huge problems with a state disability service in Sth Aust
My issue is I have not only Aspergers but multiple health problems, severe physical issues too which have me in a wheelchair often. I struggle to be standing. Irronically thou the state disability service (Im in Sth Australia) approved 5hrs home support per week for me for Aspergers (I didnt even need it for that!!), they have completely ignored my physical disability. It even took them 3 years for them to refer me on to a physio after I kept telling them I needed a wheelchair as I was collapsing on my support workers in the supermarket.
I have my wheelchair now (physio said I was a priority case to get one after seeing me and 3 of my doctors backed I was needing it too).. my issue is the state disability service will still not give me more support for my physical issues (to the point I often miss my meals as Im too ill to cook and Im on a special diet for other issues so cant just go and grab something like cereal or sandwiches) and due to me having Aspergers issues with my communication etc with others, I can not get them to listen to me about my illness and the level of my disability.
And thou they have given me some support time for Aspergers, when they are on the phone to me they completely ignore me and are quite inapprioprate towards me when I tell them Im not understanding something they said due to their words. Rather then try to explain, the reply I got back was "there is nothing I said for you not to understand". This was said by the person at the disability services currently dealing with me.
The disability service made threats towards me as I was publically posting what they were doing and told some names on another forum.. they also are doing what some people said are playing mind games with me. They accused me of walking around shops with a friend, the one dealing with my case told me she'd seen me walking around the shops often. She said that to me when I cant walk much at all (they ignored a form my doctor sent to them about my inability to walk far). They are making up horrible lies about me but I cant stick up for myself (my advocate told me to tell them that what they were saying was completely inapprioprate..but I just want to run from what they are doing).
This whole situation today ended up as I couldnt stand the thought of the one who's treating me so horribly coming to my door (into my personal space) to get me to sign a form. I stressed all night about it due to how she's been so got little sleep and then today when she was about to come. I freaked out completely.. put padlocks up on the gates and shut myself in my bedroom rolled up tight in a blanket about to completely melt down.
I dont know what to do.. I cant deal with this person who's from disability support services here in Sth Australia who is accusing me of faking my illness (my trouble with walking etc) and who is ignoring I have communication issues.
My conditions have got much worst as this agency has put me throu 2-3 years of stress due to not giving me the support I need and my other condition getting worst due to that.
What does one do when one needs to advocate for oneself but has a serious issue which needs someone knowledge advocating so one can get the support services one needs? (my advocate doesnt understand much of my other condition and I cant even advovcate well to my own advocate)
KingdomOfRats
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not to dismiss any communication difficulties have got but have advocated for self very well on here-why not ask the advocate for their email and send the same sort of thing have posted here, or print it off and post it to them if they dont have email?
is there a diagnosed medical,physical or neurological label for the walking issues or are they of a pyschiatric origin eg; somatoform disorders?
somatic conditions are usualy labeled as faking because people are ignorant and prejudiced and cant see how mental issues affect the body.
am a wheelchair user as well;full time outside of the house and have never had mobility issues understood because there is not a solid physical impairment behind them,although do have a physical impairment down one side of body;the reason am using a wheel chair is for impairments caused by sensory and information overload, severe challenging behavior [staff preventative measures] and todds paralysis from epileptic seizures and the only people who truly understand are the social services intelectual disability team.
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Meistersinger
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I have my wheelchair now (physio said I was a priority case to get one after seeing me and 3 of my doctors backed I was needing it too).. my issue is the state disability service will still not give me more support for my physical issues (to the point I often miss my meals as Im too ill to cook and Im on a special diet for other issues so cant just go and grab something like cereal or sandwiches) and due to me having Aspergers issues with my communication etc with others, I can not get them to listen to me about my illness and the level of my disability.
And thou they have given me some support time for Aspergers, when they are on the phone to me they completely ignore me and are quite inapprioprate towards me when I tell them Im not understanding something they said due to their words. Rather then try to explain, the reply I got back was "there is nothing I said for you not to understand". This was said by the person at the disability services currently dealing with me.
The disability service made threats towards me as I was publically posting what they were doing and told some names on another forum.. they also are doing what some people said are playing mind games with me. They accused me of walking around shops with a friend, the one dealing with my case told me she'd seen me walking around the shops often. She said that to me when I cant walk much at all (they ignored a form my doctor sent to them about my inability to walk far). They are making up horrible lies about me but I cant stick up for myself (my advocate told me to tell them that what they were saying was completely inapprioprate..but I just want to run from what they are doing).
