How Denmark treats handicapped people”

1. How Denmark treats handicapped people”

2. How Denmark treats handicapped people” • HELPER SYSTEM • PENSION • ADDITIONAL EXPENDITURES • ACCOMMODATION • HELPING DEVICES • MEANS OF TRANSPORT • REHABILITATION • OTHER

3. HELPER SYSTEM My name is Jens Dalsgaard-Jensen. I am 69 years old and have been married to Lilly for 43 years. We have three children and five grandchildren.

4. HELPER SYSTEM I have been diagnosed with ALS in nine years, but my ALS was slowly advanced. By the date of diagnosis the doctor set life expectancy at three years, but they were wrong in my case, which has meant that I have taking care of myself with the help from Lilly, as well as family and friends, but now my needs have increased, and I therefore seek the public sector for additional help in daily life.

5. HELPER SYSTEM The day I was diagnosed by with ALS Lilly and I went into a restaurant and got something good to eat and we talked about the diagnosis and agreed that now we have lived well for 60 years and that it was important to get most of the time together we had left. I was not sick, I just had ALS. We still have a wonderful life together with family and friends and we now plan for a further nine years.

6. HELPER SYSTEM The Danish public sector shall provide full financial assistance for the disabled to cover any need for assistance both in and outside the home. It appears clear to Arne and Jens and I would not have been able to participate here if we didn’t have paid helpers. Transportation to treatment, doctor visits, etc. you can get paid by the public sector.

7. HELPER SYSTEM Both Jens and Arne going a week to Poland and I two weeks in rehabilitation sanatorium and get the cost of helpers covered. Both Jens’s got their wives as assistants, who will then have a free holiday in Poland.

8. PENSION Early retirement pension in Denmark applies to persons between 18 and 65. As of 01-01-2010 Retirement Pension Yearly - Single € 26 056 (DKK 195,420) Retirement Pension Monthly - Single € 2 171 (DKK 16,285) If you are single, you may have additional income of up to € 8 867 (DKK 66 500) per year (2010), without affecting your retirement pension. Your retirement will be reduced with € 4 (DKK 30) down for every 13 € (DKK 100) your total income is higher than € 8 867 (DKK 66 500) (2010). You are not eligible for early retirement pension if your overall revenues are higher than € 95,720 (£ 717,900) (2010

9. PENSION Retirement Pension Yearly - Married € 22 147 (DKK 166,104) Retirement Pension Monthly - Married € 1 798 (DKK 13 842) Is your partner not retired, the public sector shall ignore the first € 22 147 (DKK 166 104) (2010), your partner earns. Then you can have a total additional income of up to € 14 067 (DKK 105 500) per year (2010) before it affects your pension. Your retirement will be reduced by 4 € (DKK 30) for every 13 € (DKK 100) your total income is higher than € 14 067 (DKK 105 500) (2010). This should be enough to live a good life assuming your wife has a good income and you will recover additional expenses related to his disability.

10. PENSION State pension start from 65 years Rates as of 01-01-2010 Pension for single basic rate per month € 727 (DKK 5 448) Pension for single extra rate per month with income below € 8 133 (DKK 61 300 / year) € 755 (DKK 5 658) Maximum income per month € 1 482 (DKK 11 106) Pension for married basic rate per month € 727 (DKK 5 448) Pension for married extra rate per month with income below €16 400 (DKK 123 000 / year) € 365 (DKK 2 735) Maximum income per month € 1 092 (DKK 8 183)

11. PENSION Here are the financial difficulties quite different. After 65 years stop any additional financial support, so you only have this pension available. The saying is that when you reach the age of 65 the public sector will announce you healed. There is not the same need of assistance, which is nice. One must of course hope the disabled person has a good private pension in addition.

12. ADDITIONAL EXPENDITURES In Denmark additional costs is covered for adults aged 18-65 years. The purpose to grant cover of additional expenses: Its purpose is to contribute to a person with permanently impaired physical or mental function and his family can live a normal life like other non-disabled people with same age and same life situation. Additional cost allowance to ensure that a person with permanently impaired physically or mentally disability to recover the additional costs required as a prerequisite for everyday work. The aim of grants for additional expenses generally is to enable the recipient to organize how his or her needs best can be met. Additional cost allowance must also ensure that persons with permanent disabilities which make a special effort to maintain a link to the labor market can remain on the job market.

