Blue Badge turned down for Alzheimer's

Lizzie1

Registered User
Feb 20, 2015
12
0
it's time local authorities realised there's different kinds of disabilities,Alzheimers being one. Consideration should be given for mental incapacity but it is not if they are able to walk.
Does not make that person safe and invariably they have been stopped driving and their carer does this for them and runs them about for safety.
Anyone else had this problem with their local authority ?
 

Jessbow

Registered User
Mar 1, 2013
5,679
0
Midlands
Blue badges are primarily for people with mobility issues.

Not all dementia sufferers have mobility issues, far from it
 

Lizzie1

Registered User
Feb 20, 2015
12
0
Problem is is it safe mobility even if they can walk the "50 yards" required that's the question LA should think about
 

susy

Registered User
Jul 29, 2013
801
0
North East
I agree that not all alzheimers sufferers have mobility problems but they often do have safety problems. Say you are at a shop and you stop the car and the sufferer gets out and walks straight into traffic.... a disabled spot that has the shop right there will be safer due to not having to cross a road to get to it and the person driving can easily get out of the car too so that they can help that person keep safe.
If the person with alzheimers can't actually walk far but not able to get a blue badge then it can be a nightmare, another example being going to the hairdressers... drop him off at the door then go and park... russian roulette ... has he gone in? is he safe? has he wondered off?

Some people are not at this stage but many are, mobility isn't the issue here it is safety.
 

Lizzie1

Registered User
Feb 20, 2015
12
0
My point exactly Suzy safety is just as much a problem as physical disability your reply is so right Thankyou
I agree that not all alzheimers sufferers have mobility problems but they often do have safety problems. Say you are at a shop and you stop the car and the sufferer gets out and walks straight into traffic.... a disabled spot that has the shop right there will be safer due to not having to cross a road to get to it and the person driving can easily get out of the car too so that they can help that person keep safe.
If the person with alzheimers can't actually walk far but not able to get a blue badge then it can be a nightmare, another example being going to the hairdressers... drop him off at the door then go and park... russian roulette ... has he gone in? is he safe? has he wondered off?

Some people are not at this stage but many are, mobility isn't the issue here it is safety.
 

Chewy

Registered User
Feb 4, 2013
31
0
Just say the loved one can't walk the distance required un aided, the doctor will confirm it , because the walking will get harder. About time these people realise this is a serious disability and gets progressively worse !!!!!!! Sorry if anyone disagrees but I'm just fed up seeing perfectly abled people carrying their heavy shopping back to their cars in a disabled bay and not a walking stick in sight. Re apply in a few months time and tell them your circumstances have worsened and its desperately needed because it will be. Sorry for being so blunt but get whatever your entitled to because if you don't push for it someone else will . Rant over .


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Jamaicaj

Registered User
Feb 4, 2015
6
0
Blue Badge -The Facts!

Just say the loved one can't walk the distance required un aided, the doctor will confirm it , because the walking will get harder. About time these people realise this is a serious disability and gets progressively worse !!!!!!! Sorry if anyone disagrees but I'm just fed up seeing perfectly abled people carrying their heavy shopping back to their cars in a disabled bay and not a walking stick in sight. Re apply in a few months time and tell them your circumstances have worsened and its desperately needed because it will be. Sorry for being so blunt but get whatever your entitled to because if you don't push for it someone else will . Rant over .


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Hi Chewy I agree with you that probably most Alzheimer's patients will at some point need/benefit from having a Blue Badge. As we all know applying & getting one has now become much more difficult than previous years. People who are NOT disabled and do not have a badge, but flout the rules by parking in disabled bays are disgraceful.
However, it is impossible to just "see" a "perfectly abled person" ..................the fact that a walking stick is not being used means absolutely nothing! There are many people classified as disabled who do in fact look extremely well. I am one of them! In some ways it is a curse in others I am lucky that I look "Ok" a lot of the time! I don't always use crutches or a stick but that does not mean I am not in pain. Many times I am grateful to lean on a supermarket trolley for support. I may have flu symptoms, migraines, all over muscle pain, burning feet which makes me feel as though I am standing on hot coals. I may have joint pain, vertigo, dizziness, chest pain or fatigue. I may some days have excruciating rib pain, other days I may be very nauseous after injecting medication. Some days I may not be able to get out of bed at all.
My condition is incurable, diagnosed 12 years, probably had it over 30 years.
Two weeks ago I was approached in a car park by an elderly man on a walking frame who asked "Are you disabled?" I pointed to my badge and said "What does that say?" .
The point being made in this post is just how difficult it is to be issued with a blue badge, they do not hand them out like sweets. So if we have a badge we also have a problem, it just may not be too obvious to "see"
youdontlooksick.com is a very informative & interesting website covering this topic.
 

