Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
This will be a bit long, so I apologize. For some background I am 32 and have never had a job but I am also physically disabled and get SSI. I have a disability called Arthrogryposis multiplex congenital. I currently live in an apartment where my father pays for the bills and such. I also live in Oklahoma.
I need assistance with a great deal and while I am able to use my right arm to a limited degree it's for basic things. Such as typing this requires one button presses. I can't live independently either from a financial nor a physical standpoint. Services here are not great, but as you can probably imagine unlike most I simply can't just up and move to another place.
As it is I use my SSI to pay the rent and my dad helps to pay the other bills. And he is far from rich or wealthy so just helping to pay the other bills (electric, internet and water as well as groceries etc) is a strain on him as well, to say nothing about any kind of college which I wouldn't do well at anyway. I haven't been officially diagnosed with it, but I am certain I have a form of autism as well. I just don't know where to go from here or if there is anywhere I can go. This has been bothering me for a long time, to the point that years ago my dad did get me A modified car I was able to drive but I started hanging around the wrong people and got into smoking and drinking and ended up getting a DUI.
My father is 65 and I I know he isn't going to be around forever and he has told me that I won't be destitute when he goes (for those that may be wondering my mother passed when I was 17) I fully get that I have to think long term but just don't know what to do. I do get depressed when I think about it, and believe me, both me and my dad have looked into services and such greatly but they are pretty much non existant other than my SSI.
Also the way it is setup any job I may get will be the end of what I get from SSI so if I were to manage to get a job it would have to be both something I can do, something that makes significantly more than I currently get, and something I can be sure I could keep long term. I just don't know if in my situation finding a good stable job where I can fully support myself is even possible.
Sorry for the long post. Just wanted to let see if anyone here has any ideas. Thanks for any advice!
I assume you are able to walk. Do you use a cane or walker? If you get SSI, you should be able to qualify for subsidized housing; if you haven't done so already, start applying. The waiting list is often quite long.
I think your case is one of the rare ones where you should *not* try to get a "regular" job. Losing your SSI would be catastrophic.
My cousin has autism. She works @ Walmart & still gets SSI. She will probably never get a job in corporate sector but there are plenty of jobs she can get that she would do well at. They love her at Walmart.
Have you contacted OKDRS? They have multiple resources and services as well as working in partnership with many non-profit and private service that provide employment assistance & services for the disabled. Often, large employers will work with these groups to specifically establish employment opportunities designed around a person's disability. These special employment positions are seldom advertised as they are developed based on an individual's needs. As a business owner, I participate in such a program with a non-profit group and over the last ten years, have enabled a dozen individuals to gain paid private employment/skills that they were able to use as a stepping stone to permanent employment despite their disability. Often it only takes having a job to get a better job.
I don't understand what exactly it is that you want. Maybe you should start by pinning that down. Do you need cheaper rent? Do you need in home health care? What, specifically do you need or want?
There should be a lot of options for you as far as help. Where do you live?
At minimum, there is LIHEAP, which helps you pay electric/heat bills. There are food banks. There is the LIfeline program to help pay for your phone. And probably subsidized housing and maybe in-home health care services and transportation options for free.
Wherever you are, you could start with 211.org or call 211.
As far as working on SSI, there are also work incentive programs where you keep your Medicaid and all of your wages for certain periods of time, if you could work. Although, it doesn't sound like working is an option. But, just for future reference, you can try working without losing your benefits.
I think you can earn a certain amount of money before your SSI payments start to be cut. You can check it out here. If you have a caseworker I would talk with them to find out all your options.
And just for moral support, I have a friend in Oklahoma who has arthrogryposis. I'm sure we are not supposed to name names here, but if you will google "Outdoor Oklahoma" and "arthrogryposis" you will find him easily. And you may already know who I am talking about. Anyway, link up with him on Facebook or something - he will be glad to talk with you about arthrogryposis. He's a great guy!
Have you tried vocational rehabilitation? As others have pointed out, you can get disability and make a little money. You can also do a trial work period.
Otherwise, when your father passes away, you may also be entitled to more benefits on his earnings record since you were disabled at birth.
Okay, I know this is a really old topic but I just remembered it and wanted to make a few comments. Nothing has changed much since I originally posted. I just feel really depressed about my situation, I hear/read so much of people making good money, having their own homes etc. etc. but I just feel trapped. I am now 33 and just don't know what I can really do, I don't have the option of just moving to somewhere else. I'm not good at school as I got a 2.5 GPA and find it really difficult, even if I did want to go, I don't know how I would pay it. As it is, all of my SSI is going towards my rent and my dad is paying the other bills.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
