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Within a reasonable time period
What this test considers
This test looks at the length of time it takes an individual to complete an activity.
It considers that some individuals are able to complete activities independently but the length of time taken to do so may impact their day to day life.
Meaning of ‘within a reasonable time period’
To carry out an activity ‘within a reasonable time period’ means no more than twice as long as would be usual for an individual without a physical or mental health condition or conditions which limits that individual’s ability to carry out the activity in question would normally take to complete that activity (ADP regs, reg. 7(2)(b)(iv) and (3)(d)).
Examples
The following situations highlight examples where an individual may be considered unable to complete an activity in a reasonable time period due to their approach or the impact their health condition or disability has on them:
- an individual who needs to take frequent rests when washing and dressing due to fatigue and so needs 2 hours to complete these tasks
- an individual who has Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is able to prepare a meal but whose need to do things repeatedly and in a particular way means they take all morning to prepare breakfast
- an individual who, as a result of their mental health condition, has obsessive ideas around cleanliness and takes prolonged periods of time to complete numerous activities due to repetitive and extended hand washing
- an individual who states that they are able to walk more than 200 metres but this takes over half an hour due to pain in their legs and hips
Example: an individual who has a spinal cord condition who satisfies daily living component activity 4 descriptor D due to the length of time the activity takes
Application form
Seth reports that he’s able to wash himself with the use of aids but due to a spinal cord condition it takes him forty minutes in the shower to be able to wash all over as his movements are painful and slow when washing his lower limbs.
Case manager decision
Although Seth is washing himself with aids, it is not reasonable to expect him to take so long to do so and therefore descriptor B is not appropriate.
Seth reasonably requires assistance to wash his lower limbs and the case manager considers that descriptor D is appropriate for Seth to be able to carry out activity 4 within a reasonable time period.
As Seth does not describe difficulty with getting in and out of the shower or washing above the waist, and he is able to independently wash part of his body, descriptors E, F, and G do not apply to him.