Applying for Attendance allowance - when is the right time?

[saucepan]

Hi
My Dad has recently been diagnosed with Alzheimer's and amongst sorting out all the paperwork involved in taking over running his life I am wondering about applying for attendance allowance.

He lives on his own and gets help from his partner most days, who is taking on more and more care for him. We are at the point of wanting to get help in for him on a daily basis and will have to pay for it privately. The main worry is that he isn't managing to take his medication (for various problems) regularly. He is forgetting to eat and throws food away, and the new drug Donepezil needs to be taken on a full stomach. He isn't showering or changing his clothes. Without his partners help he wouldn't be able to manage and she isn't there all the time and I am an hours drive away.

I don't want to waste anyone's time by asking for an assessment if he is no where near qualifying for help. How bad does he have to be? I m not even sure if he would be entitled to it as he has a private pension.

Any advice or suggestions, I am all ears. Thanking you in advance for anyone who is prepared to share their own experiences. I hope to be able to offer some advice to someone in the future but it's all a bit new at the moment.
Many thanks.

 

[nitram]

I suggest that you make an appointment with CAB or AgeUK who will help in completing the application.

From what you have said you Dad has a good chance of receiving AA from at least he lower rate.

 

[Beate]

Attendance Allowance is NOT means-tested so whether your Dad is in receipt of a private pension or not is not relevant. What's relevant is that he has sufficient need and for that you have to fill in a lengthy form, taking into account his worst days not his best, and ideally be able to back it up by medical reports (memory clinic reports can be very helpful). It's advisable to ask a charity like Age UK for help in filling it in and don't get disheartened when you get turned down. I got turned down and appealed, enclosing another report, and this time they agreed and backdated it all to the very first application date.
Also take into account that the need must have existed for at least 6 months but it's not relevant when the actual diagnosis was if he needed care before that.
If he only needs help during the day he will get the Lower Rate, if he needs help during the night as well, he will get the Higher Rate. If you only get the Lower Rate now, you are always able to apply for the Higher Rate later on should his needs increase.

 

[Blogg]

Sounds like he would be entitled to AA at this point. We filled in Dad's application and a local carers charity checked it over and helped us to add some evidence to the form. We are still waiting for a reply to see if it's been awarded.

 

[Fastwalker]

My mum paid for herself in a home and got attendance allowance. This stopped when she went onto NHS Continuing Care. I filled the forms in myself but by that time, my mum was already in the care home so needed 24 hour care.

Good luck

 

[Dustycat]

Definitely apply. You have nothing to lose. I applied for my Dad when he was at a similar stage and he was awarded Attendance Allowance. The forms are lengthy but it's worth the effort. Good luck. X

 

[jawuk]

The AA form is lengthy but not complicated. You just need to make sure that you inform them about all of your Dad's care needs, ie don't leave things out because you or his partner help him with them, complete the form so that they understand his complete needs.

I did it and got it first time and it was backdated to the date they received the completed form.

 

[Pete R]

I have recently applied for AA for my Mom. I rang the local authority and they are sending someone round to help me fill in the form. I suggest you do the same as it can be back dated from the date they actually send you the form in the post rather than the day you get round to doing it.

Good luck.

 

[saucepan]

Thank you so much for the advice. I will definitely get on to it and contact Age UK. Currently my Dad finds it very stressful to have to deal with something like that and would hate to think he was getting any type of benefit so I hope we can do it without involving him too much. I understand that we will also be let off the council tax, once he is in receipt of the AA.

The next challenge it to get him to cope with having an assessment from the care company and then allow someone in the house on a daily basis...

Its not easy and I can just take those moments of him laughing his head off to an old Only Fools and Horses episode as a great big hug from him.

Keep shining you helpful people. Thank you.

 

[pamann]

Hello saucepan my husband takes Donepezil but never takes it on a full stomach, always a night before going to bed.
Do you have AD diagnosis for your father, if so you can apply for Attendence allowance, also council tax discount, it is not means tested, when my husband wax diagnosed l was given the forms to fill in from the memory clinic l wish you well ♥♥♥

Sent from my GT-P5210 using Talking Point mobile app

 

[Trisha4]

Hello saucepan my husband takes Donepezil but never takes it on a full stomach, always a night before going to bed.
Do you have AD diagnosis for your father, if so you can apply for Attendence allowance, also council tax discount, it is not means tested, when my husband wax diagnosed l was given the forms to fill in from the memory clinic l wish you well ♥♥♥

Sent from my GT-P5210 using Talking Point mobile app

Our experience is the same Husband takes his pill as he goes to bed. I applied for AA for husband who got it backdated to date of application although it took weeks. Am now waiting to hear about council tax. Good luck

 

[saucepan]

Thanks for the advice on taking the Donepezil at night. We shall see how it goes.

