The government denied my client's application for a new powerchair. Their reasoning? Her bedroom is on the upper level of her house, making it "not properly wheelchair accessible". Thing is, she literally only uses her room when she's sleeping -- the rest of the time she's in the house she's on the main level, which is 100% accessible. There are ramps for both doors, everything is nice and open, and she has access to the kitchen, living room and bathroom with no obstacles. The fact that she's not going to use the chair for one task (traveling to her room at night) doesn't really mean dick when she'll be using it the rest of the day. They haven't even bothered to come out and see her house, either; they just read that her room is on the upper level of her home in her application, and decided that this meant her home isn't good enough for a powerchair.
Here's the thing: Finding a place that's 100% accessible, in a location that works for her family and affordable is extremely difficult in this city. They were extremely lucky to find the house they're living in right now. If the government is so stuck on her being able to use the chair when going to bed at night, they can damn well subsidize her family in adding an elevator to the upper levels (since her stairway can't handle a lift). This family can't afford to rush off and buy a new place.
They also had the nerve to say that they only handle "highest need" cases. She falls well within this category. She hasn't been able to operate the joystick on her current chair for over two years because of muscle deterioration, meaning that she's been unable to move anywhere independently. As a result, she can't leave her home unless someone pushes her in a chair, something that makes going out in public humiliating for her and forced her to remain housebound the majority of the time. Having a chair she can actually operate would allow her to go places and live life with some semblance of normality. Kind of important for a 20-year-old, no?
She's appealing the decision, but the fact that they denied her in the first place really pisses me off. If anyone needs a new chair, it's her.