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ESA50 & corresponding descriptor

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12 years 9 months ago #58260 by Goplacidly
ESA50 & corresponding descriptor was created by Goplacidly
Hello all. This is my first post!

After looking at the ESA50 form and the comparing the corresponding descriptor I observed something interesting.

The ESA50 states that the section is about visual problems however, when I read through the descriptor it mentions nothing about visual problems (the only clue is a reference to a guide dog) just sensory impairment which not only covers visual problems but also all the other senses, hearing, taste, balance etc.
As I understand it the descriptor has the last say. Or does it?

Phew!!

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12 years 9 months ago #58263 by Gordon
Replied by Gordon on topic Re:ESA50 & corresponding descriptor
Goplacidly

Welcome to the forums.

I assume you are referring to question 8, Getting Around Safely, on the latest ESA50.

Whilst the descriptor does indeed refer to sensory impairment the primary intention is with regard to sight.

That said, you do raise an interesting point, for example;

(b) Cannot safely complete a potentially hazardous task such as crossing the road, without being accompanied by another person, due to sensory impairment. 15
points

If you were suffering from congenital analgesia and unable to feel pain then a hazardous task could be cooking a meal!

I'll see if the other moderators have an opinion.

Gordon

Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems

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12 years 9 months ago #58339 by Goplacidly
Replied by Goplacidly on topic Re:ESA50 & corresponding descriptor
Thank you Gordon for your prompt reply and yes, your example demonstrates this very well.


It will be interesting to see what the other administrators' opinion is on this.

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12 years 9 months ago #58349 by Gordon
Replied by Gordon on topic Re:ESA50 & corresponding descriptor
Goplacidly wrote:

Thank you Gordon for your prompt reply and yes, your example demonstrates this very well.

It will be interesting to see what the other administrators' opinion is on this.

THe general view appears to be a cautious yes.

The intention of this descriptor is clearly to evaluate a persons vision, particularly when not in the home.

However, there is clearly nowhere else on the form that the above example could be used, but it is undoubtedly going to require argument to be accepted.

The example I used was a fairly obvious one, I couldn't think of any that would apply as well for taste or smell, and of course hearing is covered under question 7.

Hope this helps

Gordon

Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems

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12 years 9 months ago #58377 by penthesili
Replied by penthesili on topic Re:ESA50 & corresponding descriptor
Gordon, would sensory impairment also include visual disturbance. As my neurological condition deteriorates I've been getting a lot of visual disturbance similar to the sight problems associated with severe migraine headaches. For example, the ground literally seem to be undulating and things look like they're falling into a hole. Would that kind of experience come under that heading?
Cheers, Pen.

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12 years 9 months ago #58388 by Gordon
Replied by Gordon on topic Re:ESA50 & corresponding descriptor
penthesilie

As with all these questions I don't think there is definitive answer.

You would need to think about how often you experience these episodes and how long each one lasts. How much are you incapacitated as a result, taking crossing a road as an example, would you still be able to do this while affected?

Are you able to provide medical evidence to support your statements, have you been specifically treated for this, is this sympton normally associated with your other conditions.

Remember, this question is normally used to test the level of blindness someone suffers from, the more that it is "dragged" away from the norm, the less likely is an argument to be successful.

Gordon

Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems

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