DLA for the elderly

[SallyBear]

Anyone out there with any experience regarding DLA for the elderly. My Grandad 95 has Alzheimer's and cannot walk far at all. Shuffling about from one room to the next is exhausting for him. I think that they (DG & DSG) need to have his award reviewed as he is I think only on MRC and LRM. Anyone??? Thanks.

Sally, there's an elderly parents thread where they may have more info, I'll look for it.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/elderly_parents

This is the link. I meant board, not thread.

Thanks EllenJane. I really appreciate it!

Hi SallyBear

DLA is not applicable when the person claiming is over 65 years at the start of the claim. In other words, if your GF was under 64½ at the start of his difficulties (I say 64½ because the rules say that you have to be under 65 at the start of the claim, but that you have to have been affected for more than 6 months before you can claim) then he could claim DLA.

If you think he already receives MRC and LRM, then it's possible that he was under 65 before his difficulties started and therefore is on DLA already.

If he was over 65 at the time of claim then he will be claiming Attendance Allowance, which only gives two levels of benefit, Lower and Higher. There is no mobility component.

Regardless, the mobility component of DLA is only payable for difficulties outside the house. Mobility within the house would be classed as a care need, not a mobility need. Although of course, if he is experiencing that degree of difficulty within the house, then he will certainly qualify for HRM (if he is in fact on DLA) because it's often easier to mobilise inside than out.

You can apply for a Blue Badge for easier parking, too.

Thanks Lougle. I did suspect that it may not be as straightforward as the Grandfolk had led me to believe! I am going to get copies of their paperwork and make some enquiries.

I do love MN SN Kids Talk for it's wealth of information on a huge variety of subjects. Who needs Google?!

Sally, DLA is quite a new benefit. I don't think it was in existence 30 years ago, but attendance allowance certainly was and it was for all ages, back then. There was a separate mobility allowance as well, that's now part of DLA. I expect your DGrandad is on attendance allowance.