The following is a list of definitions related to the disability amount.
Blind - For the disability amount, you are considered blind if, even with the use of corrective lenses or medication:
- your visual acuity in both eyes is 20/200 (6/60) or less with the Snellen Chart (or an equivalent); or
- the greatest diameter of the field of vision in both eyes is 20 degrees or less.
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Dressing - For the disability amount, you are considered markedly restricted in dressing if, all or substantially all the time:
- you are unable to dress yourself, even with appropriate therapy, medication, and devices; or
- you require an inordinate amount of time to dress yourself, even with appropriate therapy, medication, and devices. An inordinate amount of time means that dressing takes significantly longer than for an average person who does not have the impairment.
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Elimination (bowel or bladder functions) - For the disability amount, you are considered markedly restricted in elimination if, all or substantially all the time:
- you are unable to personally manage bowel or bladder functions, even with appropriate therapy, medication, and devices; or
- you require an inordinate amount of time to personally manage bowel or bladder functions, even with appropriate therapy, medication, and devices. An inordinate amount of time means that personally managing elimination takes significantly longer than for an average person who does not have the impairment.
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Feeding - For the disability amount, you are considered markedly restricted in feeding if, all or substantially all the time:
- you are unable to feed yourself, even with appropriate therapy, medication, and devices; or
- you require an inordinate amount of time to feed yourself, even with appropriate therapy, medication, and devices. An inordinate amount of time means that feeding takes significantly longer than for an average person who does not have the impairment.
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Hearing - For the disability amount, you are considered markedly restricted in hearing if, all or substantially all the time:
- you are unable to hear so as to understand another person familiar with you, in a quiet setting, even with the use of appropriate devices; or
- you take an inordinate amount of time to hear so as to understand another person familiar with you, in a quiet setting, even with the use of appropriate devices. An inordinate amount of time means that hearing so as to understand takes significantly longer than for an average person who does not have the impairment.
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Life-sustaining therapy (for 2000 and later years) - Life-sustaining therapy must meet the following conditions:
- You receive the therapy to support life, even if it alleviates the symptoms. Examples of this therapy are chest physiotherapy to facilitate breathing and kidney dialysis to filter blood. However, implanted devices such as a pacemaker, or special programs of diet, exercise, or hygiene do not qualify.
- You have to dedicate time for this therapy-at least 3 times a week, for an average of at least 14 hours a week (do not include time needed to recuperate after therapy, for travel, medical appointments, or shopping for medication).Time dedicated to therapy means that you must be required to take time away from normal, everyday activities in order to receive the therapy. The time it takes for a portable or implanted device to deliver therapy is not considered to be time dedicated to therapy.
Note
For 2005 and later years, where the life-sustaining therapy requires a regular dosage of medication that needs to be adjusted on a daily basis:
- the activities directly related to determining the dosage are considered part of the therapy, except for those activities related to exercise or following a dietary regime, such as carbohydrate calculation; and
- the time spent by primary caregivers performing and supervising the activities related to the therapy of a child because of his or her age is considered to be time dedicated to this therapy.
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Markedly restricted - You are markedly restricted if, all or substantially all the time, even with therapy (other than life-sustaining therapy) and the use of appropriate devices and medication, either:
- you are unable to perform at least one of the basic activities of daily living; or
- it takes you an inordinate amount of time to perform at least one of the basic activities of daily living.
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Mental functions necessary for everyday life - For the disability amount, you are considered markedly restricted in performing the mental functions necessary for everyday life if, all or substantially all the time:
- you are unable to perform the mental functions necessary for everyday life, by yourself, even with appropriate therapy, medication, and devices (for example, memory aids and adaptive aids); or
- you require an inordinate amount of time to perform the mental functions necessary for everyday life, by yourself, even with appropriate therapy, medication, and devices. An inordinate amount of time means that you take significantly longer than for an average person who does not have the impairment.
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Prolonged - An impairment is prolonged if it has lasted, or is expected to last, for a continuous period of at least 12 months.
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Qualified practitioner - The table below lists the qualified practitioners and which type of impairment each can certify.
| Qualified practitioner |
Can certify: |
| Medical doctors |
all impairments |
| Optometrists |
vision |
| Audiologists |
hearing |
| Occupational therapists |
walking, feeding, dressing, and the cumulative effect for these activities |
| Physiotherapists |
walking |
| Psychologists |
mental functions necessary for everyday life |
| Speech-language pathologists |
speaking |
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Significantly restricted - Significantly restricted means that although you do not quite meet the criteria for markedly restricted, your ability to perform the basic activity of daily living or your vision is still substantially restricted.
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Speaking - For the disability amount, you are considered markedly restricted in speaking if, all or substantially all the time:
- you are unable to speak so as to be understood by another person familiar with you, in a quiet setting, even with appropriate therapy, medication, and devices; or
- you take an inordinate amount of time to speak so as to be understood by another person familiar with you, in a quiet setting, even with appropriate therapy, medication, and devices. An inordinate amount of time means that speaking so as to be understood takes significantly longer than for an average person who does not have the impairment.
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Walking - For the disability amount, you are considered markedly restricted in walking if, all or substantially all the time:
- you are unable to walk, even with appropriate therapy, medication, and devices; or
- you require an inordinate amount of time to walk, even with appropriate therapy, medication, and devices. An inordinate amount of time means that walking takes significantly longer than for an average person who does not have the impairment.
