Back in the DSS
Friday, March 15th, 2002 11:36 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
tamaranthThis morning I had a letter from the Department of Social Security (or is it now the Benefits Agency? I lose track). My application to become an Appointee has been approved, after a mere three months and several interviews: This means that I'm allowed to deal with the DSS on behalf of my father, who is in long-term nursing care, suffering from Parkinson's disease and possibly also dementia. I've been dealing with everything on his behalf since the end of May last year, but now it's official.
Official with the DSS, anyway. I still have to convince Plymouth City Council that he is not, in fact, inhabiting a luxurious beachfront mansion, and that therefore his contribution towards nursing care costs should perhaps be slightly less than £300 per week. I'm in the process of selling his mobile home (by remote control, since it's 300 miles away), but they prefer to assume that it's already sold and the interest is postively pouring in from his savings account.
I have no legal status as far as they're concerned, merely being his only living relative in the UK; so can you guess who tops up any shortfall between his pension and the increasingly-strident demands for nursing care payment?
Devon Social Services have done the most helpful thing possible: I haven't heard from anyone there since early February. Considering their previous performance - for instance, letting him discharge himself from hospital against my express wishes (and tearful protests) only to be readmitted as an emergency case 9 days later - this is a vast improvement.
Luckily, I'm stubborn when it comes to this sort of thing. I've asked all the right questions and sent all the right letters. Heaven help anyone who's less bloody-minded, or simply wants a quick solution.
Official with the DSS, anyway. I still have to convince Plymouth City Council that he is not, in fact, inhabiting a luxurious beachfront mansion, and that therefore his contribution towards nursing care costs should perhaps be slightly less than £300 per week. I'm in the process of selling his mobile home (by remote control, since it's 300 miles away), but they prefer to assume that it's already sold and the interest is postively pouring in from his savings account.
I have no legal status as far as they're concerned, merely being his only living relative in the UK; so can you guess who tops up any shortfall between his pension and the increasingly-strident demands for nursing care payment?
Devon Social Services have done the most helpful thing possible: I haven't heard from anyone there since early February. Considering their previous performance - for instance, letting him discharge himself from hospital against my express wishes (and tearful protests) only to be readmitted as an emergency case 9 days later - this is a vast improvement.
Luckily, I'm stubborn when it comes to this sort of thing. I've asked all the right questions and sent all the right letters. Heaven help anyone who's less bloody-minded, or simply wants a quick solution.
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Date: Friday, March 15th, 2002 04:04 am (UTC)Jesu, it's the same no matter where you go. The bureaucracy of the world.. especially when dealing with medical issues when you have a whole OTHER set of arrogant minds to wade through.. never fails to amaze me with it's thick headedness and lack of compassion.
When do you leave? I will be sending Light and all good thoughts to you over the weekend. Hope your trip is easy and that you are thoroughly peaceful.
Rak
no subject
Date: Friday, March 15th, 2002 04:12 am (UTC)Thanks for good, sweet thoughts - perfect antidote to bloody bureaucracy - I do wonder why they have to be so insensitive, apart from anything else.
Leaving early tomorrow morning (not sure how this translates into strange American time zones, since your comment is time-stamped 4:04 am ...) and looking forward to a peaceful 4 hours' writing and staring at scenery, with music, to balance me there and back.
Have a good day!
Oh good grief... now I have to think.
Date: Friday, March 15th, 2002 05:01 am (UTC)You get the sun before I do... which seems only right.
I will see you peacefully training, writing, and reading.
As regards their insensitivity.. I think it's their way of defending against actually starting to FEEL for the people they deal with. Afraid it'll somehow hurt them over the long haul, when, in fact, all it does is turn them into zombies.
I've gone totally ballistic in drs. offices and hospital rooms. I'm a pro at it. Damn them anyway!
Now *I* need to get peaceful! I'll go read my poem again.
Hugs...
Country time...
Date: Friday, March 15th, 2002 06:39 am (UTC)Someday I'll tell you the story. But, yeah. This kind of stuff SHOUD be just cause for rage.
Breathe deep and calm, and look forward to receiving something fun by email before I head off to Plymouth tomorrow.
Will be waiting with bated... but peaceful.. breath. I do hope you get a peaceful moment by the sea.. and send me a thought when you do.
When we wore a heart of stone we wondered to the sea
hoping to find some comfort there yearning to feel free
and we were mesmerized by the lull of the night and the smells
that filled the air
and we layed us down on sandy ground it was cold but
we didn't care
And we were drawn to the rhythm
drawn to the rhythm of the sea
and we were drawn to the rhythm
drawn into the rhythm of the sea
Oh yes. The O so divine Sarah singing for the equally divine Tama. There IS balance in the Universe! ;-)
Daylight saving ...
Date: Friday, March 15th, 2002 02:56 pm (UTC)Oh, I don't know ... you get daylight after it's dark here ...
Sorry to make you unpeaceful! But I can understand how even the thought of all this would be disruptive. Breathe deep and calm, and look forward to receiving something fun by email before I head off to Plymouth tomorrow.