13. ADDITIONAL EXPENDITURES The main rules: The local authority provides assistance to cover the documented necessary additional expenses at the daily life of people between 18 and 65 years with permanently impaired physical or mental disability when the additional cost is a consequence of reduced functional capacity and can not be covered under other legislation or other provisions of law on social services. With permanent disability means a prolonged illness, the consequences for the individual is the intrusive nature of everyday life which means that there must be deployed with significant remedial measures.

14. ADDITIONAL EXPENDITURES TABLE Monthly Rates as per Social Services Law §100. Estimated add. Expenses Additional allowance 500 – 1 749 DKK € 200 (DKK 1 500) 1 750 – 2 249 DKK € 267 (DKK 2 000) 2 250 – 2 749 DKK € 333 (DKK 2 500) 2 750 – 3 249 DKK € 400 (DKK 3 000) 3 250 – 3 749 DKK € 467 (DKK 3 500) Etc.. Etc.

15. ACCOMMODATION Danish public sector are required to the extent the disabled person has a need that cover the economic cost of changes at home, so the disabled can freely move in the rooms, toilet and bath, kitchen, living room, hall, room, entrance and approach to the home after the cheapest appropriate improvements.

16. ACCOMMODATION In many situations, people living in inaccessible housing as for example in blocks of flats without lift or dwellings with doorways through which wheelchairs can not pass or you can not get out on too small a toilet. Nor is it practical to be supplied with a wheelchair when you can not come down from the 3rd floor of the property and use it If housing is not suitable for alterations for disabled people's movements, the municipality shall help to find and pay both relocation and eventual more expensive housing.

17. HELPING DEVICES For disabled people are helping devices as ceiling lift, manual lift, wheelchair, electric wheelchair, eating utensils provided by the public sector after the disabled person's current needs. In addition, you get assigned personal custom devices. I have been awarded the coating bag for legs and jacket for winter use as a tool. My experience is to contact the public sector in good time of the devices, since the release and delivery can take a long time so that you can not come into the situation to be supplied with wheelchair when the funeral is conducted.

18. TRANSPORT Danish public sector supports the disability car, but this doesn’t mean that the car is free. There will always be a user charge. By appropriation provided support for the cheapest suitable car as an interest free loan of up to € 21 333 (DKK 160 000) incl. delivery cost, though not higher than to the car's purchase price. The car must be registered in the disabled own name, whether or not it's another to drive the car

19. TRANSPORT If the applicant has an income below € 25 467 (DKK 191 000), half of the loan is to be repaid. If income exceed € 25 467 (DKK 191,000), increases the portion of the loan to be repaid with 20% of the additional income. The loan is repayable over six years, equivalent to 72 months. The portion of the loan not be repaid is deducted by 1/72 per month. An exemption from the green owner tax (formerly ACT) in cars with white license plates and road tax on cars with yellow license plates.

20. TRANSPORT Disabilities needed devices mounted in disability car is purely public sector costs. We have municipalities with waiting times over 18 months to disability cars. I got my current car 5 years ago. My application was sent to the municipality on the 1st June and got it approved on 1st July, after which the county approved the application 1st August. The car was purchased and prepared for the 28th August, as it should bring me and my helpers to Poland on rehabilitation sanatorium the same day.

21. REHABILITATION There is free help for physical therapy two times per week paid by the public sector for the disabled. Furthermore rehabilitation to the extent the public sector and physicians in association deems appropriate. All alternative treatments is the disabled own expense.

22. REHABILITATION However, I have personally been able to obtain warm water swimming in six years paid by the public sector. Since the public sector cut me this opportunity, I have the last 2 years participated in warm water swimming through membership of the Danish Handicap Sports Association. Jens gets as an example his fitness training paid.

23. REHABILITATION I have previously applied the municipality for accompaniment for physiotherapy, where the municipality responded that it was better to physiotherapist came to me at home, which meant that the county and not the municipality would cover the cost.

24. OTHER In Denmark are medical and hospital services free of charge to all residents and provides subsidies for medicines. When disabled got breathing problems respirator is provided for.