Disabled Facilities Grant

[Jazmine]

DS needs have significantly deteriorated over the past six months and the long term prognosis is for things to only get worse so after a ridiculously long wait we have finally been assessed by OT and she agrees that some major adaptations need to be done to our house to accommodate his needs.

The problem is she has been in and done her assessment and whilst we totally agree with her what DS needs we do not agree with her proposal. By doing things her way as a family we will lose our family bathroom (will become a wet room with just a shower, no bath). She wants to put a wheelchair elevator through from ground floor to his bedroom so we lose our dining room too. She then wants to put hoist tracking throughout upstairs and down. We will in effect live in a hospital rather than a home - her reply 'I'm only here to meet DS needs not the rest of the family, nor to make something aesthetically pleasing to me'

Our proposal is to convert our attached garage (which runs the length of the house) and make this into a bedroom/wet room with tracking for hoist. This will leave the rest of the house as it is. She just won't have it and says if we want that we fund it ourselves whereas her proposal will be fully funded by way of a disabled facilities grant.

I was wondering if any of you have any experiences in this area and if so, what happened in your case.

I am waiting on a surveyor this morning who is coming to advise me if my plan is feasible (can't see why it wouldn't be as water, plumbing and other utilities already in situ. A lot of houses on the estate have already converted their garages. She says the elevator alone will cost over £8500 and my first quote back to convert the garage is £11,000

Those of you caring for the disabled will know how I am feeling - why is everything such a battle

Debbie hun, im so sorry to hear all of this yes i totally agree when your`e caring for a disabled person, it`s battle after battle and it wears you down
sorry i cant help with the problem but again stick to your guns, maybe get some advice from the drs and social worker, also if you have a carers centre nearby (we have one) and thyre very good about giving advice and tell you all about your rights let us know how it all goes
Jacqui xxxx

[Debbie2]

Thanks Jacqui

Initial consent paperwork has come through this morning. A surveyor is being allocated to our project within the next 2-4 weeks

[Jazmine]

That`s great news Debbie i`ll come an give them a if they dont hurry up
Always here if you need to let off steam.
love n hugs xxxx

[Jazmine]

Will it take long to get the go ahead ? xx

[Debbie2]

Will it take long to get the go ahead ? xx

Oh yeah.. I'm not expecting it to be completed before Christmas. Surveyor to be appointed who will draw up the plans which will then be submitted for planning approval. Council get three different builders off their approved panel to quote for the job and when all that is done they should start. Planning permission can take 8 weeks so it's going to be October/November before they start.

Shall we have a sweep? I'm just hoping it's 2009 but fear it could be 2010 before it's completed...you know how much red tape the Councils use

[Jazmine]

Oh i know i work for Social Work in our council and they are a load of TRUMPETS he he hope none of my bosses are on this forum fingers crossed hun that its sooner rather than later
Love n hugs Jacqui xxxx

[grumpy71]

hi have just read about your dfg and your problem.we had issues similar to you. you have to stick to your guns! make sure they redecorate all areas they change for you ie(door way into garage) as they will try to leave it to you to do after,they did it to us.it may be for ds but it is still a family home. good luck.
grumpy71

[lozzy]

I have only just noticed this thread, I am so glad things are going your way, I'll keep my fingers crossed for a 2009 finish.