This whole situation today ended up as I couldnt stand the thought of the one who's treating me so horribly coming to my door (into my personal space) to get me to sign a form. I stressed all night about it due to how she's been so got little sleep and then today when she was about to come. I freaked out completely.. put padlocks up on the gates and shut myself in my bedroom rolled up tight in a blanket about to completely melt down.
I dont know what to do.. I cant deal with this person who's from disability support services here in Sth Australia who is accusing me of faking my illness (my trouble with walking etc) and who is ignoring I have communication issues.
My conditions have got much worst as this agency has put me throu 2-3 years of stress due to not giving me the support I need and my other condition getting worst due to that.
What does one do when one needs to advocate for oneself but has a serious issue which needs someone knowledge advocating so one can get the support services one needs? (my advocate doesnt understand much of my other condition and I cant even advovcate well to my own advocate)
It sounds like you need the services of an attorney, in order to deal with this bureaucrat.
SoMissunderstood
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Why advocate for yourself when there are plenty of Mental Health Advocacy services around with much political sway?
I am looking into one at the moment called 'Interchange':
http://www.interchangeau.org/
I am sorry to read about your plight and I agree that the (Mental) Health system in Australia has gone down the toilet and will be flushed into Bondi Beach by the time Mr. Abbot has finished with it (but enough of that).
What about 'Meals on Wheels'? do they have your dietary requirements if you are unable to cook for yourself? maybe Homecare to help with the cleaning etc?
Another good idea is to get a Social Worker to deal with Disability Services on your behalf because talking to them stresses you out too much. I used to do that with Utility companies who were very rude if I was a few weeks late paying my bills - I mean, the financial stress is enough, but people just want their money and don't care who they destroy to obtain it. It's quite sad actually, but the world is like that now.
We just need to find our own loopholes to circumvent 'human nature'.
Hi thank for the replies to this post of mine.. as I have all the same kinds of issues still going on and melting down at times in major ways (requiring ambulance and sedation) due to the inappropriate way Im being treated. Im still being blamed for those who should be helping me for things I cant help (eg if I have a meltdown say someone has unexpectively touched me when Ive been very distressed, Im blamed for the meltdown and told I can control it.. which I actually cant. It can be unbearable for me at times getting touched.. I can just explode if I wasnt aware I was about to be touched)
Ive been quite disturbed at times due to this to the point I even ended up trying to OD and ended up in the ICU for a week immediately after I got abused on the phone by the person who was dealing with me at the Disability SA (my states disability service).
"It sounds like you need the services of an attorney, in order to deal with this bureaucrat"
I now do have a court case against the state disability service for abuse (neglect and bullying) and discrimination towards me. Im so not well that Im having trouble though getting together the paperwork for this so all I can do is hope the lawyer can pull it together for me.
I advocate very well for myself in writing though doing a letter cause of my aspergers I often go on and on trying to get it perfect (Im black and white and want letters perfect), I go on so much when trying to do advocacy letters that sometimes just one letter can take me weeks to do.. and as I have a health condition which deteriorates with stress and causes me to get mentally exhausted easily, its not good. In the end I actually end up quite ill due to doing these. Ive found too all to often the letters I sent also just get ignored.
My GP sent letters on THREE different occassions to my state disability service saying I needed more help but they ignored them, a professional advocate Ive had since I maile my thread post spent a year trying to get through to them but was ignored). Hence why I've now had to result to legal action against the state for discrimination (ignoring) my other medical conditions.
"Is there a diagnosed medical,physical or neurological label for the walking issues or are they of a pyschiatric origin "
No I dont use a wheelchair for any psych illnesses but I have a neurological illness and severe postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) along with with several other forms of dysautonomia (problems with my autonomic function and with low blood volume too so not enough blood goes to my brain if Im upright or standing too long). Our state disability service though it covers MS which is very similar problem to one of the things I severely have but it doesnt cover the actual illnesses I have as they regard them as medical conditions rather then "disabilities" though it is a disability (It all comes down to their politics).
The health system which would be able to help me with my physical conditions and help me get me support services for those, well they cant get involved as it is gov policy in which you either come under the state disability service or this other (Domicillary Care services) and cause the state disability service covers Autism, I came under that service and was put there first (and then they havent allowed me to switch). The gov policy says one cant be under both Domicillary care and disability services together.
I now have a new advocate (he's not very nice actually and made me feel bad for having my home in such a mess) who is trying currently to get me switched over.
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