APPEAL# I PART C-Decision under Appeal The decision under appeal is the Ministry of Social Development and Social Innovation (the "ministry") reconsideration decision of November 5, 2014, which found that the appellant did not meet three of five statutory requirements of section 2 of the Employment and Assistance for Persons With Disabilities Act ("EAPWDA") for designation as a person with disabilities ("PWD"). The ministry found that the appellant met the age requirement and that in the opinion of a medical practitioner the appellant's impairment is likely to continue f o r at least two years. However, the ministry was not satisfied that: • the evidence establishes that the appellant has a severe physical or mental impairment; • the appellant's daily living activities ("DLA") are, 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, the appellant requires the significant help or supervision of another person, an assistive device, or the services of an assistance animal. PART 0-Relevant Legislation EAPWDA, section 2 Employment and Assistance for Persons with Disabilities Regulation ("EAPWDR"), section 2 EAAT 003(10/06/01)
P A R T E S u m m a o f F a c t s T h e a p p e l l a n t d i d n o t a t t e n d t h e a p p e a l h e a r i n g . H t h e p a n e l p r o c e e d e d w i t h t h e h e a r i n g i n a c c o r d a n c A s s i s t a n c e R e g u l a t i o n . T h e i n f o r m a t i o n 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 r e • T h e a p p e l l a n t ' s P W D a p p l i c a t i o n f o r m c o n s i s 2 0 1 4 ; a p h y s i c i a n ' s r e p o r t ( " P R " ) c o m p l e t e d " p h y s i c i a n " ) o n J u n e 1 0 , 2 0 1 4 ; a n d a n a s s e s J u n e 1 7 , 2 0 1 4 . • T h e 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 s u b m i s s i o n d a t e d O c t o b e r 2 8 , 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 ' s p h y s i c i a n ( w h o h a d t h e a p p e l l a n t 1 1 o r m o r e t i m e s ) d i a g n o s e d h P h y s i c a l I m p a i r m e n t • I n t h e P R t h e p h y s i c i a n d e s c r i b e d t h e a p p e l l f r o m w o r k i n g / s i t t i n g / w a l k i n g a t t i m e s . H a s b • T h e p h y s i c i a n a l s o c o m m e n t e d " T r e a t m e n t t p h y s i o t h e r a p y / m a s s a g e t h e r a p y . " • I n t e r m s o f p h y s i c a l f u n c t i o n i n g t h e p h y s i c i a n u n a i d e d o n a f l a t s u r f a c e , h i s s t a i r c l i m b i n g a p o u n d s , a n d h e c a n r e m a i n s e a t e d f o r o n e t o • I n t h e A R t h e p h y s i c i a n i n d i c a t e d t h a t t h e a p m o b i l i t y a n d p h y s i c a l a b i l i t y i n c l u d i n g w a l k i n g l i f t i n g , a n d c a r r y i n g / h o l d 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 h e " s t a n d i n g / s i t t i n g t o o m u c h , m o r n i n g s a r e d i f f i b a c k p a i n c a u s e d m o r p h i n e a d d i c t i o n , a n d t h I n h i s r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n s u b m i s s i o n t h e a p p e l l a n t w r o • H e r e q u i r e s a s s i s t a n c e a s h e c a n n o t p a y fo r h i s b a c k p a i n a n d o p i o i d d e p e n d e n c y . • W i t h o u t t h e p a i n m e d i c a t i o n h e w i l l b e u n a b l e s u b s t a n c e u s e . • H e i s r e q u e s t i n g h e l p w i t h p a y i n g f o r h i s p a i n o f s o c i e t y . M e n t a l I m p a i r m e n t • I n t h e P R t h e p h y s i c i a n r e p o r t e d t h a t t h e a p p i n t h e A R h e n o t e d t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s s p e a k w r i t i n a r e p o o r . EAA T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 1 )A P P E A L # I a v i n g 