DLA form filling tips (in no particular order):
- It is in fact very useful to watch your client walk (see the 'mobility component' section in the Disability Rights Handbook which describes a walking test that you can do with your client. Objective walking assessments are much more believable than the (sometimes wild) guestimates that find their way onto some forms;
- approach the form one question a time. This makes is much less daunting and more manageable;
- for those with mental health or similiar problems, add the words 'prompting' 'reminding', 'encouraging', and 'supervising' to each question;
- don't rush. Do it in more than one session if necessary;
- establish a good rapport with the client and gain thier trust - you might be asking some very personal questions and if you want the truth this is important;
- Similiarly, take account of any cultural differences between you and the client (sex, race, age, race, religion, etc, etc) in your interview technique (For example, if you are a young man discussing toiletting needs with an older muslim woman, understanding these issues could make a signficant difference in the qualify of information you can elicit from your client).
- Understand that DM's will not make even the most obvious assumptions - spell it out for them;
- Focus on the help required, not the diagnosis and treatment;
- understand the 'reasonableness' aspect of the help required;
- Finally, my advice to client's filling in thier own form is that the ultimate goal is to enable a DM to see, in their minds eye, exactly what difficulties the disabled person has and how the help required will improve thier quality of life or ease the level of disablement.
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