Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction

Decision Information

Decision Content

P A R T C D e c i s i o n u n d e r A p p e a l T h e d e c i s i o n u n d e r a p p e a l i s t h e M i n i s t r y o f S o c i a l r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n d e c i s i o n d a t e d F e b r u a r y 1 8 , 2 0 1 4 w t h e f i v e s t a t u t o r y r e q u i r e m e n t s o f S e c t i o n 2 o f t h e E D i s a b i l i t i e s A c t f o r d e s i g n a t i o n a s a p e r s o n w i t h d i s a p p e l l a n t m e t t h e a g e r e q u i r e m e n t a n d t h a t h e h a s o f a m e d i c a l p r a c t i t i o n e r , i s l i k e l y t o c o n t i n u e f o r a t l s a t i s f i e d t h a t t h e e v i d e n c e e s t a b l i s h e s t h a t : • t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s d a i l y l i v i n g a c t i v i t i e s ( D L A ) a r d i r e c t l y a n d s i g n i f i c a n t l y r e s t r i c t e d e i t h e r c o n • a s a r e s u l t o f t h e s e r e s t r i c t i o n s , t h e a p p e l l a n a n o t h e r p e r s o n , t h e u s e o f a n a s s i s t i v e d e v i c p e r l o r m D L A . P A R T D R e l e v a n t L e g i s l a t i o n E m p l o y m e n t a n d A s s i s t a n c e f o r P e r s o n s w i t h D i s a b E m p l o y m e n t a n d A s s i s t a n c e f o r P e r s o n s w i t h D i s a b D e v e l o p m e n t a n d S o c i a l I n n o v a t i o n ( t h e m i n i s t r y ) h i c h f o u n d t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t d i d n o t m e e t t w o o f m p l o y m e n t a n d A s s i s t a n c e f o r P e r s o n s w i t h a b i l i t i e s ( P W D ) . T h e m i n i s t r y f o u n d t h a t t h e a s e v e r e p h y s i c a l i m p a i r m e n t t h a t , i n t h e o p i n i o n e a s t t w o y e a r s . H o w e v e r , t h e m i n i s t r y w a s n o t e , i n t h e o p i n i o n o f a p r e s c r i b e d p r o f e s s i o n a l , t i n u o u s l y o r p e r i o d i c a l l y f o r e x t e n d e d p e r i o d s ; a n d , t r e q u i r e s t h e s i g n i f i c a n t h e l p o r s u p e r v i s i o n o f e , o r t h e s e rv i c e s o f a n a s s i s t a n c e a n i m a l t o ili t i e s A c t ( E A P W D A ) , S e c t i o n 2 i l i t i e s R e g u l a t i o n ( E A P W D R ) , S e c t i o n 2
P A R T E S u m m a r v o f F a c t s T h e e v i d e n c e b e f o r e t h e m i n i s t r y a t t h e t i m e o f t h e 1 ) P e r s o n W i t h D i s a b i l i t i e s ( P W D ) A p p l i c a t i o n c r e p o r t d a t e d M a y 2 7 , 2 0 1 3 , a p h y s i c i a n r e p o S e p t e m b e r 3 0 , 2 0 1 3 a n d c o m p l e t e d b y t h e a a p p e l l a n t f o r a p p r o x i m a t e l y 3 y e a r s ; 2 ) L e t t e r s f r o m a p h y s i c i a n w h o i s a s p e c i a l i s t i n · 2 7 , M a y 1 , J u n e 2 6 , a n d J u l y 3 0 , 2 0 1 3 ; 3 ) L e t t e r d a t e d F e b r u a r y 2 , 2 0 1 4 f r o m t h e a p p e 4 ) R e q u e s t f o r R e c o n s i d e r a t i o n d a t e d F e b r u a r y d a t e d J a n u a r y 2 7 , 2 0 1 4 . D i a g n o s e s I n t h e P R , t h e a p p e l l a n t w a s d i a g n o s e d b y h i s g e n e a p p r o x i m a t e l y 2 0 1 1 , a n d q u e r y c o l i t i s w i t h o n s e t a r o t h e P R o f a m e n t a l h e a l t h c o n d i t i o n . D a i l y L i v i n g A c t i v i t i e s ( D L A ) I n t h e P R , t h e g e n e r a l p r a c t i t i o n e r i n d i c a t e d t h a t t h e a n d / o r t r e a t m e n t t h a t w o u l d i n t e r f e r e w i t h h i s d a i l y l I n t h e A R , t h e g e n e r a l p r a c t i t i o n e r r e p o r t e d t h a t : • T h e a p p e l l a n t i s i n d e p e n d e n t w i t h w a l k i n g i n d • T h e a p p e l l a n t i s a s s e s s e d a s i n d e p e n d e