PAR T C -D ecis ion under Ap peal The de c isi on being a p pea l e d i s t he M in i str y of So ci "Mini s t ry") June 23, 20 14 reconside ra ti on decisio n w as not e l i gible for Person s wi t h D isa b i l i t i e s (" P W D" requireme n ts for PWD design a t i o n in sec t i on 2(2) of the with Disa b i lities Act. B ased on th e i nfo rma t i on p rov Ap pellant h a s a s e vere m ental or physica l im pa irm (i) di rectly an d si g ni fica ntl y r estricts his a b i lity to perfo p e ri od i cally for ext ende d periods; and, ( i i) as a result of t ho se re strictions he r equires help The Mi n i s try was satisf ied t hat the App ellan t h as re me dical p r a ctit ioner his imp ai r ment is likel y to continue PAR T D R elevant Leg islat ion Emplo yment and As sistance f or Persons w it h Disabil Emplo yment an d As sis tance f or Persons with Disabil EAA T003(10/06/01) AP PEAL # � al De velo pment and S ocial Innova ti on (the in which th e Mini s t ry d etermined that the App ellan t ) des ign ation bec ause he did n ot meet all the Empl oym e nt and Assistance for Pers ons ided, the M inis try was not satisfied th a t the ent th at i n the opinio n of a pr esc r ibed pr ofess i on a l rm da il y l ivin g acti viti e s either continuously o r t o p e r f o rm tho se act ivit ies. ac hed 18 ye ar s of a ge a n d in the opinion of a f or a t l eas t 2 years. ities Act (" E A P WD A") Sect io n 2(2 ) a nd 2( 3). ities Reg u lati on ( " E A PW DR") Section 2 .
P A R T E S u m m a r v o f F a c t s . F o r i t s r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n d e c i s i o n , t h e M i n i s t r y h a d t 1 . A p p e l l a n t ' s P W D a p p l i c a t i o n c o n s i s t i n g o f : • A p h y s i c i a n ' s r e p o r t a n d a n a s s e s s o r ' s r e p o a d d i t i o n a l i n f o r m a t i o n a d d e d i n a b o u t J u n e A p p e l l a n t f o r 1 y e a r a n d h a d s e e n t h e A p p e r e p o r t s . 2 . A p p e l l a n t ' s 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 w i t h w r i t s e l f r e p o r t c o m p l e t e d b y t h e A p p e l l a n t . A t t h e h e a r i n g , t h e A p p e l l a n t d e s c r i b e d h i s b a c k p g e t s u p h e f e e l s p a i n l i k e s h a r p p i n s a n d n e e d l e s p p a i n i n h i s a r m s . S o m e t i m e s t h e p a i n s h o o t s d o w n A p p e l l a n t s a i d t h a t h e l i e s d o w n o n a h e a t i n g p a d a s w a l k i n g t o o f a r o r t r y i n g t o l i f t l a u n d r y , h e p a y s f d e s c r i b e d h i s d i f f i c u l t i e s w i t h g e t t i n g i n a n d o u t o f a p r o v i d e d i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t t h e s t r o n g p r e s c r i p t i o n h i m s o t h a t h e c a n ' t t a k e a n y i f h e ' s g o i n g t o d r i v e . o u t o f 1 0 t h r o u g h o u t t h e d a y , b u t a t t i m e s a t 9 t o o T h e A p p e l l a n t s a i d h e i s n o t g o i n g f o r p h y s i o t h e r a p a h a r d w o r k i n g m a n a l l h i s l i f e a n d i t i s v e r y d i f f i c u l t l i v i n g . H e a l s o d o e s n o t l i k e t o c o m p l a i n a b o u t h i s t o t i e h i s b o o t s , o r d o c h o r e s s u c h a s v a c u u m i n g a d