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 w a s n o t i f i e d , e w i t h s e c t i o n 8 6 ( b ) o f t h e E m p l o y m e n t a n d c o n s i d e r a t i o n i n c l u d e d t h e f o l l o w i n g : t i n g o f t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s s e l f r e p o r t d a t e d J u n e 1 0 , b y t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s g e n e r a l p r a c t i t i o n e r ( t h e s o r ' s r e p o r t ( " A R " ) c o m p l e t e d b y t h e p h y s i c i a n o n f o r m w i t h a b r i e f h a n d w r i t t e n r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n k n o w n t h e a p p e l l a n t f o r s i x m o n t h s a n d h a d s e e n i m w i t h m u s c u l o s k e l e t a l s y s t e m b a c k p a i n . a n t ' s h e a l t h h i s t o r y a s " B a c k p a i n s t o p s [ a p p e l l a n t ] a c k p a i n m o s t d a y s . M e d i c a t i o n h e l p s . " h a t c o u l d h e l p w o u l d i n c l u d e r e p o r t e d t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t c a n w a l k 4 + b l o c k s b i l i t y i s u n k n o w n , h i s l i f t i n g c a p a c i t y i s 1 5 t o 3 5 t w o h o u r s . 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 a l l a s p e c t s o f i n d o o r s a n d o u t d o o r s , c l i m b i n g s t a i r s , s t a n d i n g , s u f f e r s f r o m l o w b a c k p a i n , c o m m e n t i n g c u l t , p a i n u p l e g s f r o m s t a i r s . " H e w r o t e t h a t h i s a t h i s c u r r e n t p a i n m e d i c a t i o n i s h e l p i n g . t e t h a t : h i s p a i n m e d i c a t i o n , w h i c h i s c r u c i a l f o r t r e a t i n g t o w o r k a n d m a y f e e l h e h a s t o r e t u r n t o i l l i c i t m e d i c a t i o n s o h e c a n b e a f u n c t i o n i n g m e m b e r e l l a n t h a s n o d i f f i c u l t i e s w i t h c o m m u n i c a t i o n , a n d i n g a n d h e a r i n g a r e g o o d b u t t h a t h i s r e a d i n g a n d
• I n t h e P R t h e p h y s i c i a n i n d i c a t e d t h a t t h e a p c a t e g o r i e s o f 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 c o n c e n t r a t i o n , c o m m e n t i n g " H a s a n x i e t y & d • I n t h e A R t h e p h y s i c i a n i n d i c a t e d t h a t t h e a p 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 . D LA • I n t h e P R t h e p h y s i c i a n i n d i c a t e d t h a t t h e a p 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 b i l i t y t o p e r [ a p p e l l a n t ] h a s a h a r d t i m e m o v i n g a r o u n d . " • I n t h e P R t h e p h y s i c i a n i n d i c a t e d t h a t t h e a p a b i l i t y t o p e r f o r m t h e D L A o f m e a l p r e p a r a t i o u s e o f t r a n s p o r t a t i o n , m a n a g e m e n t o f fi n a n c e a p p e l l a n t i s p e r i o d i c a l l y r e s t r i c t e d i n t h e D L A m o b i l i t y i n d o o r s a n d o u t d o o r s . H e d e s c r i b e d p a i n " a n d c o m m e n t e d " W h e n b a c k p a i n i s a c • I n t h e A R t h e p h y s i c i a n i n d i c a t e d t h a t t h e a p p a l l D L A , e x c e p t t h a t h e r e q u i r e s p e r i o d i c a s s i a s p e c t o f m a n a g e m e n t o f p e r s o n a l fi n a n c e s . H e l p • I n t h e P R a n d A R t h e p h y s i c i a n r e p o r t e d t h a t a i d s f o r h i s i m p a i r m e n t , a n d i n r e s p o n s e t o t h n e e d w i t h [ D LA ] ? " t h e p h y s i c i a n w r o t e " M e d i c • I n t h e A R t h e p h y s i c i a n i n d i c a t e d t h a t t h e a p p t h a t h e d o e s n o t h a v e a n a s s i s t a n c e a n i m a l . O n a p p e a l n e i t h e r p a r t y p r o v i d e d a n y a d d i t i o n a l i n f o EAA T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 