n t i n b a s i c h o u s e k e e p i n g , s h o p p i n g , m e a l s , p a y i n a n d t r a n s p o r t a t i o n . • T h e s e c t i o n o f t h e r e p o r t r e l a t i n g t o a n a p p l i c b r a i n i n j u r y , i s " N / A " o r n o t a p p l i c a b l e t o t h e s o c i a l f u n c t i o n i n g . I n h i s s e l f r e p o r t , t h e a p p e l l a n t w r o t e t h a t : • T h e p r o b l e m w i t h h i s l u n g s c a u s e s h i m t o c o u p e r d a y . H e i s s h o r t o f b r e a t h a n d f e e l s d i z z y • C o l i t i s c a u s e s c o n s t a n t d i a r r h e a , h e h a s h a d w a s h r o o m n e a r b y a t a l l t i m e s . • H a v i n g 1 0 t o 1 5 b o w e l m o v e m e n t s p e r d a y c a • H a v i n g w o r k e d i n t h e f o o d i n d u s t ry , a c h r o n i c o f e m p l o y m e n t . T h e p h y s i c i a n w h o i s a s p e c i a l i s t i n r e s p i r o l o g y a n d • T h e a p p e l l a n t i s a b l e t o w a l k r e a s o n a b l y l o n g b e c o m e s s h o r t o f b r e a t h w i t h a n y h i l l . I n t h e l e t t e r d a t e d F e b r u a r y 2 , 2 0 1 4 f r o m t h e a p p e l l a • H e w r i t e s t o h e l p c l a r i f y i n f o r m a t i o n i n h i s o r i g c u r r e n t h e a l t h i s s u e s n o t i n c l u d e d i n t h e o r i g i n • S i n c e t h e o r i o i n a l l e t t e r w a s s e n t , t h e a o o e l l a n r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n d e c i s i o n i n c l u d e d : o m p r i s e d o f t h e a p p l i c a n t i n f o r m a t i o n a n d s e l f ­ r t ( P R ) a n d a n a s s e s s o r r e p o rt ( A R ) b o t h d a t e d p p e l l a n t ' s f a m i l y p h y s i c i a n w h o h a s k n o w n t h e r e s p i r o l o g y a n d i n t e r n a l m e d i c i n e d a t e d F e b r u a r y l l a n t ' s p h y s i c i a n ' T o W h o m I t M a y C o n c e r n ' ; a n d , 3 , 2 0 1 3 a n d a t t a c h e d l e t t e r f r o m t h e a p p e l l a n t r a l p r a c t i t i o n e r w i t h a s t h m a , w i t h o n s e t u n d 1 9 8 5 . T h e r e w a s n o d i a g n o s i s i n c l u d e d i n a p p e l l a n t h a s n o t b e e n p r e s c r i b e d m e d i c a t i o n i v i n g a c t i v i t i e s . o o r s a n d w a l k i n g o u t d o o r s . a l l t a s k s o f a l l l i s t e d D L A , i n c l u d i n g p e r s o n a l c a r e , g r e n t a n d b i l l s , a n d m a n a g i n g h i s m e d i c a t i o n s a n t w i t h a n i d e n t i f i e d m e n t a l i m p a i r m e n t , i n c l u d i n g a p p e l l a n t a n d h e i s i n d e p e n d e n t i n a l l a s p e c t s o f g h a l o t , t h a t h e i s t i r e d a l o t a n d n e e d s t w o n a p s . b o w e l p r o b l e m s f o r 3 0 y e a r s a n d h e n e e d s a u s e s a l o t o f p r o b l e m s i n k e e p i n g a j o b . c o u g h i s a l a r g e s e t b a c k i n m a i n t a i n i n g t h i s t y p e i n t e r n a l m e d i c i n e r e p o r t e d i n h i s l e t t e r s t h a t : d i s t a n c e s , a b o u t a m i l e , o n f l a t g r o u n d b u t n t ' s p h y s i c i a n , h e r e p o r t e d t h a t : i n a l l e t t e r a s w e l l a s t o u p d a t e o n t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s a l P W D a p p l i c a t i o n . t ' s o b s t r u c t i v e l u n q d i s e a s e a n d c o l i t i s h a v e