i d n o t f i l l o u t t h e f o r m s c o r r e c t l y a n d d i d n o t c l e a r l T h e P a n e l a d m i t s t h e A p p e l l a n t ' s t e s t i m o n y a t t h e E m p l o y m e n t a n d A s s i s t a n c e A c t , b e c a u s e i t s u b s t a b e f o r e t h e M i n i s t r y a t r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n . A t t h e h e a r i n g , t h e M i n i s t r y r e a f f i r m e d t h e r e c o n s i d T h e P a n e l h a s s u m m a r i z e d t h e r e l e v a n t e v i d e n c e a D i a g n o s e s I n t h e p h y s i c i a n ' s r e p o r t , t h e d o c t o r d i a g n o s e s t h e h u m e r u s / a t r o p h y ; e x t e n s i v e l u m b a r s p o n d y l o s i s / d i s 9 ; d i f f u s e o s t e o p e n i a r i g h t u p p e r l i m b . P h y s i c a l I m p a i r m e n t T h e A p p e l l a n t d e s c r i b e d h i s i m p a i r m e n t a s f o l l o w s : • H i s b a c k i s s o r e e v e r y d a y , a l l d a y a n d t h e p • I t i s g e t t i n g h a r d e r e v e ry d a y t o d o t h i n g s a n w a l k i n g h e g e t s s o r e a n d h a s t o l i e d o w n o n • H i s b o a r d e r d o e s m o s t o f t h e c o o k i n q a s i t i s E AA T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 1 0 1 )I A P P E A L # h e f o l l o w i n g e v i d e n c e : r t b o t h c o m p l e t e d o n F e b r u a r y 4 , 2 0 1 4 , w i t h 2 0 1 4 , b y a d o c t o r w h o i n d i c a t e d h e h a s k n o w n t h e l l a n t b e t w e e n 2 -1 0 t i m e s i n t h e y e a r p r e c e d i n g t h e t e n a r g u m e n t f r o m t h e A p p e l l a n t ' s a d v o c a t e a n d a a i n a s a f f e c t i n g h i m a l l d a y , e v e r y d a y . W h e n h e r i c k i n g h i s f e e t . H e w a k e s u p b e c a u s e o f s i m i l a r h i s s p i n e t o h i s f e e t . B e c a u s e o f t h e p a i n , t h e f o r m o s t o f t h e d a y . A l s o , i f h e d o e s t o o m u c h , s u c h o r i t a f t e r w a r d s a n d h a s t o l i e d o w n . T h e A p p e l l a n t c a r , u s u a l l y f e e l i n g s t i f f a n d s o r e . T h e A p p e l l a n t p a i n m e d i c a t i o n h e t a k e s d a i l y a n d w h i c h a f f e c t s H e d e s c r i b e d h i s p a i n a s b e i n g i n t h e r a n g e o f 7 -8 v e r 1 0 a f t e r s o m e a c t i v i t y . y b e c a u s e h e c a n ' t a f f o r d . I t . H e s a i d h e h a s b e e n f o r h i m n o t t o b e a b l e t o d o t h i n g s a n d t o e a r n a p a i n , a b o u t h o w d i f f i c u l t i t i s f o r h i m t o e v e n b e n d r o u n d h i s h o m e . T h e A p p e l l a n t s a i d t h a t t h e d o c t o r y l a y o u t t h e e x t e n t o f h i s d i s a b i l i t y . h e a r i n g , p u r s u a n t t o s e c t i o n 2 2 ( 4 ) o f t h e n t i a t e s a n d i s i n s u p p o r t o f e v i d e n c e t h a t w a s e r a t i o n d e c i s i o n . s f o l l o w s . A p p e l l a n t w i t h m a l u n i o n f r a c t u r e r i g h t c d i s e a s e ' m u l t i p l e r i g h t r i b f r a c t u r e s -4 -5 a n d 7 -a i n w a k e s h i m u p . d t o m o v e a r o u n d ; i f h e i s m o v i n g a r o u n d o r a h e a t i n g p a d . h a r d f o r h i m t o s t a n d t o o I o n a i n o n e o l a c e .
