having worked all my life i have just been medical retired.
having had parkinsons since 2005 and officially diagnosed 2009. have now been given medical retirement from the prison service afetr 25yrs service. you might think hes had a good innigns but this is the crunch im only 48.
what happens next havnt got a clue.
because i have worked all my life its like starting again.
can anybody please help in the following areas.
work..... can i cope i dont know.
benefits......is there anything i can claim i do recivev a small pension but not enough to keep us affloat.
any help guidence
thanks.
Because you haven't had an answer you probably think that nobody cares - but we do. I think this site goes quiet at the weekend.
Have you read the Parkinson's literature on benefits and for more information - the DWP website and Citizens Advice?
Have you got a Parkinson's welfare worker in your area?
I retired in 2009 but was diagnosed in 1995 when I was 41. Getting ill-health retirement from teaching was a very hard road to travel.
To keep myself occupied I have taken up old hobbies like sewing and knitting because they help to keep my hands moving.
I have started painting and drawing for much the same reason.
I still feel pretty useless compared to my 'working' friends but it doesn't pay to dwell on these things.
I hope you get sorted and that things are not too difficult for you. Tomorrow (Monday) I'm sure you will receive more useful replies.
Lin
xx
Have you read the Parkinson's literature on benefits and for more information - the DWP website and Citizens Advice?
Have you got a Parkinson's welfare worker in your area?
I retired in 2009 but was diagnosed in 1995 when I was 41. Getting ill-health retirement from teaching was a very hard road to travel.
To keep myself occupied I have taken up old hobbies like sewing and knitting because they help to keep my hands moving.
I have started painting and drawing for much the same reason.
I still feel pretty useless compared to my 'working' friends but it doesn't pay to dwell on these things.
I hope you get sorted and that things are not too difficult for you. Tomorrow (Monday) I'm sure you will receive more useful replies.
Lin
xx
Hi there
I was forced into medical retirement at the age of 51 due to this bloody PD. Don't think your new life will be hassle free but you can take what you want from the following thoughts.
I realised PD was forever, I started my new life planning by pretending that it might get better. it didn't. Now I take my time with every decision. I have downsized my home, car and commitments as much as I could do. I have started the work into the crazy world of benefits carefully and slowly with the help of an advisor. Keep good clear records as this is a long term job. Tell everyone you want to your situation and they willl normally support you, but most importantly, they will expect less of you if you're having a bad day. Give yourself space to be sick some days, and to revel in the joys of love and life when you can. Become a little more selfish, so as to give yourself a break. Love your family as before. Give someone the role of being able to check up on your personal and financial behaviour as this can cause problems you didn't expect. Live quietly but try to party when you can.Don't fall foul of people willing to profit from your illness. There are snake oil salesmen out there.
Above all, try to stay positive. You will not be able to do this all the time and there will be moments when the world will seem to get on top of you. talk to us and your loved ones.
This is for your life, make the right changes and it's ok.
But make your changes before you get into a position whhere they are hard to make, and make them permanently
I was forced into medical retirement at the age of 51 due to this bloody PD. Don't think your new life will be hassle free but you can take what you want from the following thoughts.
I realised PD was forever, I started my new life planning by pretending that it might get better. it didn't. Now I take my time with every decision. I have downsized my home, car and commitments as much as I could do. I have started the work into the crazy world of benefits carefully and slowly with the help of an advisor. Keep good clear records as this is a long term job. Tell everyone you want to your situation and they willl normally support you, but most importantly, they will expect less of you if you're having a bad day. Give yourself space to be sick some days, and to revel in the joys of love and life when you can. Become a little more selfish, so as to give yourself a break. Love your family as before. Give someone the role of being able to check up on your personal and financial behaviour as this can cause problems you didn't expect. Live quietly but try to party when you can.Don't fall foul of people willing to profit from your illness. There are snake oil salesmen out there.
Above all, try to stay positive. You will not be able to do this all the time and there will be moments when the world will seem to get on top of you. talk to us and your loved ones.
This is for your life, make the right changes and it's ok.