Also, in case anyone else finds this useful, this is the info from the Age UK website about applying for AA.

Attendance Allowance is awarded based on your needs, not just on your medical condition.

Many applications are turned down because people don’t mention or aren’t clear about how their illness or disability affects their lives. Don’t underestimate your needs when filling in the form.

Think about all the things you can’t do, or have trouble with, because of your condition. Don’t leave things out, even if you feel you can manage well enough.

Describe any accidents or falls you’ve had.
Explain the effects of all your disabilities and health conditions, and how they interact with each other.
List things that you struggle to do unaided, even if you’ve developed ways to cope. If an activity takes you much longer than it would somebody without a disability, or if it’s difficult to do safely, this can be taken into account. Say if you need reminding or encouraging to do things, as this also counts as help.
Focus on how frequently you need help. To qualify for the lower rate of Attendance Allowance, you have to show you need help ‘frequently’ during the day or at night. For example, if you need help looking after your appearance, this could add up to six or seven times a day, if you include help to check your clothes are clean after a meal, help to find a coat and matching shoes, and so on.
Give plenty of information in your own words about your personal circumstances. Don’t worry if you need to repeat yourself.

You can get a claim form by calling the Attendance Allowance helpline on 0845 605 6055 or 0345 605 6055 (textphone: 0845 604 5312). You can also download a claim form or claim online.

Bear in mind that Attendance Allowance doesn’t usually take into account problems with housework, cooking, shopping and gardening. If you mention problems with carrying out these activities, make sure you also include other problems as you’re unlikely to receive support if this is the focus of your application.

Ask your local Age UK if they can help you fill in the form to increase your chances of being awarded Attendance Allowance.

To find your nearest Age UK you can phone Age UK Advice for free on 0800 169 65 65 or use our online search.

Hope this helps.

 

[saucepan]

Hello saucepan my husband takes Donepezil but never takes it on a full stomach, always a night before going to bed.
Do you have AD diagnosis for your father, if so you can apply for Attendence allowance, also council tax discount, it is not means tested, when my husband wax diagnosed l was given the forms to fill in from the memory clinic l wish you well ♥♥♥

Sent from my GT-P5210 using Talking Point mobile app

Hi Pamann,
I'm not sure what AD stands for? he has had a diagnosis for Alzheimers. After all the advice I am going to get the ball rolling and ring for forms today.
Thank you.

 

[jeany123]

Hi Saucepan,


AD - Alzheimer's Disease

Here is a list of abbreviations in case you come across some more you are not sure of
http://forum.alzheimers.org.uk/showthread.php?26388-Abbreviations-List-and-Talking-Point-Jargon

 

[saucepan]

Hi Saucepan,


AD - Alzheimer's Disease

Here is a list of abbreviations in case you come across some more you are not sure of


Thanks Jeany, that's really useful.

 

[fizzie]

continuing care

My mum paid for herself in a home and got attendance allowance. This stopped when she went onto NHS Continuing Care. I filled the forms in myself but by that time, my mum was already in the care home so needed 24 hour care.

Good luck

Hi Coud you give me any advice about when you applied for Continuing Care and how difficult it was?
thanks

 

[fizzie]

Please Please please get help with filling in the form...it needs to be filled in as though it is your worst day and that is hard to do without someone helping. It is worth the wait for an Age UK person as I agree they know the 'right' way!!

 

[Pickalily]

Age UK will help fill out the form. They got it for me, (for myself, hence the joke) when I might not have entered a lot of my problems. At the end of the session I joked it might be more relevant for me to contact the undertaker! Sometimes you just accept things that you are going through as 'normal' until you are faced with the reality of your situation.

It really sounds as though your Dad will qualify. Good luck

 

[knitone]

We got the AA for first my mum then my aunt. The key thing I learned was to write down in virtually every space, I cannot do this without assistance/ I am in constant pain etc whether the question seemed to ask for that info or not. in both cases the AA was awarded. Mum didn't have dementia when we applied, t she was eighty. The same with my aunt.

 

[jonorton]

Pip

Hello.
I have recently applied for Personel Independence Payment for my wife who has early
onset Alzheimers,Has anybody tried and suceeded.
Regards.
Keith.