1 )A P P E A L # I p e l l a n t h a s s i g n i f i c a n t d e f i c i t s i n t w o o f t w e l v e n : e m o t i o n a l d i s t u r b a n c e a n d a t t e n t i o n / s u s t a i n e d i f f i c u l t y c o n c e n t r a t i n g . " p e l l a n t ' s i m p a i r m e n t h a s n o i m p a c t o n h i s 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 m e d i c a t i o n o r f o r m D L A , a n d c o m m e n t e d " W h e n b a c k i s s o r e p e l l a n t ' s i m p a i r m e n t d o e s n o t d i r e c t l y r e s t r i c t h i s n , m a n a g e m e n t o f m e d i c a t i o n s , d a i l y s h o p p i n g , s , a n d s o c i a l f u n c t i o n i n g . H e r e p o r t e d t h a t t h e o f p e r s o n a l s e l f c a r e , b a s i c h o u s e w o rk , a n d t h e t e r m " p e r i o d i c " a s m e a n i n g " p e r i o d i c b a c k t i n g u p c a n n o t d o a n y t h i n g . " 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 a l l t a s k s r e l a t e d t o s t a n c e f r o m a n o t h e r p e r s o n w i t h t h e b u d g e t i n g t h e a p p e l l a n t d o e s n o t r e q u i r e a n y p r o s t h e s e s o r e q u e s t i o n " W h a t a s s i s t a n c e d o e s y o u r p a t i e n t a t i o n h e l p s . " e l l a n t r e c e i v e s h e l p w i t h D LA f r o m f a m i l y a n d r m a t i o n .
P ART F -R easo ns f or P anel Deci si on T h e issue on t his a pp e a l is wh et her th e m inistry ' s deci PWD was r e ason ably s uppor t ed by t he ev i den ce or was a rea enactment in the cir cumstance s of the ap pellant. In pa determi n i n g t hat the ap pell a nt does no t have a s ev ere physical or me o pin ion of a p r e sc r i be d pr of essional th e ap pel la nt's re strict him f rom pe rforming D LA eith er con ti n uou sly o a result of those rest rict ion s th e appel lant doe s n ot Th e relev a nt leg isl at ion i s a s f o l lows: EAPWDA: 2 (1) In this s ectio n : "as sistive device" means a device desig n a cti vi t y th at, be c ause o f a severe mental perfo rm; "daily living act i vity" h a s th e p r es "pr es c r ibed pr ofessional" has t he p (2 ) T he min i ster ma y design a te a person dis abilities for t he purp oses o f t his Act if the ministe m enta l or ph ysica l im pairmen t that (a) in t h e o pini o n of a medical y ears , and ( b) in t h e opin ion o f a prescr (i) dire c tl y and s ignific living a ct iv it ies eit her (A) c onti n uousl (B) perio d ical ly (ii) as a result of those restrictions, the person those activ i ties. (3) For the purposes of su bsection (2), (a) a person who has a severe mental imp mental disorder, and (b ) a person requires help in relation to a daily living activity if, in order to perform it, th e person requires (i) an assistive device, (ii) the signifi cant help or supervis (iii) the services of an assistan EAAT 003(10/06/01) APP EAL# I sion t o d e ny t he a p pell a nt designati on as a sonabl e applic ation o f th e ap plicabl e rticul ar, wa s th e m inis try reaso n a ble in n t al im pairme nt, and tha t in t he i mpair me nts d o not d i rec tly and si g nific an t ly r per i odic ally f o r ex tended pe r io ds, an d tha t as re quire hel p to perform D LA. ed t o e nabl e a person t o perf o rm a d aily l iving or phy sica l impairment, the perso n is unable to cribed mea ni ng; rescrib ed meaning. who ha s re ached 18 yea r s of age as a pe r son with r is satisfied that the per son has a sev er e practi tioner i s likely to continue fo r at least 2 i b ed prof e s sional antl y res trict s th e person 's a bi lity to perfo r m da i ly y, or for e xtended p e riods, a nd requires help to perform airment in c l u des a p e rson with a i on of another per s on, or ce animal.