But make your changes before you get into a position whhere they are hard to make, and make them permanently
Hi Sirius
Can I ask you are you male or female and was your retirement your chose or works chose ? I am 53yrs (female) and work in a GP practice and recently have decided it time to quit on ill health I recently had a scare they thought i had a stroke well I tell you that in its self said retire enjoy life while you can. Was it a long process for your retirement to be finalised? I am hoping to take life slower as I am some one that has been up at 5-30am at work for 7-30 and not in bed until 11 or 12 but over the last month I have taken life at a slower pace and enjoyed seeing friends more talking to neighbours and now I am planning activities that I could not access with the Parkinson's group eg aqua aerobic's in the hydro pool at the local hospital. I know there is bad days and good and instead of dragging my self round work on the bad days I hope I will be relaxing and catching up on reading etc and on good days going to activities and may be lunching with friends. Hope that you get your brain in gear and plan your life.good luck
Can I ask you are you male or female and was your retirement your chose or works chose ? I am 53yrs (female) and work in a GP practice and recently have decided it time to quit on ill health I recently had a scare they thought i had a stroke well I tell you that in its self said retire enjoy life while you can. Was it a long process for your retirement to be finalised? I am hoping to take life slower as I am some one that has been up at 5-30am at work for 7-30 and not in bed until 11 or 12 but over the last month I have taken life at a slower pace and enjoyed seeing friends more talking to neighbours and now I am planning activities that I could not access with the Parkinson's group eg aqua aerobic's in the hydro pool at the local hospital. I know there is bad days and good and instead of dragging my self round work on the bad days I hope I will be relaxing and catching up on reading etc and on good days going to activities and may be lunching with friends. Hope that you get your brain in gear and plan your life.good luck
Hello everyone,
You have been given some good advice there Sirius, you should always get help from the PD support worker in your area before taking any decisions as there are good ways to retire and not so good depending on your employer, the support worker should have all this advice at their fingertips.
Do try to heed the posts before as it will make life easier for you and your family,my husband had to retire at the age of 46 having had pd since he was in his thirties and is now 69. You now have the chance to do whatever you like within PD boundaries of course but my husband was a keen photographer and love the garden so he went in many local competitions as well as winning a National one, he also entered some with hanging baskets and other flowers. He is a keen scrabbler so joined a club as well as playing short mat bowls, you may find some branches have bowls groups as it is also good exercise. Whatever you like to do you can now pursue. We moved to a bungalow to make life easier and arranged the garden so that we could enjoy it without too much work, we also have a summer house which is quite handy when you want a bit of space out of the house. Keeping active and involved in something is the best way forward and don't forget the PD society often need people for information or help to form better care in the future.
I hope you make the adjustment without too much difficulty best of luck
best wishes vivian
You have been given some good advice there Sirius, you should always get help from the PD support worker in your area before taking any decisions as there are good ways to retire and not so good depending on your employer, the support worker should have all this advice at their fingertips.
Do try to heed the posts before as it will make life easier for you and your family,my husband had to retire at the age of 46 having had pd since he was in his thirties and is now 69. You now have the chance to do whatever you like within PD boundaries of course but my husband was a keen photographer and love the garden so he went in many local competitions as well as winning a National one, he also entered some with hanging baskets and other flowers. He is a keen scrabbler so joined a club as well as playing short mat bowls, you may find some branches have bowls groups as it is also good exercise. Whatever you like to do you can now pursue. We moved to a bungalow to make life easier and arranged the garden so that we could enjoy it without too much work, we also have a summer house which is quite handy when you want a bit of space out of the house. Keeping active and involved in something is the best way forward and don't forget the PD society often need people for information or help to form better care in the future.
I hope you make the adjustment without too much difficulty best of luck
best wishes vivian
I was diagnozed at 57 and on sick leave for 2 years and then given early retirement from my work as an independent doctor certified me as unfit to work and I became eligible for Incapacity allowance (which has a different name now). Unfortunately I had decided to start receiving a private pension so as I had a certain amount of money coming in, I was not entitled to incapacity allowance. However my Social Security contributions were paid for me (no complaints as I was fortunate I did not need the Incapacity money). (ask Citizens advice about it).
At first I was upset seeing my neighbour go off to work each morning but that feeling is long gone and I have been able to make new friends and do all sorts of things and dont feel like a looser. There is another world outside work.
When faced with a life changing condition, I saw clearly what is important to me and was able to alter my life accordingly.
Every case is different but I hope you can get it to work out for you.