o H i s s o n l i f t s l a u n d r y b a s k e t s i n t o t h e c a r f o r h a s t o l i e d o w n . • T h e p a i n i s b a d w h e n h e i s v a c u u m i n g , s o h • W h e n h e g e t s u p , h e h a s p a i n i n h i s l e g s l i k • I f h e o v e r d o e s t h i n g s , h e h a s t o l i e d o w n f o • H e r e a l i z e s h e m u s t a s k f o r h e l p t o d o t h i n g d a y h e w i l l n o t b e a b l e t o m o v e a t a l l ; h e t a k • T h e r e a r e t i m e s w h e n h e i s u n a b l e t o d r i v e I n t h e p h y s i c i a n ' s r e p o r t t h e d o c t o r d e s c r i b e d t h e s f u n c t i o n a l s k i l l s a s f o l l o w s : • C h r o n i c l o w b a c k p a i n , d e g e n e r a t i v e d i s c s a L S s p i n e x r a y , w h i c h i s a t t a c h e d t o h i s r e p o • C a n n o t h a n d l e c h a i n s a w , l o g g i n g w o r k i n g • S o m e p r e l i m i n a r y r i g h t u p p e r a r m , r i g h t s h o t h e s h o u l d e r . • N o l o n g e r f i t f o r m a n u a l w o r k d u e t o e x t e n s i a n d s o m e d i s e a s e a t r o p h y . • C a n w a l k u n a i d e d 1 -2 b l o c k s , c a n c l i m b m o 2 -5 s t e p s u n a i d e d e a s i l y w i t h o u t a s s i s t a n c e t h a n o n e h o u r . M e n t a l I m p a i r m e n t T h e d o c t o r p r o v i d e d n o d i a g n o s e s o f a n y m e n t a l h r e p o r t t h a t t h e A p p e l l a n t h a s n o s i g n i f i c a n t d e f i c i t s t h e a s s e s s o r ' s r e p o r t , t h e d o c t o r w r o t e " n o m a j o r d f u n c t i o n i n g . D a i l y L i v i n g A c t i v i t i e s T h e d o c t o r r e p o r t e d , i n t h e p h y s i c i a n ' s r e p o r t , t h a t m e d i c a t i o n a n d / o r t r e a t m e n t s t h a t i n t e r f e r e w i t h h i s a l s o p r o v i d e d t h e f o l l o w i n g i n f o r m a t i o n r e g a r d i n g r e • C o n t i n u o u s r e s t r i c t i o n s t o b a s i c h o u s e w o r k , m o b i l i t y o u t s i d e t h e h o m e . • N o r e s t r i c t i o n s t o p e r s o n a l s e l f c a r e , m e a l p r i n s i d e t h e h o m e a n d s o c i a l f u n c t i o n i n g . • U s e o f t r a n s p o r t a t i o n a n d m a n a g e m e n t o f f i n • " C a n n o t h a n d l e u n e v e n t e r r a i n o r l i f t b o x e s , • " U n a b l e t o p e r f o r m p r e v i o u s d u t i e s " i n p r e v i o • " R e s t r i c t e d t o l i g h t m a n u a l d u t i e s o f s e l f c a r e m a i n t e n a n c e o r l a w n c a r e . N e e d s f a m i l y a s s i m p a i r e d m o v e m e n t s " . I n t h e a s s e s s o r ' s r e p o r t , t h e d o c t o r w r o t e t h a t t h e A o r h o m e o u t d o o r / g a r d e n m a i n t e n a n c e . T h e d o c t o r A p p e l l a n t ' s f u n c t i o n i n g : • A b i l i t v t o c o m m u n i c a t e i s a o o d i n a r e a s o f s o E M T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 1 )� A P P E A L # h i m ; w h e n h e t r i e s h e g e t s p a i n a f t e r w a r d s a n d e g e t s h i s s o n t o h e l p . e p i n s a n d n e e d l e s . r s e v e r a l d a y s t o r e c o v e r . s e v e n w h e n h e d o e s n ' t w a n t t o o r h e f e a r s o n e e s s t r o n g p r e s c r i p t i o n m e d i c a t i o n f o r t h e p a i n . d u e t o t h e p a i n . e v e r i t y o f t h e A p p e l l a n t ' s m e d i c a l c o n d i t i o n s a n d n d s p o n d y l o s i s , 2 d e g r e e a r t h r i t i s , r e f e r r i n g t o a n r t . e n e r a l o r a n y h e a v y c o n s t r u c t i o n d u t i e s . u l d e r d y s t r o p h y p r e v e n t s l i f t i n g e f f o r t s , e l e v a t i o n o f v e l u m b a r