E A P W D R s e c t i o n 2 ( 1 ) : 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 ( a ) i n r e l a t i o n t o a p e r s o n m e n t a l i m p a i r m e n t , m e a n ( i ) p r e p a r e o w n m ( i i ) m a n a g e p e r s o n ( i i i ) s h o p f o r p e r s o ( i v ) u s e p u b l i c o r p ( 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 ( v i ) m o v e a b o u t i n ( v i i ) p e r f o r m p e r s o ( v i i i ) m a n a g e p e r s ( b ) i n r e l a t i o n t o a p e r s o n f o l l o w i n g a c t i v i t i e s : ( i ) m a k e d e c i s i o n s ( i i ) r e l a t e t o , c o m m ( 2 ) F o r t h e p u r p o s e s o f t h e A c t , " p r e s c r ( a ) a u t h o r i z e d u n d e r a n e ( i ) m e d i c a l p r a c t i t ( i i ) r e g i s t e r e d p s y ( i i i ) r e g i s t e r e d n u ( i v ) o c c u p a t i o n a l ( v ) p h y s i c a l t h e r a ( v i ) s o c i a l w o r k e r ( v i i ) c h i r o p r a c t o r , ( v i i i ) n u r s e p r a c t i t ( b ) a c t i n g i n t h e c o u r s e o b y ( i ) a n a u t h o r i t y , a I n d e p e n d e n t S c h o ( i i ) a b o a r d o r a f r d e f i n e d i n s e c t i o n i f q u a l i f i c a t i o n s i n p s y c h o l o g y a r e a c o n d i t * 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 p o s i t i o n , a s e x p r e s s e d i n h i s N o t i c e i s s u e s c o n s t i t u t e s 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 . H o r t h o t i c s a n d a p o d i a t r i s t , a n d h e m i s s e d a l o t o f w o h e n e e d s h e l p t o p a y f o r h i s p a i n m e d i c a t i o n . H e a l r e s c r i t i o n , h e w i l l h a v e t o s t o w o r k i n a n d " o o n EAA T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 1 )A P P E A L # I e g u l a 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 " , w h o h a s 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 o r a s e v e r e s t h e f o l l o w i n g a c t i v i t i e s : e a l s ; a l f i n a n c e s ; n a l n e e d s ; 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 ; 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 y c o n d i t i o n ; d o o r s a n d o u t d o o r s ; n a l h y g i e n e a n d s e l f c a r e ; o n a l m e d i c a t i o n , a n d 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 n c l u d e s t h e 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 f i n a n c e s ; u n i c a t e o r i n t e r a c t w i t h o t h e r s e f f e c t i v e l y . i b e d p r o f e s s i o n a l " m e a n s a p e r s o n w h o i s n a c t m e n t t o p r a c t i s e t h e p r o f e s s i o n o f i o n e r , c h o l o g i s t , r s e o r r e g i s t e r e d p s y c h i a t r i c n u r s e , t h e r a p i s t , p i s t , , o r i o n e r , o r f t h e p e r s o n ' s e m p l o y m e n t a s a s c h o o l p s y c h o l o g i s t s t h a t t e r m i s d e f i n e d i n s e c t i o n 1 ( 1 ) o f t h e o l A c t , o r a n c o p h o n e e d u c a t i o n a u t h o r i t y , a s t h o s e t e r m s a r e 1 ( 1 ) o f t h e S c h o o l A c t , i o n o f s u c h e m p l o y m e n t . * * * * * * o f A p p e a l , i s t h a t h i s b a c k p a i n a l o n g w i t h f o o t e a r g u e d t h a t h e h a s r e c e n t l y h a d t o p a y f o r r k t r y i n g t o f i n d o u t w h a t i s w r o n g w i t h h i s f e e t s o s o a r g u e d t h a t i f h e c a n ' t g e t s u p p o r t w i t h h i s a s s i s t a n c e . "
T h e m i n i s t r y ' s p o s i t i o n , a s s e t o u t i n t h e r e c o n s i d e r a t o e s t a b l i s h 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 . I t a r g u e 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 m o b i l i t y a n d p h y s i c a l a P a n e l D e c i s i o n A d i a g n o s i s o f a s e r i o u s m e d i c a l c o n d i t i o n d o e s n o t s e v e r e i m p a i r m e n t . A n " i m p a i r m e n t " i s a m e d i c a l c a b i l i t y t o f u n c t i o n i n d e p e n d e n t l y o r e f f e c t i v e l y . T o a s s e s s t h e s e v e r i t y o f a n i m p a i r m e n t o n e m u s t c e x t e n t