At first I was upset seeing my neighbour go off to work each morning but that feeling is long gone and I have been able to make new friends and do all sorts of things and dont feel like a looser. There is another world outside work.
When faced with a life changing condition, I saw clearly what is important to me and was able to alter my life accordingly.
Every case is different but I hope you can get it to work out for you.
Hi Polly
Do you mean ESA (Employment Support Allowance) that replaced incapacity allowance.
If so you should still be entitled not from a means tested perspective but from your NI contributions which are not means tested.
Worth checking as you may be entitled although this may change with new rulings that government are bringing in.
Regards x
Do you mean ESA (Employment Support Allowance) that replaced incapacity allowance.
If so you should still be entitled not from a means tested perspective but from your NI contributions which are not means tested.
Worth checking as you may be entitled although this may change with new rulings that government are bringing in.
Regards x
Hi, I am looking for advice on a problem that I cant get my head round.
ThisIS my dilema,I have been in front of occupational health,who sent a
report to my emloyer ,stating I could not do some tasks,This is my real
problem,and this is my 2 choices that I face.
1. I can carry on working doing less tasks,which will eventually catch up
and my work will fall behind,My employer can then decide to pay me of
with 12 weeks pay.
2. I can just not go to work and get 6 months full pay,and 6 months
half pay,and get a medical early retirment pension which the union
has advised me to do.
My problem is I would feel uncomfartable doing number 2.
Problem 1 means I could loose out heavilly financially.
This has been my choices for the last 3 months and guess what I am
not any further forward.I know I will have to make a choice soon,but
felt I would ask for your advice especially those who have had these
choices to deal with too.
Gratefull for your input.
ThisIS my dilema,I have been in front of occupational health,who sent a
report to my emloyer ,stating I could not do some tasks,This is my real
problem,and this is my 2 choices that I face.
1. I can carry on working doing less tasks,which will eventually catch up
and my work will fall behind,My employer can then decide to pay me of
with 12 weeks pay.
2. I can just not go to work and get 6 months full pay,and 6 months
half pay,and get a medical early retirment pension which the union
has advised me to do.
My problem is I would feel uncomfartable doing number 2.
Problem 1 means I could loose out heavilly financially.
This has been my choices for the last 3 months and guess what I am
not any further forward.I know I will have to make a choice soon,but
felt I would ask for your advice especially those who have had these
choices to deal with too.
Gratefull for your input.
Hi Sirius
I was in the same boat as you....sort of. The one suggestion I have is to go to a Professional benefits advisor BEFORE you go to the government. The CAB do a good job. Take your time with this aspect of your future life and treat it seriously. Then you won't make any mistakes, like I did. Benefits is a minefield , you need help!
Good luck
I was in the same boat as you....sort of. The one suggestion I have is to go to a Professional benefits advisor BEFORE you go to the government. The CAB do a good job. Take your time with this aspect of your future life and treat it seriously. Then you won't make any mistakes, like I did. Benefits is a minefield , you need help!
Good luck
Hello Sirius,
I have not been on the parkinsons forum for a while and imagine my shock when i read your post let me explain,i was diagnosed with PD in 2005 when i was 40 and i am in the Prison service with nearly 26 yrs service i have been referred to ocupation health ie ATOS which will be in the new year so my future is uncertain at present,i would like to keep in touch with you as are stories are so similar and any help or advice that you have received and gone through would be appreciated.
can you send me a message through the forum with your email address so i can contact directly.
regards
Ghostrider
I have not been on the parkinsons forum for a while and imagine my shock when i read your post let me explain,i was diagnosed with PD in 2005 when i was 40 and i am in the Prison service with nearly 26 yrs service i have been referred to ocupation health ie ATOS which will be in the new year so my future is uncertain at present,i would like to keep in touch with you as are stories are so similar and any help or advice that you have received and gone through would be appreciated.
can you send me a message through the forum with your email address so i can contact directly.
regards
Ghostrider
Hello …we are very confused, my hubby has been referred to ATOS via his union and will have a call this week. If worst comes to worst and he is given medical retirement at some point (he is 53 was diagnosed last year) which would prob last a year if that, would he be eligible for any benefits? …we still have a mortgage and need to live, so how does everyone manage? He has worked all his life, same company for over 35yrs, just another stress and trying to get heads around.