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PIP Question - Dressing & Undressing (Prosthesis)

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  • Stalin
    Stalin Community member Posts: 29 Listener
    Can I also send images of my disability, prosthesis when it’s in place etc to DWP along with MR. Please advise 
  • janer1967
    janer1967 Community member Posts: 21,964 Disability Gamechanger
    Hi @Jim77
    I am also an amputee and wanted to know if you would share some experience with me. I am struggling getting used to my prosthetic I was doing ok walking with frame but I find the leg so heavy and restrictive.  I then lost the sight in one eye and had lots procedures and surgery and this affected my balance . I also have no feeling in my other leg so I can't feel uneven surfaces or see them . I stopped wearing my leg and now it doesn't fit so I am waiting for a new one being made. I just wondered how you got on initially getting used to it. I feel a failure when I see others who get on so well with it and wonder why I am having such a battle.
    Any advice would be appreciated 
  • Stalin
    Stalin Community member Posts: 29 Listener
    Hi I have been using my prosthesis for the past 38 years as I am disabled by birth. The pelvic bones in my right waist didn’t form properly so it resulted in to a deformed right limb in an awkward shape with an weaken bone and 3 fingers. This is up to knee level. It’s hardly having a thigh. The pelvic area is extremely weak so as the waist. Despite of all these DWP turned down 2 points for assistance required for my dressing needs.
  • Stalin
    Stalin Community member Posts: 29 Listener
    Hi Jim...Just wear your prosthesis daily for some time at home and use it for internal mobility needs. It will certainly help you getting used to it. I do get lot of pain when i use it, but i don't have other choice so continue using it for a long time now. 
  • Stalin
    Stalin Community member Posts: 29 Listener
    Hi Poppy,,,This is my draft for MR for dressing and undressing. Appreciate your thoughts and ideas to make it more effective

    Daily living activities:

     

    1/ Dressing and Undressing 0 points allotted:  I was denied 0 points for this activity by saying that I was able to touch my toes and stand during the musculoskeletal examination. I could touch my left toes for about 3 seconds with significant pain in my curved spine and deformed right hip, pelvic area, thigh and leg as those got pulled down towards left side from their normal (right) side. I was able to do this activity because I was on a wheel chair with seat belt fasten and not wearing my prosthesis.

     

    I could hardly stand in the examination despite my wife assisted as I was on a single leg. I can’t understand on what basis Capita health care person reported that I could stand.

     

    When Capita assessed me in 2013, they have established that I do need assistance for this activity through out my life given nature of my life long disability. So, I don’t think DWP has adequately assessed the extent of my disability whilst awarding 0 points for this activity this time.

     

    1 A/ Dressing and Undressing – Can I manage this activity independently?  I can’t manage this activity independently either standing or sitting. Since I am missing my right leg completely, I can’t stand independently on a single leg due to body weight driven imbalance, curved spine and deformed right hip and for the same reasons I can’t reach my toes as well. So, I need assistance to support me standing and then dress or undress including putting on and taking off socks and shoe.

     

    When I sit down with a single leg on a chair or a bed where seat belt doesn’t exist to get dressed or undressed, I can’t manage it independently as I fall over as I reach my left toes due to deformed right hip and pelvic area. I need assistance to take dress underneath of my left leg, then to pull it to its knee level, then to insert my deformed right leg in to dress, then to support me to stand up, then to pull dress to my waist level and then to fasten button.  

     

    When I sit down with a single leg on a chair where seat belt exists to get dressed or undressed and then when I try to reach my left toes, total weight of my upper body gets transferred on to my left leg and then don’t allow me to lift that left leg slightly up to take dress or socks underneath of it. I can also not lift that left leg slightly up without reaching its toes due to deformed right hip and pelvic area.

     

     When I wear the prosthesis for my deformed right leg, I need assistance to dress or undress as the prosthesis does prevent me reaching the toes of both legs because of its structure. It was clearly established by Capita in their assessment in 2013.

     

     

    1 B/ Dressing and Undressing – How I have been managing this: My wife has always been assisting me completely to dress and undress including putting on and taking off socks and shoes.