progressed. He now has difficulty walking one block, secondary to his breathing issues as well as having significant issues negotiating a flight of stairs. • The appellant is having issues with coughing spells that drain his energy and frequently result in fecal incontinence. • The appellant has reduced strength and stamina secondary to his obstructive lung disease and has extreme difficulty with cleaning and bathing himself and performing basic housework. • The impairments listed directly and significantly restrict the appellant's ability to perform DLA. In his Request for Reconsideration, the appellant wrote that: • Since being diagnosed on May 1, 2013 by the specialist in respirology with COPD and asthma with only 42% lung capacity, his condition continues to deteriorate. It is sometimes like breathing through a straw. • He finds he is coughing all the time and waking up very tired. Sometimes a coughing fit is so extreme that he soils himself. The camper on his truck is a necessity with a bathroom and a bed to rest on after a coughing attack. • His condition limits his ability to clean his surroundings and to bath on a daily basis. Need for Help In the AR, in terms of the help required for DLA, the physician marked "N/A", or not applicable to the appellant. In the section of the report indicating assistance provided through the use of assistive devices, none of the items are identified and the physician again reported that this is not applicable. In his Request for Reconsideration, the appellant wrote that he has been using a cane more and more. In his letter dated February 2, 2014, the appellant's physician reported that the appellant now required the use of a cane to help aid with walking. In his Notice of Appeal dated February 21, 2014, the appellant expressed his disagreement with the ministry's reconsideration decision and wrote that: • The decision could not have been based on the physician's letter supporting the facts of this debilitating disease. • The ministry is satisfied that the information establishes a severe physical impairment, yet not for DLA, contrary to the physician's letter. • The physician states that the impairments are both permanent and severe and will continue for more than 2 years. • The physician states that the appellant has extreme difficulty with cleaning and bathing himself and performing basic housework, and that he requires a cane to help with walking. • It seems clear to the physician that the appellant's impairments significantly restrict his ability to perform DLA. • He now needs to clear his lungs of phlegm about every 8 hours, or 3 times per day, and it takes long coughing "fits" to be able to breathe. He often soils himself and needs help cleaning himself up. At the hearing, the appellant stated that: • He mei with his physician last week and the physician said he does not understand the ministry's decision given his letter dated February 2, 2014, which was quite explicit. His physician said there was no point in sending another letter. • He has been "nearly homeless" for about 2 vears since he lives in a 1O ' camper which is b
20 years old, on a 30-year-old truck. He has been squatting on a property and finds that he is getting "sicker and sicker'' over the years. • With his colitis, he always needs to have a bathroom nearby since he has little control over his bowels. He does not get much warning that he has to go. • With his COPD, he has been told that his lung capacity is down to around 40%, which limits his ability to even ride a bicycle. • Over the winter he found that his coughing was "out of control." He needs to clear his lungs of mucous and his nose is always running. • The other day, he was at the grocery store and he had to leave his cart and run out to the camper to use the toilet, but he did not make it in time. He soiled himself and had to clean himself up and rest before going back into the store to complete his shopping. • He uses a cane for stairs or if he has a coughing fit and starts to "see black spots" and needs to maintain his balance. • He is wheezing all the time and no one wants to hire someone who is sick all the time. • He now wears an adult diaper so if he soils himself it is contained. • He