Linbrusco

Registered User
Mar 4, 2013
1,694
0
Auckland...... New Zealand
Even here in New Zealand I had to convince Mums GP to sign off a request for a Mobility Card. He kept saying that walking was good exercise for her.
Ummmmm Yes but when for example Mum wants to go to the shopping mall, and you are driving round and round looking for a park, and when you do find one its a good distance from the main entrance, and Mum needs someone to take her arm, because she has no traffic sense and likely to be knocked down, and gets disorientated... then the closer we can park the better.

These are our conditions to meet eligibility, if approved by your GP.


Having a medical condition or disability does not automatically entitle you to a mobility parking permit.

You are eligible if you meet the following criteria:

a) You are unable to walk and always require the use of a wheelchair, or
b) Your ability to walk distances is severely restricted by a medical condition or disability. If for example, you require the use of mobility aids, experience severe pain, or breathlessness, or
c) You have a medical condition or disability that requires you to have physical contact or close supervision to safely get around and cannot be left unattended. For example, if you experience disorientation, confusion, or severe anxiety.
 

chick1962

Registered User
Apr 3, 2014
11,282
0
near Folkestone
Hi Chewy I agree with you that probably most Alzheimer's patients will at some point need/benefit from having a Blue Badge. As we all know applying & getting one has now become much more difficult than previous years. People who are NOT disabled and do not have a badge, but flout the rules by parking in disabled bays are disgraceful.
However, it is impossible to just "see" a "perfectly abled person" ..................the fact that a walking stick is not being used means absolutely nothing! There are many people classified as disabled who do in fact look extremely well. I am one of them! In some ways it is a curse in others I am lucky that I look "Ok" a lot of the time! I don't always use crutches or a stick but that does not mean I am not in pain. Many times I am grateful to lean on a supermarket trolley for support. I may have flu symptoms, migraines, all over muscle pain, burning feet which makes me feel as though I am standing on hot coals. I may have joint pain, vertigo, dizziness, chest pain or fatigue. I may some days have excruciating rib pain, other days I may be very nauseous after injecting medication. Some days I may not be able to get out of bed at all.
My condition is incurable, diagnosed 12 years, probably had it over 30 years.
Two weeks ago I was approached in a car park by an elderly man on a walking frame who asked "Are you disabled?" I pointed to my badge and said "What does that say?" .
The point being made in this post is just how difficult it is to be issued with a blue badge, they do not hand them out like sweets. So if we have a badge we also have a problem, it just may not be too obvious to "see"
youdontlooksick.com is a very informative & interesting website covering this topic.

I do agree with you! My OH has a blue badge as his blood flow to his leg is only 50% . He has also got spinal stenosis and mixed dementia. He makes a point of walking as he is frightened if he does not walk his mobility decline further. Most of the time he does use his stick but has days where we only pop to supermarket and he holds on to the trolley instead of using his stick. He is also a very positive person and tries to just get on with it. One of the neighbours had a go at him the other day because he was doing a bit of gardening and shouted at him saying oi aren't you mend to be disabled!!!!!! Only because husband does not give in to his disabilities does not mean he hasent got any!! I for one admire him for his lovely attitude and trying to do the best even though he is in constant pain


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nitram

Registered User
Apr 6, 2011
30,081
0
Bury
The qualification for a Blue Badge in England is based solely on mobility, Scotland and Wales requirement is less stringent, they include the 'cannot follow a familiar route' PIP requirement.

If a disabled person can only walk 50 metres the car has to be parked within that distance of their destination, the badge allows the car to be parked where others cannot. This applies whether the driver is the disabled person or another person. If it is impossible to park within 50 metres a wheelchair has to be used.

As mentioned in previous posts I have been heavily involved in this matter with my LA. People reapplying after 3 years have been refused as the conditions are now being strictly applied. The only concession they will allow is that if the person can walk the 50 metres but is at risk of falls, this risk has to be proved by a written statement from the fall clinic.
 

Feline

Registered User
Oct 25, 2012
163
0
East Devon
it's time local authorities realised there's different kinds of disabilities,Alzheimers being one. Consideration should be given for mental incapacity but it is not if they are able to walk.
Does not make that person safe and invariably they have been stopped driving and their carer does this for them and runs them about for safety.
Anyone else had this problem with their local authority ?

Yes Lizzie1, I have applied three times so far and am now on fourth, too honest I think.
One of our problems is actually having enough space to get husband in and out, before any floundering, confusion, tripping, veering to right, not picking up feet properly,over balancing starts !
Have had review with GP who says, he will back me 100% .I totally agree with you about consideration for mental incapacity. I really do wonder why it's not taken into consideration in this day and age when we are supposed to be much more dementia friendly ! It's not as if we're able to go out out and about all the time taking up disabled spaces, it's only when absolutely necessary.
 

nitram

Registered User
Apr 6, 2011
30,081
0
Bury
"Have had review with GP who says, he will back me 100%"

In my LA a letter from the GP in itself counts for zilch, your LA may be different.