     

     

    1 C/ Dressing and Undressing – What happens in case of absence of assistance: I can’t manage this activity at all and which block my toilet and bathing needs as well. So, my wife always ensures of being

     

    Based on the above, my situation for this activity will fall in to “Needs assistance to be able dress or undress their lower body “as like before. So, I am kindly requesting you apply this descriptor and associated points.


  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,330 Disability Gamechanger
    Hi,

    You really should avoid mentioning any lies that may have been told in the report because DWP and Tribunal (if it gets that far and most do) won't be interested in any lies told in the report.

    You should just concentrate on where you think you should have scored those points and your reasons why. Adding 2-3 examples of what happened the last time you attempted that activity for each descriptor that applies to you.

    Other than that no one can advise you what you should write because no one on an internet forum knows exactly how your conditions affect you.

    Face to face advice from an agency near you is the way forward. Good luck.
    I would appreciate it if members wouldn't tag me please. I have all notifcations turned off and wouldn't want a member thinking i'm being rude by not replying.
    If i see a question that i know the answer to i will try my best to help.
  • Stalin
    Stalin Community member Posts: 29 Listener
    Hi All,

    This is what i have written and sent to DWP for my MR

     

    I would like to bring to your kind attention that the descriptor “Need assistance to be able to dress or undress their lower body” for “Dressing and undressing daily living component has been over looked for me despite I have been struggling with complete deformity to my right leg, right thigh, right pelvic area and right hip joint. These deformities are lifelong as these have originated from birth and which have been getting worse as age progresses.


    I am here with providing detailed information regarding my disability and explaining how my right leg deformity has been completely preventing me to get my lower body dressed and undressed including putting on and taking off socks and shoes independently and how I have been completing these tasks with my wife’s assistance.  With this information, I kindly request you to re-assess my condition against this descriptor and offer me appropriate points to get daily living allowance to combat the adverse impact of my disability and manage my everyday life smoothly.


    The deformed right leg is about 6 inches in length. It has got a small foot with 3 fingers and a curved bone structure all the way through in it. The Knee and Ankle joints have completely missed. Thigh has formed in a round shape due to deformation of a thigh bone. The pelvic bone has deformed. The hip joint that is above the thigh has also significantly deformed. The spine has also significantly curved to the right due to deformation of its underneath bone structure. These combined deformities have massively restricted my abilities to manage various daily living tasks and mobility needs. These deformities are from birth and for lifelong. The UK disabilities act has rated this combined disability as 80% severe.

      

    I use the full-length prosthesis to manage my extremely limited mobility needs. With assistance from my wife, I attach the full-length prosthesis to my body by inserting the deformed leg in to the upper socket and then fasten it tightly with a strap on the prosthesis and then fasten another belt on the prosthesis tightly across to the waist. This process does allow the prosthesis to hold on to my body and then use it for exceptionally short distance walking needs. When I use the prosthesis, I get substantial pain in my deformed right leg, right thigh, right pelvic area and right hip joint because deformation of required bone structure. Walking does also cause severe pain in my spine as it has curved to the right. The upper socket of the prosthesis prevents me to sit properly as it covers whole of my right pelvic area.


    Daily living Tasks – Dressing and Undressing:

     

    1/ Dressing and Undressing - Need assistance to be able to dress or undress their lower body – 0 points allotted:  I was given 0 points for this task / descriptor by saying that I was able to touch my toes with my upper limbs and stand during the musculoskeletal examination. I could touch my left toes for about 3 seconds with significant pain in my curved spine and deformed right hip, right pelvic area, right thigh and right leg as those got pulled down towards left side from their normal (right) side. I was able to do this exercise in the examination because I was on a wheel chair with seat belt fasten and as I was also not wearing my prosthesis.

     

    I could hardly stand in the examination despite my wife assisted as I was on a single leg (normal left leg) at that time.

     

    When Capita assessed me in 2013, they have established that I need assistance in dressing and undressing my lower body including putting on and taking off socks and shoes throughout my life given significant deformity to my right hip, right pelvic area, right thigh and right leg.