used to support himself in the food industry and was self-employed for a while but he cannot stand long enough to work in this area plus people worry that he is contagious with all the coughing he does. • He gave his physician a copy of the ministry's reconsideration decision and his physician said he read it. The ministry will not give the physician another pamphlet to fill out since they already paid for the physician to complete the first application. He is a young doctor so he may not have understood how to complete the checklists in the application. • Regarding the physician's comment that he has extreme difficulty with cleaning and bathing himself and performing basic housework, the appellant provided clarification. He stated that his camper has a small shower and a person needs to be a contortionist to properly shower, standing on one leg. He tries to get to a community pool to shower whenever he has the funds. Making the bed in the top of his camper has always been difficult for him, even before he got sick, and he does not like housework much. • He can use an inhaler and it will help after he has cleared his lungs, which takes 20 minutes to an hour about every 8 hours. • He uses his camper and truck for both transportation and accommodation. He has not been able to take public transit for a long time due to his colitis. • His living quarters are very cramped and it is hard to say how he would be able to perform his personal care and housework and other DLA in larger accommodations. • He agrees that he has no physical restriction to bathing. He does not have a problem doing his laundry. • He can do his banking, shopping, and picking up medications but always needs to have a washroom nearby. • He is "financially strapped" but he is very good with stretching a dollar and goes to the food bank once per month and gets marked down goods from the grocery store. The ministry did not raise an objection to the admissibility of the appellant's oral testimony or the information in his Notice of Appeal. The panel admitted the appellant's evidence as further detail of the impact from his previously diagnosed medical conditions and, therefore, being in support of the information and records before the ministry on reconsideration, pursuant to section 22(4)(b) of the Emolovment and Assistance Act.
The mi n i str y relied on its reconsideration de cision. emp l oyability is not one of the eligi bility criteria for design as a Person with Persistent Multiple Bar r i e rs to employmen the appe l lant.At th e he aring , the ministry pointe d out that a t ion as a PWD, whil e it is re l e v a nt to status t (PPMB), an option t hat may be open to
PART F -Reasons for Panel Decision The issue on the appeal is whether the ministry's decision, which found that the appellant is not eligible for designation as a person with disabilities (PWD) as he does not meet all the criteria in Section 2 of the EAPWDA, was reasonably supported by the evidence or was a reasonable application of the applicable enactment in the circumstances of the appellant. The ministry found that the appellant has a severe physical impairment but that his daily living activities (DLA) are not, in the opinion of a prescribed professional, directly and significantly restricted either continuously or periodically for extended periods and that, as a result of those restrictions, it could not be determined that the appellant requires the significant help or supervision of another person, the use of an assistive device, or the services of an assistance animal to perform DLA. The criteria for being designated as a person with disabilities (PWD) are set out in Section 2 of the EAPWDA as follows: Persons with disabilities 2 (1) In this section: "assistive device" means a