d i s c d i s e a s e , m a l u n i o n r i g h t h u m e r u s r e t h a n 5 s t e p s u n a i d e d w i t h s o m e e f f o r t , c a n c l i m b , c a n l i f t 5 -1 5 l b s . , a n d c a n r e m a i n s e a t e d f o r l e s s e a l t h c o n d i t i o n s a n d i n d i c a t e d i n t h e p h y s i c i a n ' s w i t h c o g n i t i v e a n d e m o t i o n a l f u n c t i o n i n g . A l s o , i n e f i c i t s h e r e " f o r c o g n i t i v e a n d e m o t i o n a l t h e 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 a n y a b i l i t y t o p e r f o r m d a i l y l i v i n g a c t i v i t i e s . T h e d o c t o r s t r i c t i o n s t o 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 : a n d p e r i o d i c r e s t r i c t i o n s t o d a i l y s h o p p i n g a n d e p a r a t i o n , m a n a g e m e n t o f m e d i c a t i o n s , m o b i l i t y a n c e s i n d i c a t e d a s r e s t r i c t e d b u t w i t h n o d e t a i l s . g r o c e r i e s h e a v i e r t h a n 1 O l b s . " u s t y p e o f w o r k . . U n a b l e t o m a i n t a i n h o u s e w o r k , o u t d o o r h o m e i s t a n c e f o r c l e a n i n g h o u s e d u e t o b a c k p a i n a n d p p e l l a n t c a n n o t d o h e a v y h o u s e w o r k o r c l e a n i n g , a l s o p r o v i d e d t h e f o l l o w i n g i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t t h e e a k i n a , r e a d i n a , w r i t i n a a n d h e a r i n a .
o Independ ent walking indoors; takes signi ficantly subjectiv ely" o Needs pe r i od i c a s sistance with cl imbing mor with car ryi n g and h o ld ing, whic h take signi fica • Independen t ly manages all areas of p e rso n med ications. Nee ds periodic assist a nc e with l hous ekeepi n g "nee ds assis t ance bending to f lbs." • Independ entl y manages areas of shoppi n g , pric es/ l a bels , making app r o priat e choic es, paying for purchases; and, is "restricte loads" for carrying purchases home. • I ndependently uses transit schedules / arrangi g e t ting in/out of a ve hicle an d us ing public transit frequent rest stops during driving, diffic ulty with sitt pai n." • Indepe ndentl y ma n a ges al l a r e as of socia l f imm e d ia te s ocia l net wo rk and good f unct io ning • A d ded com ments : " ab le to care for him self wit Help with Da ily Liv i ng A c tiv i ties Th e A p pell ant sta te d that his bo ard er does most of t he car and help s wi th vacuu min g . In the physicia n 's report, the doctor wrote th at th e Appell hou se due to b ack pain and imp a ired movements. fo llowing inf or ma tion: • N eeds famil y a s sis t anc e f or ho me ca r e/ laundr • M a y need cane for su pport, house needs hand bat h aids . • No a ssis tanc e p rov i de d by a s sistanc e a nimal EAAT 003(10/06/01) : APPFAL # longer walking outdoors -"sore low e r back e t ha n 5 stair steps, with standing, with lifti ng and n tly longer and is restricted to 15 lbs. max. a l care, meals, paying rent and bills and a u n dry -"help n eeded for bending"; with basic loo r s, o verhead lifting or l ifting to wai st over 15 that is, going to and fr om stores, re a d ing d t o s mal l ng tr ansportation; needs periodic assis tance -sorene ss wit h l o we r back: and "nee ds ing > [more than] 1 hour due to low back u nction ing; had m a rgi nal fun ctionin g with his with hi s e x t end e d soci a l netw o rk. hout ass istanc e" a n d "subject to fall s" t he c oo k ing . His s o n lifts t he laund ry bas ket s i nto ant needs fa mi ly as sist ance for cleanin g In the ass e s sor's report the d o ctor p ro vi d ed t he y, meal prepar a tion and cle aning. ica p ped aids in plac e, such as toil eting aids a n d s.
