This seems like very valuable advice. I am going to save it.


-----Original Message-----
From: Gail Vass <[log in to unmask]>
To: Multiple recipients of list PARKINSN <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Friday, March 27, 1998 12:27 PM
Subject: Sometimes a positive viewpoint can backfire


>Hey folks,
>
>I had some thoughts I wanted to share...uh oh...
>
>In reference to applying for disability/assistance.
>
>I was asked to help a woman fill out the papers for SSDI who had been
>rejected for SSDI but who obviously should have been accepted.
>
>As I looked over the papers she had filled out: I could see why.
>
>We began a new form and went down and answered each question
>one at a time:
>
>When asked if could take care of herself and do "Activities of Daily
>Living (ADL's)", she checked everything "YES". And she was right, she
>could but she did not give herself credit for all the creative
>solutions/aides/adjustments she had adapted to because of the disability
>caused by her illness.
>
>I hope ya'll are following me...disability is often gradual and when we
>adjust slowly and alter behavior to compensate for the change, we may
>not give ourselves credit for the problem solving that is necessary to
>do the things we used to do.
>
>Examples:
>
>1. Are you able to take your medication...she answered "YES".
>
>I said, "tell me what happens when you get a new prescription."
>She said, "my sister takes it to the pharmacy, brings the meds to me,
>opens up the bottle of meds (she did not have the hand strenth to open
>the bottles), my sister comes once a week and prepares my daily doses of
>meds in a little cup for each day of the week so that I take the right
>ones. I can't keep them all straight."
>
>Are you able to take your medication...I put "NO"...and went on and
>explained the above....she could not drive, she could not open the
>bottles, she could not keep the meds straight, or keep up with when to
>take them without a timer...but...she was able to take her meds.
>
>
>2. Do you prepare and cook your own meals...she answered YES.
>
>I said, "tell me about meals and what foods you eat".
>
>She said, "My family got me a microwave oven to use because they felt
>that with my memory problems, that I shouldn't use the oven/stove any
>more. I buy frozen TV dinners now so that I won't have pots/pans to
>carry or won't have to try to use a knife to cut vegtables or meat
>because I just can't use my hands much any more. When my Mom visits she
>makes up casserols for me and puts them in the freezer for when I want
>something different."
>
>Do you prepare and cook your own meals...I put "NO"...and went on to
>explain what was done to make eating/meals possible.
>
>
>I think you get the picture...She bought only clothes with zippers or
>ones that she could pull over her head because of the trouble she had
>with buttons and dressing herself...she had documented that she had
>dressed herself every day. I described how she couldn't dress herself in
>her usual way and what changes were necessary.
>
>She didn't have trouble doing the laundry and caring for her two level
>home because since she could not do steps any more, family brought her
>bed, dresser, and anything else she needed and set her bedroom up in her
>living room so she wouln't be on the steps any more. She had a
>housekeeper come in twice a month and clean. So I wrote this all up.
>
>3. Did she enjoy her hobbies/leisure time..."YES".
>
>I asked her what always had been her favorite things were to do in her
>free time. She  said watches TV now, had to stop gardening and caring
>for her roses because she was falling in her yard when walking on grass
>surfaces and she couldn't sew any more.
>
>I put..."NO"...unable to do her hobies any more....and explaned what
>changes had occurred.
>
>4. Did she do her own banking/ paying bills...she said "YES".
>
>I explored this with her and found that she had to switch to automatic
>deposit and automatic utility withdrawals from her checking account
>because she could not drive at times and because of her illness would
>miss deadlines.
>
>I put ..."NO"...the bank does it for her, she was unable to.
>
>So yes, she could do the ADL's as far as she was concerned but from an
>outsiders perspective from a standpoint of disability, as she was
>functioning objectively, she could not do the ADL's anymore and was
>truely disabled by her illness.
>
>She was pretty upset with me about what I was writing down. She said,
>"You are making me look so disabled...I don't want to think of myself
>that way. I'm not complaining, I am thankful for all that I can do. I'm
>luckier than most people. I don't like to think of the way things used
>to be, I just focus on now and try to keep positive."
>
>I told her the glass that is seen as half full, won't get the disability
>awarded to it...it's the glass that is half empty that needs to and
>should get the disability assistance.
>
>We sent the papers in...she was approved.
>
>Gail Vass