    1 A/ Dressing and Undressing – Need assistance to be able to dress or undress their lower body - Can I manage this task independently?  I can’t manage this task independently either by standing or sitting. Since I am missing my right leg completely, I can’t stand independently on a single leg (normal left leg) due to body weight driven imbalance, curved spine, deformed right hip, deformed right pelvic area and deformed right leg. and for the same reasons I can’t reach my toes as well in a standing position. So, I need assistance in standing and then dressing or undressing my lower body including putting on and taking off socks and shoe.

     

    When I sit down with a single leg (normal left leg) on a chair or a bed where seat belt doesn’t exist and then when I try to get dressed or undressed my lower body including putting on and taking off socks and shoe, I can’t manage it independently as I fall over as I attempt to reach my left toes due to lack of support from deformed right hip, deformed right pelvic area, deformed right thigh and deformed right leg. So, for dressing, I need assistance to take dress underneath of my left leg, then to pull it to its knee level, then to insert my deformed right leg in to dress, then to assist me to stand up, then to pull dress to my waist level and then to fasten button. These steps repeat in an opposite way for undressing.

     

    When I sit down with a single leg ( normal left leg ) on a chair where seat belt exists and then when I try to reach my left toes to get dressed or undressed my lower body including putting on and taking off socks and shoe, total weight of my upper body gets transferred on to my left leg alone because of lack of support from right deformed hip, deformed right pelvic area, deformed right thigh and 



    deformed right leg and then that transferred weight doesn’t allow me to lift the left leg up at all to take dress or socks or shoe underneath of it. So, I need assistance to get dressed and undressed as explained in the above paragraph.

     

    I can’t raise my left leg high up to bring it closer to my waist to get dressed or undressed my lower body including putting on and taking off socks and shoe because lack of support from my right side due to significantly deformed right hip, deformed right pelvic area, deformed right thigh and deformed right leg.

     

    When I lie down on a bed with a single leg (normal left leg) and attempt to get dressed or undressed my lower body including putting and taking of socks and shoe, I can’t reach my left (normal) toes in any form due to significant deformity on my right side.

     

    When I wear the prosthesis for my deformed right leg and sit on a chair to get dressed or undressed my lower body including putting on and taking off socks and shoes, the prosthesis’s upper socket and knee joint prevents me reaching the toes of both the legs because structure of the prosthesis and hence; I need assistance to get dressed or undressed my lower body even when I am on the prosthesis. It was clearly assessed and confirmed by Capita in their assessment carried out in 2013.


    1 B/ Dressing and Undressing – Need assistance to be able to dress or undress their lower body - How I have been managing this task? My wife has always been assisting me completely to dress and undress my lower body including putting on and taking off socks and shoes. To get dressed, my wife first assists me to wear the prosthesis, then she dresses the prosthesis (including socks and shoe), then she dresses my lower left leg (including socks and shoe), then I stand up with support from my prosthesis, then my wife pull dress up to my waist level and give it to me to fasten buttons. These steps repeat in an opposite way with my wife’s assistance to get undressed.

     

     

    1 C/ Dressing and Undressing – Need assistance to be able to dress or undress their lower body - What happens to this task in case of absence of assistance? I can’t manage this task independently and I must wait for my wife to be available for assistance.  So, my wife always ensures of being around to assist me in this task.

     

    Based on the above, my disability is completely preventing me to manage independently dressing or undressing my lower body including putting on and taking off socks and shoes and hence; I need assistance for the same. So, kindly requesting you to assign the descriptor “Needs assistance to be able to dress or undress their lower body “as like before and grant relevant points.

     

    Thank you very much for your patience and valuable time for reading this reconsideration request form.

     





  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,330 Disability Gamechanger
    No one on an internet forum can tell you what you should write for the MR request because no one knows how your conditions affect you.