P A R T F R e a s o n s f o r P a n e l D e c i s i o n T h e i s s u e i n t h i s a p p e a l i s w h e t h e r t h e M i n i s t r y r e a e l i g i b l e f o r P W D d e s i g n a t i o n b e c a u s e h e d i d n o t m E A P W D A , a n d s p e c i f i c a l l y , t h a t t h e A p p e l l a n t d o e s t h a t 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 ( i ) d p e r f o r m d a i l y l i v i n g a c t i v i t i e s e i t h e r c o n t i n u o u s l y o r 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 h e r e q u i r e s h e l p t o p e r f o T h e e l i g i b i l i t y c r i t e r i a f o r P W D d e s i g n a t i o n a r e s e t o 2 ( 2 ) T h e m i n i s t e r m a y d e s i g n a t e a p e r s o n w h o h a d i s a b i l i t i e s f o r t h e p u r p o s e s o f t h i s A c t i f t h e m i n i s t e o r p h y s i c a l i m p a i r m e n t t h a t ( a ) i n t h e o p i n i o n 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 ( b ) 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 ( i ) 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 s t h e p e r s o n ' s a b ( A ) c o n t i n u o u s l y , o r ( B ) 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 ( i i ) 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 , t h e p e r s o n r e q u ( 3 ) F o r t h e p u r p o s e s o f s u b s e c t i o n ( 2 ) , ( a ) a p e r s o n w h o h a s a s e v e r e m e n t a l i m p a i r m e n t i ( b ) a p e r s o n r e q u i r e s h e l p i n r e l a t i o n t o a d a i l y l i v i n g r e q u i r e s ( i ) a n a s s i s t i v e d e v i c e , ( i i ) t h e s i g n i f i c a n t h ( i i i ) 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 m a l . T h e " d a i l y l i v i n g a c t i v i t i e s " r e f e r r e d t o i n E A P W D A s 2 ( 1 ) F o r t h e p u r p o s e s o f t h e A c t a n d t h i s r e g u l a t i o n ( a ) i n r e l a t i o n t o a p e r s o n w h o h a s a s e v e r e p h y s i c a m e a n s t h e f o l l o w i n g a c t i v i t i e s : ( i ) p r e p a r e o w n m e a l s ; ( i i ) m a n a g e p e r s o n a l f i n a n c e p e r s o n 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 ; ( v ) p e r f o r m h o u s e a c c e p t a b l e s a n i t a r y c o n d i t i o n ; ( v i ) m o v e a b o u t i n d o a n d s e l f c a r e ; ( v i i i ) m a n a g e p e r s o n a l m e d i c a t i o n , a n ( b ) i n r e l a t i o n t o a p e r s o n w h o h a s a s e v e r e m e n t a l ( i ) m a k e d e c i s i o n s a b o u t p e r s o n a l a c t i v i t i e s , c a r e o r w i t h o t h e r s e f f e c t i v e l y . T h e P a n e l w i l l c o n s i d e r e a c h p a rt y ' s p o s i t i o n r e g a r d u n d e r t h e a p p l i c a b l e P W D c r i t e r i a a t i s s u e i n t h i s a p S e v e r e M e n t a l I m p a i r m e n t T h e d o c t o r p r o v i d e d n o d i a g n o s e s o f a n y m e n t a l h e h a s n o s i g n i f i c a n t d e f i c i t s w i t h c o g n i t i v e a n d e m o t i o M i n i s t r y 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 w a s n o s 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 e A p p e l l a n t s u b m i t t e d t h a t h i s c h r o n i c b a c k p a i n T h e p a i n i m o a c t s h i s a b i l i t v t o w o r k , t o w a l k , t o b e n d E AA T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 1 )A P P E A L # � s o n a b l y d e t e r m i n 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 e t a l l o f t h e r e q u i r e m e n t s i n s e c t i o n 2 ( 2 ) o f t h e n o t h a v e a s e v e r e m e n t a l o r p h y s i c a l i m p a i r m e n t 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 s h i s a b i l i t y t o 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 , ( i i ) a s a r m t h o s e a c t i v i t i e s . u t i n t h e f o l l o w i n g s e c t i o n s o f t h e E A P W D A : s r e a c h e d 1 8 y e a r s o f a g e a s a p e r s o n w i t h r i s s a t i s f i e d t h a t t h e p e r s o n h a s a s e v e r e m e n t a l o c o n t i n u e f o r a t l e a s t 2 y e a r s , a n d i l i t y t o p e r f o r m d a i l y l i v i n g a c t i v i t i e s e i t h e r r i o d s , a n d i r e s h e l p t o p e r f o r m t h o s e a c t i v i t i e s . n c l u d e s a p e r s o n w i t h a m e n t a l d i s o r d e r , a n d a c t i v i t y i f , i n o r d e r t o p e r f o r m i t , t h e p e r s o n e l p o r s u p e r v i s i o n o f a n o t h e r p e r s o n , o r e c t i o n 2 ( 2 ) ( b ) a r e d e f i n e d i n t h e E A P W D R a s : , " d a i l y l i v i n g a c t i v i t i e s " , l i m p a i r m e n t o r a s e v e r e m e n t a l i m p a i r m e n t , s ; ( i i i ) s h o p f o r p e r s o n a l n e e d s ; ( i v ) u s e p u b l i c o r w o r k t o m a i n t a i n t h e p e r s o n ' s p l a c e o f r e s i d e n c e i n o r s a n d o u t d o o r s ; ( v i i ) p e r f o r m p e r s o n a l h y g i e n e d i m p a i r m e n t , i n c l u d e s t h e f o l l o w i n g a c t i v i t i e s : f i n a n c e s ; ( i i ) r e l a t e t o , c o m m u n i c a t e o r i n t e r a c t i n g t h e r e a s o n a b l e n e s s o f t h e M i n i s t r y ' s d e c i s i o n p e a l . a l t h c o n d i t i o n s a n d r e p o r t e d t h a t t h e A p p e l l a n t n a l f u n c t i o n i n g . T h e r e f o r e , t h e P a n e l f i n d s t h a t t h e e v e r e m e n t a l i m p a i r m e n t . a f f e c t s h i s a b i l i t y t o f u n c t i o n a l l d a y , e v e r y d a y . , t o d o h o u s e h o l d c h o r e s a n d t o d r i v e .
I n i t s r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n d e c i s i o n , t h e M i n i s t r y w r o t e t a n d t h e d o c t o r . B a s e d o n t h e d o c t o r ' s a s s e s s m e n t f o u n d t h a t t h e A p p e l l a n t ' s l i m i t a t i o n s w e r e o f a m o d p h y s i c a l i m p a i r m e n t . T h e P a n e l ' s F i n d i n g s T h e d i a g n o s i s o f a m e d i c a l c o n d i t i o n i s n o t i n a n d o s a t i s f y t h e r e q u i r e m e n t s i n s e c t i o n 2 ( 2 ) o f t h e E A P m e d i c a l c o n d i t i o n r e s t r i c t s d a i l y f u n c t i o n i n g m u s t b A p p e l l a n t a n d f r o m a 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 o n t h e A p p e l l a n t ' s a b i l i t y t o m a n a g e t h e d a i l y l i v i n g T h e A p p e l l a n t s u b m i t t e d t h a t , b e c a u s e o f h i s b a c k e s p e c i a l l y a f t e r w a l k i n g t o o f a r , b e n d i n g o r d o i n g c h h i s f o r m e r j o b . B e c a u s e o f t h e p a i n a n d h o w i t r e s t r b o a r d e r a n d h i s s o n . T h e d o c t o r d i a g n o s e d t h e A p m a l u n i o n f r a c t u r e r i g h t h u m e r u s / a t r o p h y ; e x t e n s i v e f r a c t u r e s a n d d i f f u s e o s t e o p e n i a r i g h t u p p e r l i m b . F t h e d o c t o r f o c u s e d o n i m p a c t s f r o m t h e A p p e l l a n t ' s T h e d o c t o 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 a b l e t o w a s i g n i f i c a n t l y l o n g e r t o w a l k ; n e e d s p e r i o d i c a s s i s t a n p e r i o d i c a s s i s t a n c e w i t h s t a n d i n g a n d l i f t i n g ; i s r e s t b e n d i n g t o f l o o r s , o v e r h e a d l i f t i n g o r l i f t i n g o v e r 1 5 A p p e l l a n t m a y n e e d a c a n e f o r s u p p o r t a n d h a n d i c a 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 n d e p e n d e n t l y