Caregivers for Spouse Community Group
Anyone caring for spouse with a disability
Hi,
My wife, who will be 60 in October, is slowly losing the use of her legs, for reasons as yet unknown. She has been experiencing increasingly severe pain for the past two months, and recently has started needing a cane to walk. She works part time, but her employer is gradually cutting back her hours (and income) as the work becomes more difficult for her. She will see a physician next week, but we expect that recovery, even if possible, could be a long, hard road.
She has no disability insurance. We know that the process of getting Social Security Disability (SSD) is a long one, and the prospect of having no income frightens her. I am older, retired on SS and Medicare, and am not employed. I get enough to cover the rent and utilities, and her income basically covered her expenses. Our finances would be really tight without it. Should we try to get some private disability insurance, before her income is reduced to nothing?
Thanks for reading.
We are kind of in the same boat. My husband is retired and has been diagnosed with Bladder cancer. I have multiple medical issues and have always worked part time due to them (autoimmune, back surgeries etc..). Whenever I even think about the SSD process, I put it off. I think working is killing me.
I have thought about consulting with a lawyer but I think I'll need to pull a lot of information together. I wonder if waiting until your wife gets a more definitive diagnosis will help. I am told that it's much easier to get SSD after the age of 50 and much more so after the age of 60. They are going to want to see records of all of the tests, doctor's visits etc...as well as how the disability impacts her ability to function (mainly work). So the fact that her employer has cut back her hours will probably work in her favor. Hope that whatever is going on for her is treatable.