The patient is dependent on others. She can take care of daily activities, but cannot go out alone or arrange her own transportation.

Therefore she falls in the SEVERE DISABILITY category.

E. Upper Severe:

Care: Does not require someone to be around at home most of the time (for at least eight hours during the day, if necessary)

Travel: Unable to travel locally without assistance

Shopping: Unable to shop without assistance

Case Study 1: Lower Severe Disability

F. Lower Severe:

Care: Requires frequent help of someone to be around at home most of the time

As she requires someone to be around most of the time, and cannot be left alone for more than a couple of hours she should be rated as LOWER SEVERE.

Additional Considerations:

When there is a discrepancy between what the patient says and what the family says, there is a need to dig deeper

Case Study 1: Lower Severe Disability

Additional Considerations (Cont.)

Sometimes the family members may be over-protective and depict a patient as more dependent than they really are.

Other times the patient may be over-confident about their abilities.

In this case the patient cannot provide her address but claims she can go out alone

Case Study 1: Lower Severe Disability