m a n a g e s ( r e s t r i c t e d t o s m a l l l o a d s ) a n d m e a l p r e p a r a t i o n , a n w i t h o u t a s s i s t a n c e . T h e r e f o r e , w h e n a l l o f t h e e v i d M i n i s t r y r e a s o n a b l y c o n c l u d e d t h a t t h e A p p e l l a n t ' s o f p h y s i c a l i m p a i r m e n t a n d n o t a s e v e r e p h y s i c a l i m A s f o r f i n d i n g w o r k a n d / o r w o r k i n g , t h e P a n e l n o t e s e l i g i b i l i t y f o r P W D d e s i g n a t i o n i n s e c t i o n 2 ( 2 ) o f t h e d a i l y l i v i n g a c t i v i t i e s i n s e c t i o n 2 o f t h e E A P W D R . R e s t r i c t i o n s t o D a i l y L i v i n g A c t i v i t i e s T h e A p p e l l a n t s u b m i t t e d t h a t a f t e r h e d o e s a n y t h i n g b e c a u s e o f h i s b a c k p a i n . H e a l s o r e l i e s o n h e l p f r o c o o k i n g , l i f t i n g a n d v a c u u m i n g . T h e M i n i s t r y s u b m i t t e d t h a t , b e c a u s e t h e d o c t o r r e p h i s d a i l y l i v i n g a c t i v i t i e s i n d e p e n d e n t l y o r w i t h a l i t t l e p r e s c r i b e d p r o f e s s i o n a l d i d n o t e s t a b l i s h t h a t t h e A p l i v i n g a c t i v i t i e s e i t h e r 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 E AA T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 1 )I A P P E A L # h a t i t r e v i e w e d t h e i n f o r m a t i o n f r o m t h e A p p e l l a n t s o f t h e A p p e l l a n t ' s f u n c t i o n a l s k i l l s , t h e M i n i s t r y e r a t e d e g r e e o f i m p a i r m e n t a n d n o t a s e v e r e li t s e l f e v i d e n c e o f t h e s e v e r i t y o f i m p a i r m e n t . T o W D A , e v i d e n c e o f h o w a n d t h e e x t e n t t o w h i c h a e c o n s i d e r e d . T h i s i n c l u d e s t h e e v i d e n c e f r o m t h e d i n g t h e n a t u r e o f t h e i m p a i r m e n t a n d i t s i m p a c t a c t i v i t i e s l i s t e d i n s e c t i o n 2 ( 1 ) o f t h e E A P W D R . p a i n , h e h a s t o l i e d o w n m o s t o f e v e r y d a y , o r e s a r o u n d h i s h o m e . H e c a n n o l o n g e r w o r k a t i c t s h i s m o v e m e n t s , h e n e e d s h e l p f r o m h i s p e l l a n t w i t h s e v e r a l p h y s i c a l c o n d i t i o n s , i n c l u d i n g l u m b a r s p o n d y l o s i s / d i s c d i s e a s e , m u l t i p l e r i g h t r i b o r r e s t r i c t i o n s t o p h y s i c a l f u n c t i o n i n g , h o w e v e r , b a c k c o n d i t i o n . l k u n r e s t r i c t e d f o r 1 -2 b l o c k s , b u t a l s o t a k e s c e w i t h c l i m b i n g m o r e t h a n 5 s t a i r s ; n e e d s r i c t e d t o l i f t i n g s m a l l l o a d s ; a n d , n e e d s h e l p w i t h l b s . t o t h e w a i s t . T h e d o c t o r a d d e d t h a t t h e p p e d a i d s f o r h i s h o m e . H o w e v e r , t h e d o c t o r a l s o p h y s i c a l a s p e c t s o f p e r s o n a l c a r e , s h o p p i n g d t h a t t h e A p p e l l a n t i s a b l e t o c a r e f o r h i m s e l f e n c e i s c o n s i d e r e d , t h e P a n e l f i n d s t h a t t h e l i m i t a t i o n s a r e i n k e e p i n g w i t h a m o d e r a t e d e g r e e p a i r m e n t . t h a t e m p l o y a b i l i t y i s n o t a c r i t e r i o n f o r d e t e r m i n i n g E A P W D A n o r i s i t l i s t e d a m o n g t h e p r e s c r i b e d p h y s i c a l , h e h a s t o l i e d o w n f o r m o s t o f t h e d a y m h i s b o a r d e r a n d h i s s o n w i t h t h i n g s l i k e o rt e d t h a t t h e A p p e l l a n t p e r f o r m s t h e m a j o r i t y o f h e l p f o r h e a v i e r l i f t i n g , t h e i n f o r m a t i o n f r o m t h e p e l l a n t ' s i m p a i r m e n t s i g n i f i c a n t l y r e s t r i c t s d a i l y r e x t e n d e d p e r i o d s .
