Tips on personal section of ODSP application?

[Xoobee]

I have the forms for ODSP. My doctor has filled out her section and
I'm going to pick that up today and then drop it off to my OW worker.
I will get copies of everything.
I have not yet filled out my section. Does anyone have tips on how to
do this thoroughly. I know my own disability pretty well but am not
sure how to not miss anything I should include...
Thanx. :)

[Gregg McGivern]

I don''t even think they read the stuff the first time around.  I use to be a proposal writer for awhile so mine is pretty good. u could use it as a template. I will find it and post it later this week as I am not on my home computer right now. Do not discourage when u get turned down the first time like I have. My pain specialist says first time they turn down everyone. 

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From: Xoobee <xoo...@gmail.com>
To: ODSP Fireside <odspfi...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Tue, August 10, 2010 10:51:50 AM
Subject: [odspfireside: 30475 ] Tips on personal section of ODSP application?

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[Dave M]

I suggest providing real life examples of how your disability affects your life , specifically; 

for me, my pains cause me to not want to leave my home some days because i associate getting dressed with pain strong enough to make me sweat - and my anxiety levels are off the chart just thinking of getting dressed or needing to walk for long distances ..

Be specific so they know precisely how you are. 

[abrowne]

Xoobee,
I often sit with my clients after they received their doctor's
portion of the form and provide assistance and ideas for their
self-report.  I always recommend people fill out the self-report.
Ideas:
Talk about your disability and what it means to you.  If it is
pain, talk about what this pain keeps you from doing.  Many
chronic pain sufferers have trouble sleeping, trouble walking
or bending or reaching, and many feel the pain creates stress
and anxiety.  Describe how you feel when the pain increases.
Talk about attempts you have made to make the pain go away,
but have been unsuccessful.  Do you take medications for the
pain?  If so, what kinds of medications and do these medications
help, or do they have side effects of their own?  Many anti-
inflammatories have led to bleeding, for example, and opiates
can make it difficult for some people to drive, concentrate or
work in a steady job.

If your problem is mental health, describe how you feel on a bad
day.  Give them a picture of your worst day.  What do you think
about?  What do you worry about?  How has this problem affected
you in various situations, such as perhaps, missing important family
engagements (e.g. missed my brother's wedding this year because
I was overcome with anxiety and could not leave my house),
affected your work (e.g. I tried to work in three different jobs in
the past year, but after a few days of working even on a part-
time basis, I become anxious, afraid and need to get out, go
home ... I found myself often in tears at my job, even if there
was no legitimate reason for it), and in relationships (e.g. lost
my wife of eighteen years after my health began to fail, could
never communicate with her, and felt alone even with others
around me).  Again talk about your attempts to change things,
e.g. "I see Dr. __________ every month and take the following
medications, but even with the medications, I cannot concentrate
for long and many times, I feel so afraid, I will not leave my
house for several days".

I hope this helps.
Angela

---

From: Xoobee <xoo...@gmail.com>
To: ODSP Fireside <odspfi...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Tue, August 10, 2010 10:51:50 AM
Subject: [odspfireside: 30475 ] Tips on personal section of ODSP application?

[Lorene]

I have a hearing disability. When I filled out the ODSP forms 10 years
ago, I typed a one letter page about my hearing disability and what it
does to affect my life as hearing/hard of hearing or deaf person in my
everyday actitivities. I included my doctor's form and my
audiologist's form along with my hearing test paperwork. I even had
help from The Canadian Hearing Society who told me what to say and
what to put down. Thank god for their help. I photocopied everything
to keep as my record. I mailed it using the courier service, so it
does not get lost or shuffled somewhere in the ODSP building in
Toronto. A week later I got a letter from ODSP acknowledging they got
my package. Two months later, I got another letter stating I was
accepted on ODSP.

Angela is right. Describe your disability/pain/mental health, etc on
the form and what it does and how it affects you every day.

Lorene

[iduff Gwinnutt]

put down ALL your health problems

--- On Tue, 8/10/10, Xoobee <xoo...@gmail.com> wrote:

  I know my own disability pretty
> well but am not sure how to not miss anything I should include...
>
>

[bastetschylde]

You've been given some great advice here; coming from someone who had
her application approved the first time. To help you further, also
take a look at the bulleted list of areas of impact (i.e., how it
affects you in the community, recreation, work, etc.) and use that as
a template. You could brainstorm how your disability(ies) affect you
according to each of those.

I experience profound hearing impairment, social anxiety disorder, and
major depression - and sometimes they are connected with another. I
talked about how exhausting it is trying to catch up with everything
people say, about how it's a struggle to go outside especially if
there's social interaction to be had and that at my worst, I will have
puking episodes that have been described as panic attacks, and how
depression affects my motivation severely to the point where doing
something as simple as doing dishes is perceived as overwhelming (and
that becomes a vicious cycle because clean house = clarity of mind).
These are just one of several examples I provided for them. I also
talked about repeatedly trying treatment and medication, but that I
may be disciplined enough on pill-taking for a few months before I
slip again and have to repeat the process. Other things described in
detail included... missing school and repeating classes due to severe
anxiety and depression episodes, slow job-searching process, affecting
relationships with others, etc.

Good luck, :).