device designed to enable a person to perform a daily living activity that, because of a severe mental or physical impairment, the person is unable to perform; "daily living activity" has the prescribed meaning; "prescribed professional" has the prescribed meaning. (2) The minister may designate a person who has reached 18 years of age as a person with disabilities for the purposes of this Act if the minister is satisfied that the person has a severe mental or physical impairment that (a) in the opinion of a medical practitioner is likely to continue for at least 2 years, and (b) in the opinion of a prescribed professional (i) directly and significantly restricts the person's ability to perform daily living activities either (A) continuously, or (B) periodically for extended periods, and (ii) as a result of those restrictions, the person requires help to perform those activities. (3) For the purposes of subsection (2), (a) a person who has a severe mental impairment includes a person with a mental disorder, and (b) a person requires help in relation to a daily living activity if, in order to perform it, the person requires (i) an assistive device, (ii) the significant help or supervision of another person, or (iii) the services of an assistance animal. (4) The minister may rescind a designation under subsection (2). Section 2(1)(a) of the EAPWDR defines DLA for a person who has a s evere physical or mental impairment as follows: Definitions for Act 2 (1) For the purposes of the Act and this regulation, "daily living activities", (a) in relation to a person who has a severe physical impairment or a severe mental impairment, means the following activities: (i) prepare own meals;
(ii ) m a nage pe r sonal f ina nce s ; (iii) shop for personal ne ed s ; (iv) u se pu blic or person al tra nsp ort ation fa cilities; (v) perf orm hous ewo rk t o mai ntain th e pers o n 's p l a c e of resi d e nce in ac ce ptable s a nitary c o nd i t io n; (vi) move a b out i ndoo rs an d outdoors; (vii) pe r form personal hygiene and sel f ca re; (viii) ma n a g e p er s ona l medica ti o n , a nd (b ) in relation to a pe rson who ha s a sev ere mental impa irment, in c l u des the fo llo wing act i v i t i e s : (i) m ak e decis ions abou t personal ac tiviti e s , c are or finances; (ii ) r e late to, co mmunicate o r interac t wit h o t hers effec tively. (2) For t he purpos es of the Act , " p r escribed professi o na l" me a ns a person wh o is a ut h o r ize d u nder an enact m e nt to pr acti ce the profession of (a) m edi cal practitioner, (b) registered psy c holog is t , ( c ) registere d nur s e or registered p sych iatri c n u rse, ( d) o ccupational t herapis t , (e) physi c al ther apist, (f) s ocial wo r ker , ( g ) ch i r o pr act o r, or ( h ) n u rse practitio n er. At r econsider a t ion, the m inist ry was s atisfied that the info rma tio n provided i s evi d e nce o f a sev er e physic a l i mp airm ent. Restr ictio ns in t he abili t y to pe rf orm DLA T h e app ellant's posit ion i s that hi s sever e phys ical imp airme n t d irec tly and s i gn i f i cantly re str ic t s his abi lity to perform D LA and he re quire s the signific a nt assist an ce of another pers o n or the use of a cane as an a s sistive device to per fo r m many DLA. The ministry's p o s ition is that the evide n c e of the p r e scribed professionals does no t e stablish t h at the a ppellant's i mp air me n t significantly re stricts DL A either continuousl y or periodically for extended periods of time. The ministry argued that the physician indicated in the AR that the appellant is independent in all aspects of DLA and there was no indicat ion that they take the appell an t si g nif icantly l o nger to perform. The ministry argued that while the