    What i can say is that you've addressed activity 6 dressing and undressing with 3 possible descriptors A, B and C but you can only score once for an activity so you need to decide which one you think you should score points in and not all 3.
    I would appreciate it if members wouldn't tag me please. I have all notifcations turned off and wouldn't want a member thinking i'm being rude by not replying.
    If i see a question that i know the answer to i will try my best to help.
  • Stalin
    Stalin Community member Posts: 29 Listener
    Hi Poppy...Many thanks for your quick response and feedback. I have  submitted my reconsideration request specifically for their over look over the descriptor "Need assistance to be able to dress or undress their lower body” for “Dressing and undressing” when they assessed my case. So, i have taken all possible tasks for this descriptor and explained that my right lower extremity is completely preventing me to execute this task independently. I have emphasized the same point above the salutation as well. 
  • Stalin
    Stalin Community member Posts: 29 Listener
    Thank you Ilovecats...DWP has overlooked this item despite they had my assessment report from 2013 and 2019 confirming the same. I can't understand how it could happen.
  • Stalin
    Stalin Community member Posts: 29 Listener
    Ilovecats...I have also sent to DWP images of my deformed right leg and a full prosthesis that i have been using to justify all of my points...
  • twonker
    twonker Posts: 617 Pioneering
    No one on an internet forum can tell you what you should write for the MR request because no one knows how your conditions affect you.

    What i can say is that you've addressed activity 6 dressing and undressing with 3 possible descriptors A, B and C but you can only score once for an activity so you need to decide which one you think you should score points in and not all 3.
    The DWP will (should) allocate the highest scoring descriptor of the three. Whether they do is another matter!
  • CockneyRebel
    CockneyRebel Community member Posts: 5,209 Disability Gamechanger
    The maximum for problems with dressing lower body is 2 points, either assistance or using an aid
    Be all you can be, make  every day count. Namaste
  • Stalin
    Stalin Community member Posts: 29 Listener
    CockneyRebel Yes...I deserve 2 points for my problem and requesting DWP for the same.
  • Stalin
    Stalin Community member Posts: 29 Listener
    Dear All,

    I haven't heard yet from DWP on my mandatory reconsideration request yet. Meanwhile i would like to approach you all again and take your views on how my disability has been preventing me to manage my dressing and undressing including putting on and taking off socks and shoe. See my right leg is just 6 inches long with a curved bone , deformed hip, pelvic and hip. When i sit down on a chair only my left leg will be on the ground. In this posture, if i bend down to get dressed and undressed, my whole body weight will get transferred on to my left leg ( as i don't have my right leg ) and make it unmovable. If i try to lift my left leg with out bending, i can't lift more than 3 inches high from the  ground level since i don't have my right leg. If try to lie down to manage this task, i can't reach my left leg as i can't bring it close to my hands due to missing of my right leg. So, i strongly believe i should get 2 points for this activity either under descriptor " Need aid or appliance " or " Need assistance to be able to dress lower body"....Capita assessor has discounted these points as i touched my left toes hardly for 3 seconds when i was presented my self on a wheel chair with out prosthesis and with fastening myself to the wheel chair seat belt.

    Appreciate your kind views...
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,330 Disability Gamechanger
    I'm not sure what other views/advice you would like other than what's already been said previously in this thread.

    There's nothing more you can do until the MR decision's been made. If that remains the same and most do then you have 1 month to request the Tribunal.


    I would appreciate it if members wouldn't tag me please. I have all notifcations turned off and wouldn't want a member thinking i'm being rude by not replying.
    If i see a question that i know the answer to i will try my best to help.
  • Stalin
    Stalin Community member Posts: 29 Listener
    Thank you ilovecats  for your quick response. I have explained to DWP covering my situation both under B and D to enable them to visualize how significantly my congenital disability has been hurting my life.
  • Stalin
    Stalin Community member Posts: 29 Listener
    Hi poppy123456...I fully agree with you. Just gathering your fresh ideas to create a base to go Tribunal in case DWP keeps their original decision remains unchanged despite congenital deformity to my right upper leg structure. 
  • Stalin
    Stalin Community member Posts: 29 Listener
    Hi..ilovecats. Sure I fully agree with you that i would be eligible for only one descriptor. But i have explained my situation comprehensively covering B and D to DWP so that they have strong base to make their decision. I have sent an image of deformed right leg and prosthesis to them along with my MR...Many thanks for all your help...
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,330 Disability Gamechanger
    I still do not understand why you have covered descriptors B and D when you can only score points once, which has been advised a few times through out the thread.
    I would appreciate it if members wouldn't tag me please. I have all notifcations turned off and wouldn't want a member thinking i'm being rude by not replying.
    If i see a question that i know the answer to i will try my best to help.

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