Social Services

My community care assessment has finally appeared. I have been turned down because asthma does not count as a continuos condition requiring help. To say i am fuming would be an understatement.

At least i know that next time someone says to me go to social services they will be able to help you i can wave the assessment at them saying oh no they cannot.

You can get help from them to get a wheelchair or a scooter, to get rapid response (a team of people to care for you to stop you requiring hospital treatment), a care phone and discharge team (people who help you when you first come out of hospital). This is all that is avalible for asthmatics.

To be honest i do not know what i was expecting, but what they have put in the report certainly does not sound like i am a person who can do everything independantly and yet they are saying an asthmatic can do everything themselves they do not require any help. Sorry had to let off steam very cross!

They told me i had to wait for this assessment before looking at thinking of going back to work and then they tell me i am not entitled for any help so it was all a big waste of time! Now just waiting for one more assessment and if they say the same there will be letters of complaint flying to the coucil to say the least!

[Hidden]

hi plumie

You may feel hard done by and that noone is helping you, but believe me you are in a much much better situation than most on here! Ive been battling for almost 10years with my brittle asthma and even managed till recently to hold down a full time job. Its difficult and noone claims it is easy but its one of those situations that you just have to get on with!

As for the support you have received you should be feeling quite lucky! My local community teams are great but they dont provide help with wheelchairs and scooters etc-they provide physios to get you up and about on your feet so you dont need the help of scooters etc! I have in the last 5 years needed to use a walking stick to help as i regularly loose my balance and get chronic pain in my spine and hips but despite this i still keep moving and keep walking-not only is it good for your bones to do some weight bearing exercise but its also good for the lungs too-obviously not over doing it but doing a little each day does help improve your overall sense of wellbeing and gives you a purpose!

Im sorry that the community team didnt feel they could help you but you have been very fortunate in other things you have claimed for and received! Look at the positives as most people have to fight for every single scrap of help they get.

Take care kat X

[Hidden]

This might sound daft but what do the social services do for you cause I havent got a clue???

[Hidden]

Kit kat, that reply was a little harsh, I want more than anything to be walking but if i go any further than the end of my road i get very breathless and go very dizzy and the physio was concerned about me walking so provided a wheelchair. The wheelchair is not there because i am lazy, The wheelchair is there to give freedom i would not other wise have.

[Hidden]

Hey plumie have you heard of the expert patients programme, just a thought as your asthma has deteriorated recently

tinyurl.com/3snzp4 (yay i did the tiny url thing hope it works!)

clare

[Hidden]

Hi Plumie

I am working as a social worker and although each local authority has diffferent criteria for funding etc i am happy for you to PM me with more details and i maybe able to help, i do not have all the answers but may at least be able to point you in the right direction if not. Sorry that you are feeling so let down at the moment and i hope that with or without my help, you find a comfortable conclusion to your ongoing situation.

Take care

Cory x

[Hidden]

Sorry that you feel let down by your local Social Services Department Plumie, but my own understanding of it isn't so much that help isn't available if you are Asthmatic, its more about what you are able to do for yourself. I had to go through something similar but with a different department in order to get funding for a Syringe Driver, and because I was independant I failed too, in my own case had fun trying to explain that it was the syringe driver that was enabling me to be independant.

Sadly our Social Service Departments across the country are overstretched and under funded, and whilst this probably feels of little help to you, there are always others much worse off than ourselves. Plumie you are relatively new to this world as I understand it, and at times find it frustrating and bewildering. Sometimes there are somethings we just have to do for ourselves in order to survive, you will find ways to manage everyday living, prehaps your physio could refer you to occupational health therapists at your local hospital who can show you ways to manage in the home.

[Hidden]

just for clarification-

I did not say that using a wheelchair or scooter was being lazy. A lot of my very good friends rely on these for their independence and mobility and for that they are great. I was mearly stating a point that in my area they try to encourage people to just take things slowly but do encourage you to keep moving- whether this is purely to keep you motivated and moving or also has an element of getting your lungs used to some level of exercise im not sure. I was by no means getting at you and apologise if you felt i was. Kat X