physician wrote in his letter that the ap pellant h as reduced strength and stamina secon d ary to h is obs tructive lung di sease whi c h causes him extreme difficulty with cleaning , ba th ing and pe rf or m i n g basic housewor k , there was no furt her asses sment provid ed to indicat e if the appellant needs continuo us or periodic support in these aspe cts. Panel Decision Section 2 (2)(b) of the EAPWDA requires that a prescribed professional provide an opinion that an applic a nt's severe impairment directly and significantly restric ts his DL A, continuously or periodically for extended periods. In this case, the annellant's familv ohvsician is the prescribed orofessional. b
D L A a r e d e f i n e d i n s e c t i o n 2 ( 1 ) o f t h e E A P W D R a n d d e t a i l s , i n t h e A R . T h e r e f o r e , a p r e s c r i b e d p r o f e s s i o o p p o r t u n i t y t o d i r e c t l y i n d i c a t e w h i c h , i f a n y , D L A a r i m p a i r m e n t s , c o n t i n u o u s l y o r p e r i o d i c a l l y f o r e x t e n d T h e e v i d e n c e o f t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s p h y s i c i a n i s s e t o u t d a t e d F e b r u a r y 2 , 2 0 1 4 , a t w h i c h t i m e t h e p h y s i c i a n m e d i c a l c o n d i t i o n a s w e l l a s c l a r i f i c a t i o n o f t h e i m p a p h y s i c i a n r e p o r t e d i n t h e P R t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t h a s n t h a t i n t e r f e r e w i t h h i s D L A . I n t h e A R , t h e p h y s i c i a n a l l t a s k s o f e a c h l i s t e d D L A , i n c l u d i n g p r e p a r i n g h i s s h o p p i n g f o r p e r s o n a l n e e d s , u s i n g p u b l i c o r p e r s o n t o m a i n t a i n h i s p l a c e o f r e s i d e n c e i n a c c e p t a b l e s a n o u t d o o r s , p e rf o r m i n g p e r s o n a l h y g i e n e a n d s e l f c a r e l e t t e r d a t e d F e b r u a r y 2 , 2 0 1 4 , t h e p h y s i c i a n r e p o r t e d c o l i t i s h a v e p r o g r e s s e d , a n d h e n o w h a s d i f f i c u l t y w a i s s u e s , a n d h a s r e q u i r e d t h e u s e o f a c a n e t o h e l p a s t a t e d t h a t h e d o e s n o t u s e h i s c a n e a l l t h e t i m e , b u w h e n h e h a s a c o u g h i n g f i t . T h e p h y s i c i a n i n d i c a t e d a p p l i c a n t w i t h a n i d e n t i f i e d m e n t a l i m p a i r m e n t i s n o t i n a l l a s p e c t s o f s o c i a l f u n c t i o n i n g . I n t h e F e b r u a ry 2 , 2 0 1 4 l e t t e r , t h e p h y s i c i a n a l s o w r o c o u g h i n g s p e l l s t h a t d r a i n h i s e n e r g y a n d f r e q u e n t l y r e p o r t e d t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t h a s r e d u c e d s t r e n g t h a n d d i s e a s e a n d h a s e x t r e m e d i f f i c u l t y w i t h c l e a n i n g a n d h o u s e w o r k . A t t h e h e a r i n g , t h e a p p e l l a n t c l a r i f i e d t h t h e b e d i n h i s c a m p e r i s m o s t l y a s a r e s u l t o f h i s c r a h e c a n s h o w e r s u c c e s s f u l l y a t t h e c o m m u n i t y p o o l . r e s t r i c t i o n t o b a t h i n g a n d d o e s n o t h a v e a p r o b l e m d c a n a l s o d o h i s b a n k i n g , s h o p p i n g , a n d p i c k i n g u p m w a s h r o o m n e a r b y . T h e a p p e l l a n t d e s c r i b e d a r e c e n n e e d e d t o r u s h o u t t o t h e w a s h r o o m i n h i s c a m p e r , d a n d r e s t b e f o r e c o n t i n u i n g h i s s h o p p i n g . T h e a p p e l l p u b l i c t r a n s i t f o r y e a r s b e c a u s e o f h i s b o w e l c o n d i t i o b o w e l c o n d i t i o n a n d p o s s i b l e c o l i t i s c a u s e h i m t o t a k a l s o i m p a c t s h i s u s e o f p u b l i c t r a n s