o f i t s i m p a c t o n d a i l y f u n c t i o n i n g a s e v i d e n c e w h i c h p e r f o r m i n g D L A i s r e s t r i c t e d . A m e d i c a l b a r r i e m p l o y m e n t i s n o t a l e g i s l a t e d c r i t e r i o n f o r s e v e r i t y . d e t e r m i n a t i o n o f s e v e r i t y i s a t t h e d i s c r e t i o n o f t h e m H o w e v e r , t h e l e g i s l a t i o n i s a l s o c l e a r t h a t t h e f u n d a a p r e s c r i b e d p r o f e s s i o n a l i n t h i s c a s e , t h e a p p e l l a I n t e r m s o f p h y s i c a l f u n c t i o n a l s k i l l s , t h e p h y s i c i a n ' s a b i l i t i e s a t t h e m i d t o h i g h e n d o f t h e s c a l e e x c e p t f w i t h h i s o b s e r v a t i o n s i n t h e A R w h e r e t h e p h y s i c i a n m a n a g e s a l l a s p e c t s o f m o b i l i t y a n d p h y s i c a l a b i l i t y . T h e p a n e l n o t e s t h a t s e c t i o n 2 ( 2 ) o f t h e E A P W D A r d i a g n o s e d b y a m e d i c a l p r a c t i t i o n e r . T h e r e i s n o e v t h e f o o t p r o b l e m s m e n t i o n e d b y t h e a p p e l l a n t o r a n y f u n c t i o n i n g . S i m i l a r l y , t h e p h y s i c i a n d i d n o t d i a g n o s A s d i s c u s s e d i n m o r e d e t a i l i n t h e s u b s e q u e n t s e c t i R e s t r i c t i o n s t o D L A , a n y l i m i t a t i o n s r e s u l t i n g f r o m t t r a n s l a t e d i n t o 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 h i s a b i l i t y t o F o r t h e f o r e g o i n g r e a s o n s , t h e p a n e l h a s c o n c l u d e d e v i d e n c e f a l l s s h o r t o f e s t a b l i s h i n g t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n c o n t e m p l a t e d b y t h e l e g i s l a t i o n . 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 a p p e l l a n t a d v a n c e d n o a r g u m e n t w i t h r e s p e c t 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 h a s d e f i c i t s i n c o g n i t i v e a n d d i f f i c u l t y c o n c e n t r a t i n g . 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 t h e r e i s n o t e n o u g h e v T h e m i n i s t r y a r g u e d t h a t t h e p h y s i c i a n i n d i c a t e d m i n f u n c t i o n , a n d n o d i f f i c u l t i e s w i t h c o m m u n i c a t i o n . EAA T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 1 )I A P P E A L # t i o n d e c i s i o n , i s t h a t t h e r e i s n o t e n o u g h e v i d e n c e d t h a t t h e p h y s i c i a n 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 b i l i t y . i n i t s e l f d e t e r m i n e P W D e l i g i b i l i t y o r e s t a b l i s h a o n d i t i o n t h a t r e s u l t s i n r e s t r i c t i o n s t o a p e r s o n ' s o n s i d e r 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 t h e d b y f u n c t i o n a l s k i l l l i m i t a t i o n s a n d t h e d e g r e e t o e r t o t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s a b i l i t y t o e n g a g e i n p a i d T h e l e g i s l a t i o n m a k e s i t c l e a r t h a t t h e i n i s t e r , t a k i n g i n t o a c c o u n t a l l o f t h e e v i d e n c e . m e n t a l b a s i s f o r t h e a n a l y s i s i s t h e e v i d e n c e f r o m n t ' s p h y s i c i a n . o b s e r v a t i o n s i n t h e P R p u t t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s o r t h e a b i l i t y t o r e m a i n s e a t e d . T h i s i s c o n s i s t e n t 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 e q u i r e s 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 o b e i d e n c e f r o m a m e d i c a l p r a c t i t i o n e r w i t h r e s p e c t t o r e s t r i c t i o n s t h e y m a y i m p o s e o n t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s e o p i a t e a d d i c t i o n a s a n i m p a i r m e n t . o n o f t h i s d e c i s i o n u n d e r t h e h e a d i n g S i g n i f i c a n t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s i m p a i r m e n t d o n o t a p p e a r t o h a v e m a n a g e h i s D LA i n d e p e n d e n t l y . t h a t t h e 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 t h a s 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 a s o a m e n t a l i m p a i r m e n t , t h o u g h t h e p h y s i c i a n a n d e m o t i o n a l f u n c t i o n i n g i n t h e f o r m o f a n x i e t y i d e n c e t o e s t a b l i s h a s e v e r e m e n t a l i m p a i r m e n t . i m a l o r n o i m p a c t s t o c o g n i t i v e a n d e m o t i o n a l
