Another walk a few days ago, when it was still hot and sunny and you could see across to Fife (unlike this morning when it had vanished into the mists like Brigadoon). The same route as last week, and this time I felt I put in a bit more effort, gave up less time to taking pics along the way. So it was a bit of a downer to find I'd only knocked a minute off my previous time. The old body has a lot of improvement to go yet....
The route takes in a lot of the cycle paths / walkways left behind by the demise of the old railway system, so I guess we have Beeching to thank for something. It even goes past an old station that's been converted into a house, but the sun was at the wrong angle for any pictures this time. Instead here's an old tunnel.
And a photo taken where the path rejoins the coast. I had very little idea what I was taking due to the strong sunlight!
My only Advocard appointment this week was a trip to Argyle House to accompany one of our service users to his PIP assessment. Not something most of us will ever be familiar with, or would ever want to be, but for some there's no alternative. I'll refrain from having too big a rant about the UK's appalling welfare system, and just let this one example do the work for me.
PIP, in case you weren't aware, is Personal Independence Payment, a benefit for people whose physical and/or mental disabilities cause them additional expenses that most of us won't incur. This time I was with someone who has chronic schizophrenia. Although his medication keeps the symptoms under control most of the time, paranoia and panic and hopelessness can still intrude with serious consequences. If the only answer to your panic attack is a taxi home where you can feel safe, or if the only way you'll eat is by ordering a takeaway delivery because you can't face the world or even heating up something, then you're going to rack up costs the rest of us don't have. It's one thing to do those things from choice, another to have them forced upon you.
The assessments are carried out by qualified medical staff, such as a nurse of physiotherapist, and last about an hour or so. They ask questions that take some account of the information on the person's application form, but can often feel like a box ticking exercise. It's supposed to show how the person's disability affects their everyday living, but fails on so many levels. Once completed the assessment is sent to the DWP for a decision on whether an award should be made, and how much. At least that aspect of it has improved of late, with more claims going straight through to award after it was shown that 70% of subsequent appeals overturned the original decision.
I've heard people say that attending one of these assessments is no more stressful than going for a job interview. People, quite clearly, who've never had any experience of one. I've been out of the job market for years now, but I still doubt there are any job interviews that ask for details of your toilet habits, or how many times you've considered suicide in the last 6 months. Believe me, this is a disturbing and demeaning experience for anyone on the receiving end, no matter how kindly in intent the assessor might be, and even if they have someone along to help them through it.
Which is one of the reasons why I'm proud that in September I'll be walking to raise funds for Advocard so we can continue to provide a (sadly) much needed service. I'm happy with that.
See - here's a photo of me looking happy.
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