Supporting a disabled loved one can come with many challenges. You may be in a situation where you thought you were helping, but only to discover that your well-intentioned gestures worsened or worsened a particular situation. You must be gentle with yourself and acknowledge that you and your loved one are learning how to be in sync with each other regarding the situation.
Therefore, if you wish to know how you can support a loved one with a disability, you’re in the right place as here are five ways to achieve this.
One of the ways that you can support a loved one with a disability is by seeking professional support in the form of disability services provider. Disability service providers are equipped with expert knowledge regarding the kind of intervention your loved one requires, the amount of help needed, and how to help them become more self-sufficient.
Although you may find ample information online regarding a particular disability, it may be best if you trust experts to provide the best possible intervention for your loved one. Some of the information online may be rooted in opinion, experiences, and not necessarily professional angles.
2. Research About The Disability
Researching about the disability equips you with the knowledge to help you support a loved one. You can read materials that give insight into how your loved one experiences daily life from a mental, emotional and physical aspect, as these may differ for you. Understanding these dynamics helps you become empathetic to their disability.
You may say or state certain aspects to them in the hope of helping, but because you don’t quite understand their position, you may unknowingly offend. For example, when people increase their tones when speaking with a blind person, they can hear perfectly, so they may wonder why you speak loudly and get offended.
Reading materials can explain such dynamics, which you may otherwise be unaware of, and help you adjust accordingly.
3. Find Support For Yourself
If you are a primary caregiver for a loved one, you may need support. It’s not easy caring for a loved one with a disability, regardless of how much you care for them. The responsibilities may get overwhelming, considering you have to care for others, such as children and parents, and you need to care for yourself. To be able to support a loved one with a disability fully, you need to be mentally, physically, and emotionally sound.
You can seek counseling services where a licensed therapist can help you with the realities of caring for a disabled loved one. That way, you can enjoy your wellness while caring for others.
Being inclusive means being aware of your surroundings, conversations, and suggestions when your loved one is around, considering their disability. For example, in a social setting, you may be unaware and suggest taking the stairs to a restaurant on the second floor, overseeing that there are no elevators or escalators for your loved one who may be a wheelchair user. Being inclusive in that instance means scanning the environment and assessing whether your loved one can physically join in the plans.
Inclusivity also includes the conversations you have when your loved one is around. Reminiscing about memories they may never be able to experience because of their disability may be saddening. With time, patience, and communication, you understand what makes your loved one feel uncomfortable.
5. Speak Positively With Your Loved One
Experiencing a disability may come with other dynamics such as depression and anxiety. Take, for instance, a situation where your loved one was non-disabled, then was involved in an accident and disabled. The sudden shift in life can only come with mental and emotional turmoil as they rediscover their new way of living. Speaking positively in terms of offering words of affirmation and encouragement is a major way to support a loved one with a disability.
Their daily thoughts directly affect how they begin to take life within their stride. You may only dampen their spirits if you speak about doom and skepticism about their condition and whether it may improve. On the other hand, pointing out their courage, strength, and determination to continue enjoying life will help them stand tall in their situation.
Conclusion
Some of the ways you can support a loved one with a disability include seeking professional services and researching the disability for in-depth understanding. You can be mindful of your conversations and activities around them while being positive in your talk. You may also need professional support yourself to be able to care for them fully.
Parents can negotiate a lower child support payment if they become disabled and unable to work. The parents can agree to a new amount themselves. If that is not an option, the disabled parent can ask a family court for a support modification hearing.
How Do Courts Determine Child Support Payments?
When a couple with children divorces, they must determine the amount of child support the non-custodial parent must pay. Usually, couples use the family court to help determine the appropriate amount of support. When determining child support, the court considers:
· The income of both parents
· Child support or alimony either parent receives from a previous marriage
· Whether either parent is paying child support or spousal support from a former marriage
· Which parent pays for healthcare and the cost
· Which parent pays for daycare and the cost
· The ages of the children
· Whether either parent lives with a new partner or spouse who contributes to household expenses
How Can a Parent Change Child Support after Becoming Disabled?
A parent may want to stop paying child support after becoming disabled. However, the parent’s obligation does not end because of a disability. However, if the parent’s earnings decrease due to the disability, he or she can take steps to modify the amount of support.
If the parents have a civil post-divorce relationship, they can try to negotiate a new payment. The disabled parent should present the difference between his or her previous income and current income. When the parents reach an agreement, they should put it in writing and sign it.
The disabled parent may also petition the family court for a support modification hearing. In the case of a new disability, the court is likely to lower the child support amount because the disabled parent no longer has the same income. However, the disabled parent must first prove the necessity for the adjustment to the family court.
The parent can help his or her request for modification by winning a disability hearing. When a parent provides the court with proof of a disability judgment and payment, the court is more likely to accept the need for modification. The court will then take into account several other factors, such as:
· Whether the parent is receiving Supplementary Security Income (SSI) or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). SSI provides minimum financial assistance to disabled people. The payments are often so low that the court won’t count them as income. SSDI is based on the disabled person’s prior income and may be much higher. SSDI income may be high enough to require child support payments. Further, the children can apply for auxiliary benefits and receive payments directly.
· What the costs for medical treatment are for the disabled parent. The court will factor in these expenses to determine a lower payment.
· Any additional support the disabled parent can provide. If the parent is no longer able to work, he or she may be able to provide more extensive childcare, decreasing some costs.
When parents become disabled, they can usually negotiate a lower child support payment. However, parents need to go through proper channels and make sure they are clear about the factors affecting their ability to make payments. Finally, each parent should keep a copy of any agreement or order modifying child support payments.