Panel Decisi o n The evidenc e fr om the phy s i cian provi de s no diagnosis of indicated that the appella nt has sign ificant defi cits i n though in the mo re-de ta ile d d e s cr ipt i on i n the AR he indicated no impacts. ten ds to indica te th at the appella nt's a nxiety and e ff situa tiona l rather than the r es ult of a m e n tal disorder. Section 2(1 )(b) of the EAP WD R prescri bes two DLA th decisio ns ab out pe rsonal activitie s , care or fina nces inter act wi t h other s effe c tively (social functioning). The physic ian's evidence in d ic at es that the a ppellant decisio n making in that he indep endently ma nages the decision mak (meal planning), ma n age person a l medicati o n (fill ing/refilling (makin g app rop ri ate socia l d ec isio ns) a nd dail y shopping ph ysic ian in dicat ed that the app ella nt re quir es p erio man ag i ng p ers on al fina nces, but he has p rov i ded no ex e v i dence of w h a t sort of assi stance, if any, th e a ppe Th e evid enc e of th e p h ys ician in b oth the PR and AR indicates m a nages all asp ects of so c i a l functioning . Consi derin g that: • t h e re is no diagnosis from a med ical profes si • the ap pel la nt's a b i lity to com muni c at e is goo • t he ap pellant i s no t sig nif icantly r est ricte d in terms and • o n bala nce t h e e vi dence indicat es l i m it ed imp th e pa nel c oncl udes tha t t h e m inistry reason ably det me n tal i mpa irme n t . Significant Restrictions to DLA The appella nt's posit ion is that his back pain signif icantly argued that without financial assistance to purchase his pain medication he will have to stop working and "go on assistance." The ministry's position is that the evidence is not s ufficient impairment significantly restricts his ability to perform DLA either conti extended periods. The ministry argued that the evidence shows that the manages the majori ty of his DLA, and that there is no indication that it takes him significantly longer than typical to perform them. EAAT 003(10/06/01) A P PEAL# ! a mental impairment. In the PR he two ar eas of cogn itive and emotional function, The lac k of a diagno si s e c ts on con centrat io n are more l i ke l y t o be at are speci fic t o ment al impairment make ( decisi o n making), and re late t o, com municate or is not sig nificantly res t ric t ed wit h r espect to i n g aspects of meal pr eparation /taking a s d i rected) , social functioning (m akin g app ropr i ate choices.). The d ic assi stan ce with the bu dge ting asp e ct of planation of why this is so and t h e re is no l la nt receives with this task. th at the ap pellant indep endently ona l as to a m ental imp ai r ment, d other than p oor r ead ing an d w r i t i ng, o f deci s i on m aki ng and so c ial fu nct ioni ng, acts to c ogni t ive a nd e mo t i ona l functio nin g, ermi n e d that it does no t demon s tr a t e a se v ere restr icts his ability to perform DLA. He also to demonstrate t hat t he app e l lant's nuously or periodically for appellant independently
