SM71 said on 2012/09/25 at 5:39 am
Hi my son has.....
Retinituspigmentosa
Intermediate uveitis
Left cystoid macular oedema.
I was wondering what help we could receive ie is he entitled to DLA or anything like that also is there anything we can do we live in the country with minimal public transport He has struggled to see for a few years now especially at night and in certain light conditions. He is 18 years old and at collage. Any advice would be appreciated Thank you in advance
Jenny said on 25/09/2012 at 5:39 am
Your son should be able to claim disability living allowance and if he is registered blind he should be entitled to the top rate for mobility. This should enable him to go out sometimesand pay for a taxi. Is he going on to further education? If he applies to his local FE college or university he wil be able to obtain learning support which will enable him to access the library and access the computer. The learning support tutor will also take notes in lectures etc.
Can he read Braille? If not, he can get talking books from the RNIB. I have just graduated as a maturestudent, from the University of Cumbria and next month I am taking an MA in Creative writing at Lancaster University. I do appreciate your problem as I live in a rural area too. Good Luck
Jenny Hodkinson
Sofie said on 28/11/2009 at 10:54 pm
if he is registered partially sighted/blind or will be refused a driving licence because of his sight, he's entitled to a bus pass. Talk to your local council. They may also have also have other help in place - such as taxi tokens, etc.
lynsey said on 24/10/2009 at 10:52 am
Hi there
Did he have any input when he was at school? Does he have any profesionals/services involved already?
Do you have a local service which can help you/your son with benefits advice? You could also contact RNIB helpline for advice about benefits as well as which services your son might be able to use and they could direct you to the right department. He may also wish to be registered blind/partially sighted if he is not already.
My daughter has always been registered blind so has recieved DLA since she was a baby and I receive carers allowance. Depending on your sons visual loss and how this affects him, he may be able to claim DLA. There are different levels of DLA and it is worth getting advice about filling in the forms.
As for things like mobility/travelling and any other VI training. Perhaps social services or the local blind association could help. The college should also have some kind of special needs advisor. I am not sure if adults are entitled to any special transport arrangements but I know that sometimes visually impaired children can get transport (cabs) arranged for them to get to school etc. If it is too difficult to get to college because of transport issues, i don't know whether direct payments could help with a driver? He should definitely be able to get some training with travelling though if his VI is affecting him getting around. This time of year it gets dark early doesn't it? Perhaps a long cane could help at this stage even if only when it gets dark etc. My daughter has some vision and she uses a cane every day alongside her vision, but when its sunny or dark, she uses it much more as her sight decreases.
Hope you find something
Lynsey