Since 2019, the chronically ill Poel has been fighting for an adjustment to her home that she had requested under the Social Support Act (Wmo), but her request was rejected time and time again by the municipality of Coevorden. The resident of Dalen has a serious back condition and is therefore unable to sit, walk or stand for very long. A clumsy threshold between the kitchen and pantry and narrow door frames in her house prevented her from going anywhere.
That threshold had to be removed, but an application for it was rejected after an assessment by a doctor who called her. Poel objected to this. The dispute continued to escalate. In the meantime, Poel had become even more aware of himself due to the corona measures. Then she found out that she couldn’t manage herself in the kitchen on her own. Her family and friends came by less often to cook for her, among other things. An application for a kitchen modification was also rejected.
The municipality of Coevorden offered three homes as an alternative option, but according to Poel they were not suitable. Either they were too small or too far away. She is dependent on carers who live nearby.
The objections committee of the municipality was visited several times and even went to court, but that also did not lead to a solution. Earlier, Poel was still gloomy, after the council of the municipality of Coevorden decided to go to the Central Appeals Board (CRvB): “This will take a while.” The Central Appeals Tribunal is the highest judicial body in the Netherlands that adjudicates on appeal in disputes in the field of social services, for example.
Poel and the municipality came to a settlement there. The municipality made 20,000 euros available for the home adaptation. A lot less than the 35,000 euros that a first quote showed, but thanks to reasonable agreements with companies, help from family and friends and her savings, the renovation could finally start.