Developing a disability at any age is a huge change in your life. When you become disabled—whether it is from a medical condition, an accident at work, or car crash—your needs will be different than they were before. Both temporary and permanent disabilities require serious adjustments to your lifestyle, like increased medical visits and emotional support as you deal with the change.
If you have recently become disabled, you may be overwhelmed and want help figuring out your new life. If that sounds like you, take these first steps toward learning about your disability and improving your quality of life and financial support.
Get Medical Help
The first step when disabled is to get medical help. You should find a doctor qualified to help you with your disability, whether it is physical or mental. Therapists, doctors, specialists, and other medical professionals can help you find the right medications and treatment for your disability. If you need medical care at home, like a live-in nurse, it is important to find someone for the job as soon as possible.
Find a Support Group
After becoming disabled, you probably will have a lot of questions and concerns about your new disability. A support group can be beneficial for you as you learn to deal with the disability. Even if you are temporarily disabled, it can still cause emotional damage. Look for support groups online and offline. A support group can help you find people going through the same issues as you. You may also want to find a therapist who can help you work through the emotions and thoughts you have about the disability on a one-on-one basis.
Apply for Financing
Funding for a disability is expensive. Some insurance may only cover part of the equipment and medical care necessary to care for you while you are disabled. If you cannot work, you will also need supplemental income, such as that provided by Social Security. You can call the SSI phone number to learn more about the Social Security supplemental income and disability income to see if you qualify for government aid. You can also find grants and charitable foundations that offer support for disabled persons no matter what the disability. The sooner you search for financial aid the sooner you can support yourself through this difficult transition period.
Find Daily Services
When you are disabled, you will likely need additional help such as grocery delivery, transportation, or home cleaning services. There are many organizations that provide these services to disabled persons. You can find these services by contacting the local disability center in your city or state.
When you become disabled, there are many changes that are necessary in your life. These changes can be overwhelming, but if you approach the issues one at a time, you will soon find that adjusting to your new way of life is not as scary as you first thought it would be. If you need additional help, a disability advocate can help you navigate the complications of disability support.