Attendants allowance for my dad?

[FormFiller]

Just looking for some thoughts on the following.

I am thinking of applying for an attendants allowance for my dad.

He is 90, and lives alone in the family home. We have tried to get him to move, but he won't. Up until the last 6 months he has been a really active person.

However, the past 6 months have been very challenging for him. He was told he had cancer of the bladder and had an operation to have cancerous growths removed. It turned out they were not, but it took its toll on him. He didn't sleep for 6 weeks, getting up to go to the bathroom hourly.

Along side this he has been waiting for a knee operation on one leg, and suffering with gout on the other. He couldn't walk.

He is now 2 weeks post knee op and doing OK. He is staying with me for a bit, then will return home when he is back independent again.

I think he would benefit from the AA to pay for help in his home.

What are the chances? What do I need to provide as part of a claim?

Thanks for your help.

Sorry, just one question.

I have my dad here with me staying for a while. Can I not apply online as him? As in, he sit next to me and I type it all in on his Gov account, or application form?

It won't be me applying for it on his behalf, it'll be him applying for it, with me typing it in.

I think you said you have POA for him in which case you'll be required to request the paper form, usually, however you can check tomorrow with the AA helpline?

I don't see why not if he has capacity.

We applied for my Mum in her name, (on a paper form). I filled it in with her and she signed it. We even included somewhere that she 'has difficulty with long forms so my daughter is helping' or some such.

Usually if POA is in place it has to be the paper form, thats always been my experience. Again, you could wait and speak to the helpline tomorrow if you want definite clarification.

I ahve helped hundreds of people to fill out these forms through my job. I always write that I have helped them, what charity I work for etc and that it was done at a home visit ( they usually are ).
Easiest benefit in the world to get awarded in my honest opinion with a couple of medical letters or GP summary sent with the form. It's not like PIP where they even do an assessment. I've only had a handful not awarded when I thought it should have been and this was overturned with a mandatory reconsideration.

@Pickledonion1999you sound like the wise woman here! My mum and I are intending to fill this out for my dad-is there any advantage to doing the paper form over the online? Is one easier? If we do the online one-how do you attach copies of forms if you have paper copies? Can you start to fill in the online form and come back to it?

We have joint POA. It’s set up for the future, it’s not invoked now.

We never use the online form , always the paper ones which we order to protect the date. So sorry I can't answer any questions about the online form. I always send copies of hospital/ consultants letters, prescription list, GP summary. I think when the online ones first came out people seemed to be getting turned down more frequently but that may have changed now. The online forms do seem to be quicker though from what I have read, however normal forms are only currently taking 5-6 weeks and if you ring up for the forms it is all backdated to the date you order it.

Thank you, that’s really helpful. Is the number to get the form just on the website?

08007310122, You will need the applicants national insurance number.

@FormFiller online form is MUCH easier and abridged. I've done a lot of applications and the last few all online. Applied and I had a phone call around 2 weeks later to clarify some points followed by award at full rate

yes you can. I've applied for dozens of people (manager of retirement home)

Try Age UK. They helped with filling my dad's forms out for him and they checked his entitlement to everything else.

Don't assume it's easy to complete the form successfully. I applied on behalf of my mum last year and it was turned down. She has advanced dementia, can't prepare food, needs to be supervised when bathing and dressing. The rejection was on the basis she didn't need personal care.

I did the online form, thinking it seemed quite easy. Downside of the online form is that you don't get to keep a copy of what you submitted. So I would suggest creating the answers offline so you can save the text and then copy it into the online form.

That's odd. I do a lot for people living with dementia and very rarely have one turned down unless very early stages. They don't really ask about preparing a meal but I usually add that under the eating and drinking section explaining they are unsafe/ at risk of leaving gas on / can't cope with timings etc and then there is space at the back to explain anything else not covered by the questions..
If you are wanting to apply again do ask Age UK, CAB or similar for help.
I work for a charity and we do get the odd one turned down that really shouldn't be. I had one turned down a few weeks ago where the women had really severe COPD to the point she couldn't do anything without being breathless and really was a very unwell person. Then you get others completely baffled how it ever got awarded. Sometimes the decisions make no sense.

Yes, I'm going to apply again. She has deteriorated so I'll go into great detail about needing to clean faeces off paintwork, carpet, out of the bath - maybe that will be "personal" enough for them.

DO NOT apply as power of attorney, just apply on his behalf.

That's why I did for my mum as I am not currently invoking the POA.

You can then do it online and it wont take long.

Think you can print it off too.

Re the POA. Probably worth getting it activated. I suddenly needed to use my dad's one and it was great he'd activated it a few years earlier in his late 80s. Also make sure that you can use the financial one before he loses capacity. My dad still has capacity but he's quite slow and gets very anxious about finances so I do all his online banking.
Is it jointly and severally as just jointly can be difficult if the other person isn't around. My brother and I are attorneys but can act independently.

Do you know if there are any other services/ benefits I can access for my dad?

For example, he is unable to get in his shower, as he has a bath and shower head, and he is now unable to climb over the bath to get a shower.

It depends . Have an OT round to assess(request via gp, physio or social prescriber) or a social services assessment. He may qualify for funding for a walkin shower especially if on a low income or pension credit. Is it rented or owneroccupied?

Owner/ occupied.

Thank you everyone. Earlier I called up the AA helpline, then filled out the online form and sent it off.

My dad got a bit jittery worrying that they’ll come round and say he can’t drive if he’s got all these ailments.

I did both my late parents for AA and several neighbours and got it for all of them at high rate

get a copy of his prescriptions and put a copy of this along with writing them down on the form

if he has a blue badge a photo copy of this

if you have a good doctor pay for a letter outlining his conditions / health etc

any aids he uses even something like a panic alarm - commode - pill organizer put all this down if he uses it

if he’s been in hospital , any operations care packages

to be honest at his age it will 99 percent be accepted

My late parents had a walk in shower /bath fitted for free by SS
they also got a grant for a stair lift