Disabled woman struggles to get more home care hours

A Halifax woman with cerebral palsy trying to get extra home care is struggling with the appeal process.  

Gerrianne Hull said she has had to dip into her own emergency funds because the amount of public funding allowed by the Nova Scotia Health Authority isn't sufficient for her needs.

"I am out of money to pay my staff," said Hull. 

Self-Managed Care 

Hull is on the Nova Scotia Health Authority's self-managed care program. The program allows people with physical disabilities to hire their own care providers to look after them.

"They help me get dressed, to go to the bathroom, cooking," said Hull who has limited mobility. "I cannot say enough good things about them."

Hull said the care providers also accompany her when she needs to leave home for errands.

More hours requested and denied

The health authority is giving Hull 205 hours of care per month. When she requested an additional 110 hours on top of that earlier this year, the request was denied.

"I don't think I'm asking for anything outrageous," said Hull. "I'm very capable of telling people what I need, I'm very active in my community."

Hull was told there is an appeal process, but she said it's unclear how it works.

Help from Dal Legal Aid 

Fiona Traynor, a community legal worker with Dalhousie Legal Aid Service, is helping Hull figure it out. 

"What we've heard back from the health authority is it's simply you have to write into your care coordinator, they show it to a couple of more care coordinators and they decide there," said Traynor.

Traynor said there is no written notice of the rules around the appeals process, no explanation of who exactly makes the decision, no timeline or submission deadlines.

'It's been a run around'

"Someone in Gerrianne's position is just sending in documents to the health authority with no recourse other than to accept the decisions that are made with no recourse to say 'I want this decision to be judicially reviewed,'" said Traynor.

Traynor said she and Hull have reached out to the Nova Scotia Health Authority and politicians, but got nowhere.

"It's been a run around and it's been really frustrating for Gerrianne to have to deal with this situation," said Traynor.

CBC News contacted the Nova Scotia Health Authority to get clarification on the appeals process on Tuesday. A spokesperson for the health authority said they should have a response sometime on Wednesday.