Hi Candy
Well all those things you have will help you because you will score points for needing to use them
You will be fine Candy , good luck you will be fine , let us know how you get on xxx
yeh good luck candy
Thanks guys
You`ve been great, wil let you know how it goes
lots of love
candyxxxxx
So Sorry Paul i have only just seen the post about Atos and the ESA assessments , i am not sure Paul about ESA but no doubt i will find out shortly , as i have to make a claim for esa in a few weeks .....Here we go again ,not sure about the process for esa , would i be able to use the report that was done for pip ? as evidence in my esa claim ?
when you claim esa you get a sick letter sign you off for six months about the 12 week you will get sent a form to fill in to go into the support group ,this is for people who can no longer work,send in all you info with form to atos ,capita .the form is best filled in by your psw,then they will decide weather you need acessment or not.
Thanks Gus , i have to make a claim for esa on 4th June so i assume i have to go get a sick note from my GP ?
yeh thats the first thing to do!
Thanks Gus will do it around the end of May
did you work before you had pd as you would of went on to esa ,then gone on to support allowance.if not im not to sure what you would go on first maybe jsa.& then have to get sick note think your need to get some more info ! pdsw or dwp
Hi Guys,
Well the day draws near, Got my pip assessment on Tuesday, To say I am apprehensive is an understatement, My pd support worker came to see me, She cannot attend but gave me a heads up of the best way to approach it.
Basically like you said Shelly, Tell them what its like on the worst days and dont hold anything back, tell them the equipment you have got, She said that people who do the assessment will have very little knowledge of PD and you have to spell it out to them.
Thats good I thought someone coming to assess you on an illness they know nothing or very little about. Well got to bite the bullet I suppose I will be in touch with you guys after and let you know how it went
Take care all
Candyxxxxx
Your smash it !
Thanks Gus
I will go for it
Candyxxx
Hi Candy
Hope you do well and good luck.
I have my support worker coming on Monday to help me to fill my form in.
Sheffy x
Hi Candy
Let us know how you get on , yes i agree with your support worker tell them your worst days and all the things you find difficult and all of the aids and appliances you use or could use if you had them , as the assessors do not have much knowledge of parkinsons you will have to spell it out for them and try to give as clear a picture as you possibly can with regards to your day to day life and the difficulties you encounter , . the more clearer picture you give the assessor the more clear picture they can give to dwp in there report for the decision maker , You can do it Candy
Good luck xxxx
Good luck with the claim Shefinn xx
Good luck for tomorrow Candy , will be thinking of you xxx
Hi Guys,
Well my PIP assessment was not an enjoyable experience. The lady that came was an ex district nurse so you would think she had a knowledge of Parkinsons, She sat there and asked me a question and would just glare at me over her glasess.
I got the impression that she didnt think I was as bad as I was saying, Everytime she asked me a question and I answered it she always had a come back, I told her my husband does the cooking now because my wrists are weak and I couldnt lift heavy saucepans, Her reply, Get some lighter pans.
I was in tears at one point because I said to her that I felt I had to justify my condition and how it affected me, Then she asked me if I has any suicidal thoughts!!
Then even though I was shaking like mad she made me lift my legs up and twist and turn and walk up and down, I felt humiliated, I asked her why the diagnosis wasnt enough and she said its not the condition and its what I was like here and now.
She said that she would file her report and I would here in due course, She didnt ask me if I wanted a copy of the report.
I have a feeling I am not going to be recommended for PIP, I got the feeling that she thought I wasnt as bad as I was making out to be, Even though she knew about al my equipment.
I know its not up to her but I really dont feel confident, My husband thinks that I was just stressed and that he thought it went ok, But I dont think so, Anyway I will let you know the outcome. Not holding my breath at all.
Take Care All
Candyxxx
Hi Candy
Sorry you didn't have a very good experience, sounds like the assessors make you feel as if you are making it all up, just to stress you out! They make you feel as if you are a criminal for putting in for PIP. My support worker said they would ask me about the pans and getting lighter weight ones, but as far as i'm concerned they will still weigh just as heavy if filled with veg with boiling water and more dangerous if you start to shake when carrying it to wherever it's got to go. She also said they might make me try and pick up a pound coin! My thoughts are that if we were not on any medication (which we have to take for the rest of our lives) what on earth would we be like, Zombies?? They used to put pwp in an assylum years ago because they had not invented meds for them and did'nt know what else to do with them!
Not really looking forward to mine when it comes through. Was in bits just filling it in paperwork with the support worker because you don't realise just how bad you are cos the meds are covering a lot up!
Hope you get through Sheffy x
Hi Candy
I am so sorry you had such a awful experience , it was so different to mine , i think it all does depend on the assessor and how understanding they are
You can get a copy of the report once it has been received by DWP the assessor/ Atos/ Capita cannot give you a copy , and you can check what has been said and how many points you were awarded , please dont give up Candy , what you feel was a bad assessement does not mean you will get refused , the ultimate decision lies with DWP and you have the option of asking for a Mandatory reconsideration where you put all your problems in writing to the decision maker and they make a decision
When my assessor came and i said i had trouble getting my arms up around my back to fasten my bra his reply was to not wear one , she may have said get lighter pans as a off the record comment to try help you , i would not read to much into it , the points awarded are not about your ability to lift a pan it is about you being able to safely prepare a meal from scratch and the key word is safely
Just a few more weeks and it will be over with
Chin up Candy xx
Thanks Shelly and Sheffy,
So sorry if I have worried you about your PIP assessment, Like Shelly said it is all about how sympatheitic your assessor is. I cant believe that the assesor told you not to wear a bra Shelly, That is totally unaccepatable..I know you were awarded your claim but its still such a rude thing to say to you.
I think that due to the amount of fraudulent claims those who are being genuine have to suffer now and endure these undignified spanish inquisitions.
I agree with you Sheffy the pan is still going to be heavy with veggies and water in it and like you say its the worry of spilling boiling water on yourself.
One thing she asked me was if I bath or shower, I told her it was easier for me to have a bath and that I had grab rails, She asked me how I washed my hair and I told her I did it in the bath with a jug, which I do. She just sort of looked at me.
Then she asked me if I can dress myself I said yes at the moment I can but it takes me longer than normal, She said to put in mins how long it takes me and I said I dont know I have never timed myself I mean how can you put it into mins, You just know that it takes you longer.
Another thing was money handlng, I am dominantly left handed have been all my life and of course it is my left side that is affected, I told her a few times I nearly lost my card by putting in to many numbers because of my tremor, she said well just use your right hand, but that is unatural to me to do that.
Well its in the lap of the gods now, But I will phone dwp and ask for a copy of the report, Do you know how long it takes for you to recieve a copy Shelly?
Thanks Guys
Candy xxx