Where You're A Neighbor,
Not A Number.
In a perfect world, we’d begin receiving Social Security Disability benefits (SSDI) as soon as we apply. Of course, that’s not how it works. Your case must first be examined by the Social Security Administration (SSA) to determine eligibility and the process can be quite lengthy. If you ultimately are approved, you may then qualify for back pay and retroactive payments. However, SSDI back pay and retroactive pay are not the same thing.
Read MoreIf you or a loved one suffers from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, or OCD, you are all too familiar with the extremes of anxiety—obsessions and compulsions that can take up hours of the day and cause serious distress. And while many movies and television shows play OCD for laughs, you know it’s no joke, whether it’s the double and triple-checking of a locked door, or the growing expense of purchasing excessive amounts of soap or hand sanitizer. Most OCD behaviors are visible, but not all; some behaviors are carried out mentally, such as counting or praying.
Topics: SSDI, disability eligibility, OCD
Diabetes continues to represent a growing health problem in the United States. Type 1 diabetes, otherwise known as insulin-dependent diabetes, often manifests in childhood and requires daily insulin injections and monitoring of blood sugar levels. Individuals with Type 1 diabetes are unable to produce insulin, which regulates blood sugar levels. Type 2 diabetes, also called adult-onset diabetes, happens when the body's cells grow resistant to insulin and fail to process enough glucose. Most common in those over 45, Type 2 diabetes is usually related to obesity, high blood pressure, and a sedentary lifestyle, but genetic factors may also play a role.
Topics: disability eligibility, disability, Diabetes
Supplemental Security Income (SSI), a program administered by the Social Security Administration (SSA), benefits many recipients who suffer from a disabling condition or who aren’t eligible for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). SSI amounts vary across the country as some states opt in to provide additional money to the federal SSI benefit amount. We're focusing on the Florida only.
Read MoreTopics: SSI, qualify for disability, qualify for SSI
A deluge of recent disasters, from hurricanes to wildfires, has reinforced the notion that they can strike at any time without warning. And while a disaster can be detrimental to anyone, they can be especially dangerous for people with disabilities, who may not be able to act quickly or have the ability to “hunker down” for long stretches of time; visual, hearing, and mental impairment can further complicate things in an emergency situation. Because of this, the federal government will now be required to do more to consider the needs of people with disabilities when disasters strike under a new law put into effect last week.
Read MoreTopics: disability laws, emergency preparedness
ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease, named after the famous baseball player) is, in essence, a degenerative disease of the nervous system in which the voluntarily controlled muscles and the nerves connected to the muscles degenerate. As the muscles continue to degenerate and atrophy, everyday actions that you carry out become more and more difficult to achieve. Walking, stepping down to a curb, looking around, and even breathing are things that can become more difficult. All of these actions are voluntary muscular movement, which is what ALS affects.
Topics: SSDI, SSA Eligibility
On June 21 each year, the International Alliance of ALS/MND Associations recognizes a global day for ALS/MND, a disease affecting people around the world regardless of race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, or region. Designed to raise funds and awareness of the disease, this global event occurs on June 21 this calendar day marks a solstice, or a turning point, each year—and the hope is that this year will be a turning point in the search for the cause of the disease, treatment, or a cure.
Read MoreThere are more than 100 different types of arthritis and related conditions, and it is the leading cause of disability in America. According to the Arthritis Foundation, more than 50 million adults and 300,000 children have a form of arthritis.
Read MoreTopics: Disability Medical Requirements, rheumatoid arthritis, Is Arthritis a Disability
Disaster can strike at any time, and it’s often not a matter of if, but when. If you’re in the Southeast, there is the threat of hurricanes and flooding; in the Midwest, tornadoes; in the Northeast, snowstorms; and out West, earthquakes and wildfires. When a threat looms, people often need to leave their homes quickly and unexpectedly to stay out of harm’s way; in other scenarios, they may need to be confined to their home for a length of time.
Read MoreTopics: emergency prepardness
Each year around the globe, cancer claims the lives of millions, and millions more will be diagnosed with the loathsome disease. But rather than focus on the often devastating effects of cancer, National Cancer Survivors Day® honors those who have beaten cancer and those who are fighting it right now!
Read MoreTopics: Cancer
