will add to the quotient, and then can be added together or to the other possible descriptors, on accordance with Reg 7 as explained above.
It might be that due to a variety of reasons, being in bed, safety, taking too long etc that no amount of aids or human help will allow you to cook reliably fir any day, let alone the majority so then clearly you can't cook and prepare food, so 1 f is indeed correct.
A similar analysis can be done on all descriptors.
I hope this helps to clarify.
LL26
Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems
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