�APPEAL# The Panel's Findings Section 2(2)(b) of the EAPWDA requires that a prescribed professional provide an opinion that the Appellant's severe mental or physical impairment directly and significantly restricts his daily living activities, continuously or periodically for extended periods. Daily living activities are defined in section 2(1) of the EAPWDR, and are listed in the physician's and assessor's reports. The prescribed professional in this case, the Appellant's doctor, noted that for some activities, such as carrying and lifting, getting in/out of a vehicle, and bending to the floor, the Appellant needs periodic assistance. The doctor did not provide details about the frequency or extent of the help needed. He only wrote that the Appellant needs family assistance for home care, laundry, meal preparation and cleaning. This is consistent with the information provided by the Appellant. The doctor also reported that the Appellant independently manages all areas of personal care, shopping (except for carrying purchases home), meal preparation and social functioning. In addition, the doctor wrote that the Appellant is able to care for himself without assistance. Therefore, based on the information from the doctor, the Panel finds that the Ministry reasonably determined that the evidence did not establish that the Appellant's impairment directly and significantly restricts his daily living activities either continuously or periodically for extended periods. Help with Daily Living Activities The Appellant submitted that he relies on help from his boarder and his son for cooking, laundry and vacuuming. Also, his doctor has noted that he may need a cane and bathroom aides. The Ministry noted that a cane may be required as well as aides for the bathroom. However, the Ministry's position is that, because the evidence does not establish that daily living activities are significantly restricted, it cannot determine that significant help is required from other persons. The Panel's Findings Section 2(2)(b)(ii) of the EAPWDA also requires the opinion of a prescribed professional confirming that because of direct and significant restrictions in his ability to manage daily living activities, the Appellant requires help with those activities. Help in relation to a daily living activity is defined in section 3 of the EAPWDA as an assistive device, the significant help or supervision of another person or the services of an assistance animal. The doctor reported that the Appellant needs only periodic assistance with basic housekeeping and family help for laundry, meal preparation and cleaning. However, the doctor also wrote that the Appellant is able to care for himself without assistance. As for assistive devices, the doctor reported that the Appellant may need a cane for support and the house needs handicapped aids in place. Based on this evidence from the doctor and because the Ministry reasonably determined that the evidence does not establish that daily living activities are directly and significantly restricted either continuously or periodically for extended periods, the Panel finds that the Ministry reasonably concluded that the requirements in section 2(2)(b)(ii) of the EAPWDA were not met. Conclusion Having reviewed and considered all of the evidence and the relevant legislation, the Panel finds that the Ministry's reconsideration decision, which determined that the Appellant was not eligible for PWD desiqnation, was reasonably suooorted by the evidence. Therefore the Panel confirms that decision. EMT003(10/06/01)
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.