APPEAL# I Panel Decision The legislation -s. 2(2)(b )(i) of the EAPWDA -requires the minister to substantially assess direct and significant restrictions of DLA in consideration of the opinion of a prescribed professional, in this case the appellant's physician. This doesn't mean that other evidence shouldn't be factored in as required to provide clarification of the professional evidence, but the legislative language makes it clear that the prescribed professional's opinion is fundamental to the ministry's determination as to whether it is "satisfied". The legislation requires that a severe impairment directly and significantly restricts the appellant's ability to perform DLA either continuously or periodically for extended periods. The term "directly" means that there must be a causal link between the severe impairment and the restriction. The direct restriction must also be significant. Finally, there is a component related to time or duration. The direct and significant restriction may be either continuous or periodic. If it is periodic it must be for an extended time. Inherently, any analysis of periodicity must also include consideration of the frequency. All other things being equal, a restriction that only arises once a year is less likely to be significant than one which occurs several times a week. Accordingly, in circumstances where the evidence indicates that a restriction arises periodically, it is appropriate for the ministry to require evidence of the duration and frequency of the restriction in order to be "satisfied" that this legislative criterion is met. In the appellant's case the physician's evidence is consistent in the AR and PR that the appellant independently manages all aspects of the DLA of meal preparation, management of medications, daily shopping, use of transportation, and social functioning. Based on its analysis under the discussion of Severe Mental Impairment above, the panel has concluded that the appellant independently manages the DLA of decision making. There is no evidence of the types of restrictions experienced by the appellant with the DLA of basic housework, mobility indoors and outdoors, or the budgeting aspect of management of personal finances, and the physician has provided no information with respect to how frequently the periods of back pain occur that are sufficient to restrict the appellant's functioning. No evidence has been provided to the panel with respect to the types of assistance the appellant requires with these functions. There are references in the evidence to the impact the appellant's medical conditions have on his ability to work at paid employment. The panel notes that employability is not a statutory criterion regarding PWD designation -the focus of the legislation is on the ability to perform DLA. In the panel's view, paid employment generally requires a higher level of functionality than DLA. Based on the foregoing analysis, the panel concludes that the ministry reasonably determined that the evidence is insufficient to show on the balance of probabilities that the appellant's ability to perform his DLA is significantly restricted either continuously or periodically for extended periods. Help with DLA The appellant advanced no argument with respect to requiring assistance with DLA. EAAT 003(10/06/01)
APPEAL# I The ministry's position is that since it has not been established that the appellant's DLA are significantly restricted, it cannot be determined that significant help is required from other persons. The ministry argued that no assistive devices are required. Panel Decision A finding that a severe impairment directly and significantly restricts a person's ability to manage his DLA either continuously or periodically for an extended period is a precondition to a person requiring "help" as defined by section 2(3)(b) of the EAPWDA. For the reasons provided above, that precondition has not been satisfied on the balance of probabilities in this case. Accordingly, the panel finds that the ministry reasonably concluded it could not be determined that the appellant requires help with DLA as defined by section 2(3)(b) of the EAPWDA. Conclusion The panel acknowledges that the appellant's medical condition affects his ability to function. However, having reviewed and considered all of the evidence and the relevant legislation, the panel finds that the ministry's decision finding the appellant ineligible for PWD designation is a reasonable application of the legislation in the circumstances of the appellant. The panel theref o re confirms the ministry's decision. EAAT 003(10/06/01)
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