Elder Care Lawyer Memphis, TennesseeWhat Happens If You Can’t Take Care of Your Loved One Because of Your Own Health

When you apply for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), you’re typically looking for support because a disability keeps you from working. But SSDI for caregivers can make things a lot more complicated.

Maybe you’re the one who helps a parent, spouse, child, or another loved one who depends on you. When your own health begins to decline, it can feel especially overwhelming.

If your medical condition has made it impossible to continue working – which can also impact your caregiving – you may qualify for SSDI. And we can help.

Caregivers Often Put Their Own Health Last

If you’re the caregiver, you’re probably used to being the strong one. You’re the person who shows up, makes appointments, and handles emergencies. You’ve possibly sacrificed sleep, job opportunities, and your own wellbeing to support someone you love.

But caregivers also experience high rates of:

  • Chronic pain
  • Severe stress
  • Depression and anxiety
  • Fatigue and burnout
  • Injuries from lifting or physical tasks

Many caregivers have to balance these health problems with full-time work. You may have pushed through discomfort for years because someone else needed you. But what can you do when your health won’t allow you to keep going that way?

Can You Qualify for SSDI as a Caregiver?

If your own medical condition prevents you from working full-time, you may qualify for SSDI.

The SSA won’t evaluate whether you can care for your loved one. Instead, they’ll look at other factors that include your full-time work and whether you’ve paid into the system. In addition, they’ll consider whether your symptoms prevent you from being able to:

  • Work consistently
  • Show up reliably
  • Concentrate and stay on task
  • Lift, stand, walk, sit, or perform daily functions safely

In many cases, the decline in your ability to provide care is one of the clearest signs that your disability affects your everyday functioning.

But here’s something important to understand:

You can only qualify for SSDI if you’re unable to work a paid job because of your medical condition. Unpaid caregiving, no matter how demanding or meaningful, unfortunately doesn’t count as qualifying work for SSDI on its own.

So if you’ve been a caregiver but haven’t been earning income or paying Social Security taxes, you may need help understanding whether you have enough work history to qualify. Our lawyers can walk through this with you.

Understanding SSDI Work Credits

SSDI is earned through work credits, which come from paying Social Security taxes through employment or self-employment.

Many caregivers have work history before or during their caregiving years. If your medical condition now prevents you from working the paid job you used to do, you may still qualify.

This is where your work history matters. A lawyer can help you:

  • Review your past income records
  • Determine whether you have enough work credits
  • Understand whether SSDI (or possibly SSI) is the right program for your situation

Young woman with her arm around elderly womanWhat Happens to Your Loved One If You Can’t Provide Care?

This is the hardest part for most people to talk about. If you were the primary caregiver, losing your ability to care for your loved one isn’t your fault. You aren’t abandoning them or lacking in compassion because you have to take care of your own needs, too.

And while your SSDI claim only deals with your health, you may have access to additional support. These organizations may be able to help:

How a Lawyer Can Support You Through This Process

Applying for SSDI as a caregiver can bring up feelings of guilt, grief, or fear. You may worry that asking for help means you’ve failed. It doesn’t.

As SSDI lawyers, we help you:

  • Gather medical records that show how your condition limits your ability to work
  • Explain your disability to the SSA in a clear, factual way
  • Prepare your application or appeal so the SSA understands your situation
  • Back up your claim with evidence, doctors’ statements, and more
  • Fight for your benefits at every step, so you have financial stability while caring for your health
  • Represent you at the appeals hearing as necessary
And we don’t make a penny unless and until we win your case. Even then, it’s only a fraction of your past-due benefits. You keep all the money you receive moving forward.

You’ve spent so long helping someone else, and now it’s time for our team to help you.

Contact us today for a free consultation. We’ll listen to your story, explain your options, and help you fight for the benefits you deserve.