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Descriptor. 13. Awareness of hazards
I have a client who once left a pan on the gas cooker which resulted in a serious fire in his home.
The decriptor focus’ on the lack of awareness being on a daily basis; but are there any decisions that suggest that if the potential harm is of a serious nature the occurance does not necessarily have to be on regular basis?
13. Awareness of hazard. 13 (a) Reduced awareness of the risks of everyday hazards (such as boiling water or sharp objects) would lead to daily instances of or to near-avoidance of:
(i) injury to self or others; or
(ii) significant damage to property or possessions,
to such an extent that overall day to day life cannot successfully be managed.
Oh come on. Once can happen to almost anybody. We’ve all burnt pans and it was just lucky they weren’t chip pans. Well I have anyway, usually because I was doing a crossword or reading my e-mails. Same like anybody can fall over, but that isn’t for medical reasons, it’s because you’re not looking where you’re going or the pavement is uneven or your shoes have got slippery soles.
The question is why it happened, and whether it is indicative of a general tendency to overlook hazards, or any kind of memory or cognitive problem, or say alcohol or drug misuse. Have there been any other incidents that put the client in danger?
I once burnt two pizza’s one after another.
Can I have the points?
There’s a King Alfred joke in there somewhere.
*shock* I’ve left food cooking too long too! And, worse, I have put food on to cook and forgotten to turn on the oven / hob. Surely the latter presents an even greater menace through the risk of consuming uncooked food and food poisoning? I’m a goner. Higher rate care for me.
Was scraping the points barrel for a client with a bit of a heart problem who was coming up to a PCA appeal for IB. Getting more desperate, he suddenly told me he had a sight problem. So, said I, try this descriptor: ‘Cannot see well enough to read 16 point print at a distance greater than 20 centimetres’. I pointed out what 20cm was. Client looked at text on the wall. That’s me says client. Yippee thinks I, but then, and hardly pausing for breath, he uttered the magical words ‘but if I put my glasses on I’m fine’....
Nothing to do with hazards particularly but my brain is slowly turning to mush. I find myself regularly reaching to turn the bathroom light on as I’m coming out of it. One hour ago I got a drink of water from the water cooler. After taking a mouthful I threw the rest in the bin and threw the cup in the sink.
I once burnt two pizza’s one after another.
Can I have the points?
Certainly John. You’ll get about 30. Clubcard points. Enough for a Value Swiss Roll if you’re still a bit peckish.
I have never burnt any food when I’ve been cooking, but I now wonder if this is proof of debilitating OCD, which would surely attract some benefits or other.
I have never burnt any food when I’ve been cooking, but I now wonder if this is proof of debilitating OCD, which would surely attract some benefits or other.
You may not have burnt food but that’s because microwave ovens come with timers.
Ding.
...The decriptor focus’ on the lack of awareness being on a daily basis; but are there any decisions that suggest that if the potential harm is of a serious nature the occurance does not necessarily have to be on regular basis?
.
You’re referring of course to the pre 28/3/11 version of the descriptor. The post 28/3 descriptor appears more generous. 12(c) in particular, which provides:
“(c) Reduced awareness of everyday hazards leads to a significant risk of:
(i) injury to self or others; or
(ii) damage to property or possessions such that they occasionally require supervision to maintain safety. “
The concise Oxford defines “occasionally” as happening irregularly and infrequently. So more than once would almost certainly be necessary, but it seems like the old sometimes descriptor may have made a welcome return. Kevin’s culinary exploits might get him 6 points.
I suppose just using chip pans regularly even if we never burn them certainly shows a reduced awareness of cholesterol if that’s not a hazard in itself.