The regulations were changed in 2011 partly because GPs were being too lenient, sometimes giving in to pestering which lead to abuse of the system. If a person cannot walk 50 metres they should be in receipt of a disability allowance of some sort (DLA/PIP), this gives automatic Blue Badge entitlement.

As I have already said a referral to the falls clinic could well be the route to take - leaning sideways, forwards or backwards - irregular gait - all leading to a risk of falls even if the person can walk 50 metres. The clinic should stress that these problems are variable and unpredictable. Spatial awareness/visual perception does not count.
 

Lizzie1

Registered User
Feb 20, 2015
12
0
It's a constant battle to get anything for Alzheimer's and dementia I agree with you its push push push and I intend to keep shoving lol :)
I too am sick of seeing so called disabled with ?Blue badges worse thing for me is I was a Nurse and knew all their history so aware they didn't need it.We recognised the ones " swinging the walking stick " when they used to hobble in with it ! :)
Just say the loved one can't walk the distance required un aided, the doctor will confirm it , because the walking will get harder. About time these people realise this is a serious disability and gets progressively worse !!!!!!! Sorry if anyone disagrees but I'm just fed up seeing perfectly abled people carrying their heavy shopping back to their cars in a disabled bay and not a walking stick in sight. Re apply in a few months time and tell them your circumstances have worsened and its desperately needed because it will be. Sorry for being so blunt but get whatever your entitled to because if you don't push for it someone else will . Rant over .


Sent from my iPad using Talking Point
 

Lizzie1

Registered User
Feb 20, 2015
12
0
I'll remember your quote about falls nitram when he's staggered and fallen obviously it's the usual case of have an accident first and Health and Safety steps in ! I should know I was a qualified nurse 35 years lol :mad:
The qualification for a Blue Badge in England is based solely on mobility, Scotland and Wales requirement is less stringent, they include the 'cannot follow a familiar route' PIP requirement.

If a disabled person can only walk 50 metres the car has to be parked within that distance of their destination, the badge allows the car to be parked where others cannot. This applies whether the driver is the disabled person or another person. If it is impossible to park within 50 metres a wheelchair has to be used.

As mentioned in previous posts I have been heavily involved in this matter with my LA. People reapplying after 3 years have been refused as the conditions are now being strictly applied. The only concession they will allow is that if the person can walk the 50 metres but is at risk of falls, this risk has to be proved by a written statement from the fall clinic.
 

Lizzie1

Registered User
Feb 20, 2015
12
0
You explain it so well Feline they lose their balance easily usually due to frontal lobe involvement but still LA DONT GET IT !!:mad:
Yes Lizzie1, I have applied three times so far and am now on fourth, too honest I think.
One of our problems is actually having enough space to get husband in and out, before any floundering, confusion, tripping, veering to right, not picking up feet properly,over balancing starts !
Have had review with GP who says, he will back me 100% .I totally agree with you about consideration for mental incapacity. I really do wonder why it's not taken into consideration in this day and age when we are supposed to be much more dementia friendly ! It's not as if we're able to go out out and about all the time taking up disabled spaces, it's only when absolutely necessary.
 

henfenywfach

Registered User
May 23, 2013
332
0
rct
it's time local authorities realised there's different kinds of disabilities,Alzheimers being one. Consideration should be given for mental incapacity but it is not if they are able to walk.
Does not make that person safe and invariably they have been stopped driving and their carer does this for them and runs them about for safety.
Anyone else had this problem with their local authority ?

Hi!

Do they know nothing about dementia????
people with a dementia cant always see in 3d. Their perceptions affect their mobility big time..their gait is affected and if they have dlb their mobility is seriously affected.

Come on local authorities wake up..its bad enough medical staff and sw s dont know much about dementia but bkue badge scheme really!!!!

I think we should all email letter etc our local authority chief excecutives accross britain and the world at the same time...

Best wishes

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Spamar

Registered User
Oct 5, 2013
7,723
0
Suffolk
I also used, for OH, the fact that he needed to open the door wide to be able to get out. Also the fact that he couldn't walk very far and, if I dropped him at, say, the hospital door, by the time I had parked the car, he could be anywhere! Maybe it's easier in our county.
 

nitram

Registered User
Apr 6, 2011
30,081
0
Bury
"I also used, for OH, the fact that he needed to open the door wide to be able to get out. Also the fact that he couldn't walk very far and, if I dropped him at, say, the hospital door, by the time I had parked the car, he could be anywhere!"

These arguments don't bear any weight with my LA.
Their reasoning:-
It's all about the ability to walk unaided, with stick if required, for 50 metres.
Difficulty getting in or out of a vehicle is nothing to do with the ability to walk.
Walking off if left unattended whilst the car is parked just proves the person can walk.

In my wife's case I obtained a letter from a consultant psychiatrist for my successful appeal.
 

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