While it may seem like the US Government is determined to deny everyone social security disability, the number of claimants has in fact risen over the last few years. That makes the Government’s position tenuous as they have to ensure that there is a balance between paying out for people that need it, and the money that is coming in. In turn, this can have a big effect on the life of the average American if they find themselves unable to work. To find out more read the post below.
Unfortunately, we cannot always predict what will happen to our health. That is why the Social Security Disability (SSD) system is in place because it allows those us that genuinely cannot work because of a physical or mental condition some financial assistance. This, in turn, allows us to pay for the necessities of life such as rent, utilities, and food. Something that ensures we do not end up on the breadline just because of ill health.
Applying for SSD
However, as you can see from the title of the piece, just because you apply for SSD doesn’t mean you will get it. In fact, the odds are currently weighted against you, with almost three-quarters of applicants not being granted SSD.
That means if you are applying you must ensure that your forms and evidence are of top quality. To help you with this you need to consult what is known as the Blue Book, or to give it it’s proper name The Social Security Administration’s Impairment Listing Manual. This document covers the mental and physical conditions such as hearing loss and cystic fibrosis that are acceptable as a reason for applying for SSD.
It can also be incredibly useful to employ the services of professionals like David Chermol that specialize in the legality of social security applications and appeals. This is because they will know the system and judges well, something that can increase the chances of a positive result in your case. Also, they are likely to be up to date on the most recent changes in the system, and this could give your application the edge of the thousands of other are received daily.
What to do if your application is denied
Even with the best help and most careful attention to detail, there is no guarantee that your SSD application will be granted the first time.
The legality of SSD appeals can be tricky. Picture here
Luckily, there is something that you can do in this case, and that is to make a formal appeal. To do this, it is always better to go with a professional that understands the strengths and weakness of your particular disability and need for SSD, rather than take on the case yourself.
It can even be useful to use the same company that helped you with your initial application, as they are up to speed on your case. Something that puts them in a prime position to help you move it forward through this next step, and secure you the financial allowance that you deserve.
Donald Trump has come again under fire after mocking a New York Times reporter with a congenital joint condition during a campaign rally in South Carolina this week.
The incident occurred as the Republican presidential hopeful was defending his recent claim that he had witnessed thousands of Muslims cheering in New Jersey on September 11, 2001, as the World Trade Center collapsed.
The assertion has since been fact-checked and discredited by law enforcement and government officials who were in New Jersey in the days and weeks following the terrorist attacks.
On November 24, Donald Trump berated New York Times investigative reporter Serge Kovaleski for his recent recollection of an article he had written a few days after the attacks.
Donald Trump appeared to mock Serge Kovaleski’s physical condition; the reporter has arthrogryposis, which visibly limits flexibility in his arms.
“Now, the poor guy – you’ve got to see this guy, <<Ah, I don’t know what I said! I don’t remember!>>” Donald Trump said as he jerked his arms in front of his body.
The gesture was all the more personal because Serge Kovaleski covered Donald Trump while reporting for the New York Daily News between 1987 and 1993, a tumultuous period for the businessman in which he struggled through several financial setbacks.
“The sad part about it is, it didn’t in the slightest bit jar or surprise me that Donald Trump would do something this low-rent, given his track record,” Serge Kovaleski said.
Donald Trump campaign spokeswoman Hope Hicks declined to comment on the record about the incident. A campaign official speaking on background said Donald Trump was “not aware of any condition and was not mocking his physical appearance in any way”.
In his speech on November 24, Donald Trump defended his recollection of the Muslim revelers by citing a 2001 article by Serge Kovaleski, who worked for The Washington Post at the time, noting that “authorities detained and questioned a number of people who were allegedly seen celebrating the attacks and holding tailgate-style parties on rooftops while they watched the devastation on the other side of the river”.
Those allegations were never corroborated but have persisted in online rumors in the 14 years since the attacks. In an interview on CNN this week, Serge Kovaleski said he did not recall “anyone saying there were thousands, or even hundreds, of people celebrating”.
Serge Kovaleski’s friends and colleagues took to social media this week to defend him – and excoriate Donald Trump.
The New York Times also issued a sharply worded statement November 25, saying: “We think it’s outrageous that he would ridicule the appearance of one of our reporters.”
On the same day, Donald Trump tweeted: “The failing @nytimes should be focused on good reporting and the papers financial survival and not with constant hits on Donald Trump!”
The EU’s highest court has ruled that obesity can constitute a disability in certain circumstances.
The European Court of Justice (ECJ) was asked to consider the case of a male childcare in Denmark who says he was sacked for being too fat.
The court said that if obesity could hinder “full and effective participation” at work then it could count as a disability.
The ruling is binding across the EU.
Judges said that obesity in itself was not a disability – but if a person had a long term impairment because of their obesity, then they would be protected by disability legislation.
The case centers around childcare Karsten Kaltoft who weighs about 320 lbs.
He brought a discrimination case against his employers of 15 years, Billund local authority, after he was sacked.
The authority said a fall in the number of children meant Karsten Kaltoft was no longer required.
Howerver, Karsten Kaltoft said he was dismissed because he was overweight.
The Danish courts asked the European Court of Justice (ECJ) to clarify whether obesity was a disability.
The ECJ ruled: “The Court finds that if, under given circumstances, the obesity of the worker entails a limitation which results in particular from physical, mental or psychological impairments which in interaction with various barriers may hinder the full and effective participation of that person in professional life on an equal basis with other workers, and the limitation is a long-term one, such obesity can fall within the concept of ‘disability’ within the meaning of the directive.”
Rulings from the ECJ are binding for all EU member nations.
The courts in Denmark will now have to assess Karsten Kaltoft’s weight to see if his case can be classed as a disability.
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