p o r t a t i o n , t h e a p p r e s t r i c t i o n s t o s h o p p i n g o r u s e o f t r a n s p o r t a t i o n , a n d o p i n i o n o f t h e p r e s c r i b e d p r o f e s s i o n a l r e g a r d i n g r e s t T h e p h y s i c i a n w r o t e i n h i s F e b r u a r y 2 , 2 0 1 4 l e t t e r t h a s i g n i f i c a n t l y r e s t r i c t h i s a b i l i t y t o p e r f o r m D L A ; h o w e v t h e r e s t r i c t i o n s i n a n y D L A o t h e r t h a n m o v i n g a b o u t i t h e m i n i s t ry r e a s o n a b l y d e t e r m i n e d t h a t t h e r e i s n o t s t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s p h y s i c a l i m p a i r m e n t d i r e c t l y a n d s i g n i p e r i o d i c a l l y f o r e x t e n d e d p e r i o d s , t h e r e b y n o t s a t i s f y i t h e E A P W D A .a r e a l s o l i s t e d i n t h e P R a n d , w i t h a d d i t i o n a l n a l c o m p l e t i n g a n y o f t h e s e f o r m s h a s t h e e s i g n i f i c a n t l y r e s t r i c t e d b y t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s e d p e r i o d s . i n t h e P R a n d A R a s w e l l a s t h e a d d i t i o n a l l e t t e r p r o v i d e d a n u p d a t e r e g a r d i n g t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s c t s f r o m t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s i m p a i r m e n t . T h e o t b e e n p r e s c r i b e d m e d i c a t i o n a n d / o r t r e a t m e n t i n d i c a t e d t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t i s i n d e p e n d e n t w i t h o w n m e a l s , m a n a g i n g h i s p e r s o n a l f i n a n c e s , a l t r a n s p o r t a t i o n f a c i l i t i e s , p e r f o r m i n g h o u s e w o r k i t a ry c o n d i t i o n , m o v i n g a b o u t i n d o o r s a n d , a n d m a n a g i n g p e r s o n a l m e d i c a t i o n . I n t h e t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s o b s t r u c t i v e l u n g d i s e a s e a n d l k i n g o n e b l o c k , s e c o n d a ry t o h i s b r e a t h i n g i d w i t h w a l k i n g . A t t h e h e a r i n g , t h e a p p e l l a n t t m o s t l y f o r s t a i r s a n d t o m a i n t a i n h i s b a l a n c e t h a t t h e s e c t i o n o f t h e A R r e l a t i n g t o a n a p p l i c a b l e t o t h e a p p e l l a n t a n d h e i s i n d e p e n d e n t t e t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t i s h a v i n g i s s u e s w i t h r e s u l t i n f e c a l i n c o n t i n e n c e . T h e p h y s i c i a n s t a m i n a s e c o n d a ry t o h i s o b s t r u c t i v e l u n g b a t h i n g h i m s e l f a n d p e r f o r m i n g b a s i c a t h i s d i f f i c u l t y w i t h s h o w e r i n g a n d w i t h m a k i n g m p e d q u a r t e r s a n d t h a t , w h e n h e h a s t h e f u n d s , T h e a p p e l l a n t a g r e e d t h a t h e h a s n o p h y s i c a l o i n g h i s l a u n d r y . T h e a p p e l l a n t s t a t e d t h a t h e e d i c a t i o n s b u t a l w a y s n e e d s t o h a v e a t e x p e r i e n c e a t t h e g r o c e ry s t o r e w h e r e h e i d n o t m a k e i t i n t i m e , a n d h a d t o c l e a n h i m s e l f a n t a l s o s t a t e d t h a t h e h a s n o t b e e n a b l e t o u s e n . W h i l e t h e a p p e l l a n t p r o v i d e d e v i d e n c e t h a t h i s e m o r e t i m e t o a c c o m p l i s h h i s s h o p p i n g D L A a n d e l l a n t ' s p h y s i c i a n h a s n o t c o n f i r m e d a s e c t i o n 2 ( 2 ) ( b ) o f t h e E A P W D A r e q u i r e s t h e r i c t i o n s t o D L A . t t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s i m p a i r m e n t s d i r e c t l y a n d e r , t h e r e i s l i t t l e s u p p o r t i n g d e t a i l o f t h e e x t e n t o f n d o o r s a n d o u t d o o r s . T h e p a n e l c o n c l u d e s t h a t u f f i c i e n t s u p p o r t i n g e v i d e n c e t o e s t a b l i s h t h a t f i c a n t l y r e s t r i c t s h i s D L A e i t h e r c o n t i n u o u s l y o r n g t h e l e g i s l a t i v e c r i t e r i o n o f S e c t i o n 2 ( 2 ) ( b ) ( i ) o f
