Home visit assessment exercises??

I have my home visit pip assessment monday. I am scared to death. I am recovering from a big operation on my shoulder. It is completely packed and bandaged and strapped up to my chest - so no mobility at all. This means i won't be able to do any exercises if they asked. I am drugged up on painkillers too, so not really mobile. Will this lose me points or go against me? Thanks

Hello em

I think the thing to remember about the home assessment is that the assessor can not ask you to do anything that you can't manage without causing yourself pain.

S/he will be able to see that you have no mobility in your shoulder joint, so for you to say that you can't manage to do anything with it has to be accepted. Make sure, if you can that you have someone with you to speak for you if you feel unable to cope - obviously if you are on heavy doses of painkillers you need someone there for your safety as well as anything else.

Remind yourself of what you put on your application form, if you can, so that you are ready for any questions you might be asked.

I can't really see how the fact that you are so obviously immobile can go against you in any way; just be careful to explain that you are not ABLE to do things, not that you are REFUSING to do them.

I hope the assessment goes well for you, and that you feel much better very soon.

I realise all assessments are different but I was also assessed after major surgery when I first applied for DLA and they were more interested in how long my condition would last and if I would improve. The Consultants report stated it would be 2 years before they knew how much I would recover and I was awarded Higher Rate Care & Mobility for 2 years. After 2 years they just asked for an update from the Consultant.
It was a very short assessment. Good luck on Monday. I have one on Monday too for the DLA to PIP switch so hopefully both will go well.