H e l p t o p e r f o r m D L A T h e a p p e l l a n t ' s p o s i t i o n i s t h a t h e r e q u i r e s t h e s i g n a c a n e a s a n a s s i s t i v e d e v i c e , t o p e r f o r m D L A . T h e m i n i s t r y ' s p o s i t i o n i s t h a t b e c a u s e i t h a s n o t b e r e s t r i c t e d , i t c a n n o t b e d e t e r m i n e d t h a t s i g n i f i c a n t h P a n e l D e c i s i o n S e c t i o n 2 ( 2 ) ( b ) ( i i ) o f t h e E A P W D A r e q u i r e s t h a t , a s a b i l i t y t o p e r f o r m D L A , a p e r s o n r e q u i r e s h e l p t o p e s u b s e c t i o n ( 3 ) a s t h e r e q u i r e m e n t f o r a n a s s i s t i v e d a n o t h e r p e r s o n o r t h e s e r v i c e s o f a n a s s i s t a n c e a n i T h e p h y s i c i a n i n d i c a t e d i n t h e A R t h a t h e l p r e q u i r e d l e t t e r d a t e d F e b r u a r y 2 , 2 0 1 4 , h o w e v e r , t h e p h y s i c i a h e l p w i t h w a l k i n g . A t t h e h e a r i n g , t h e a p p e l l a n t s t a t w h e n e x p e r i e n c i n g a c o u g h i n g f i t , f o r m a i n t a i n i n g h i e v i d e n c e o f t h e p r e s c r i b e d p r o f e s s i o n a l e s t a b l i s h e s u s e o f a c a n e f o r m o v i n g a b o u t i n d o o r s a n d o u t d o o r r e a s o n a b l y d e t e r m i n e d t h a t , a s d i r e c t a n d s i g n i f i c a n D L A h a v e n o t b e e n e s t a b l i s h e d , i t c a n n o t b e d e t e r m D L A a s a r e s u l t o f t h o s e r e s t r i c t i o n s . C o n c l u s i o n H a v i n g r e v i e w e d a n d c o n s i d e r e d a l l o f t h e e v i d e n c e m i n i s t r y ' s r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n d e c i s i o n w h i c h d e t e r m i n e d e s i g n a t i o n w a s r e a s o n a b l y s u p p o r t e d b y t h e e v i d e i f i c a n t a s s i s t a n c e o f a n o t h e r p e r s o n , o r t h e u s e o f e n e s t a b l i s h e d t h a t D L A a r e s i g n i f i c a n t l y e l p i s r e q u i r e d f r o m o t h e r p e r s o n s . a r e s u l t o f d i r e c t a n d s i g n i f i c a n t r e s t r i c t i o n s i n t h e r f o r m t h o s e a c t i v i t i e s . H e l p i s d e f i n e d i n e v i c e o r t h e s i g n i f i c a n t h e l p o r s u p e r v i s i o n o f m a l i n o r d e r t o p e rf o r m a D L A . f o r D L A i s n o t a p p l i c a b l e t o t h e a p p e l l a n t . I n h i s n c o n f i r m e d t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t u s e s a c a n e t o e d t h a t h e u s e s h i s c a n e m o s t l y f o r s t a i r s a n d , s b a l a n c e . W h i l e t h e p a n e l f i n d s t h a t t h e t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t r e q u i r e s s o m e a s s i s t a n c e w i t h s , t h e p a n e l a l s o f i n d s t h a t t h e m i n i s t r y t r e s t r i c t i o n s i n t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s a b i l i t y t o p e r f o r m i n e d t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t r e q u i r e s h e l p t o p e rf o r m a n d r e l e v a n t l e g i s l a t i o n , t h e p a n e l f i n d s t h a t t h e d t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t w a s n o t e l i g i b l e f o r P W D n c e , a n d t h e r e f o r e c o n f i r m s t h e d e c i s i o n .
 You are being directed to the most recent version of the statute which may not be the version considered at the time of the judgment.