I am 60, caring for DW who is now 55. We are 4 years in.
Does anyone have experience in applying for disability on behalf of caregiver, primarily based on stress and going crazy. It is difficult to hold down a job and provide and manage the care equation. My employer has available coverage. I am interested in experience in making the application and what may be necessary to support the application; How it may be received by the disability insurance company,etc?
If you go to the social security office, at first you have to take your wife, you need to get permission to handle all her SS business. After you do that then it would be just like you applying for disability but of course using her social security number. I don't know about your state and what they consider but like for instance. I have osteoperosis and have had a lawyer tell me that I qualify but I will probably be denied and then have to appeal. So be prepared to get or have a lawyer just in case it doesn't work. You would be qualifying for SSI, or SSDI, at least that is what they call it here. Maybe someone else will come up with other ideas.
milesaweek--deb responded as if you had asked about SS Disability; but you say your employer has available coverage. So I am wondering if you are talking about a private short or long-term disability policy?
milesaweek, what you are describing does not sound like it would meet the requirements of a long term disability. Perhaps Family Leave Act where you can take 90 days away from work and get your job back at the end of 90 days. They make you pay for your health insurance while you are out on leave and not getting paid. I did that and decided to quit at age 54.
I am familiar with FMLA. 90 days may not be sufficient. Anyone familiar with at least initially qualifying for disability ( where you would get all or percentage of pay) and the claim may be reviewed ( you confirm that you have a basis for the disability) on an ongoing basis?
When I had to leave my employment to care for DH I qualified as salaried employee for paid FMLA for one year. Check with HMR Dept for options under FMLA. Nellie
FMLA grants the leave, guarantees the job on return, but makes no salary payment. You have to come up with payments for your benefits ( such as health),while on FMLA under my requirements.
You may want to investigate what is available in youR state for sending her to daycare where you keep your job but have her tended to while you are at work. Returning home full time may put you in a situation where you have more than you had bargained for. A lot of us have found that working gives us relief from some of the daily. Care which just gets worse with time.
milesaweek--if you haven't checked and she has a sufficiently current work record you may be able to draw Soc.Sec. Disabilty for her. If she lacks sufficient work c redits, she might still qualify for SSI, if the household income is low. Either would at least provide more income with which to pay for day care, in-home help, etc. This would also bring her in line for Medicare and Part D help with medication costs (Soc. Sec. Disability)or Medicaid (SSI).
I don't think there is any insurance coverage for being an over burdened, burnt-out caregiver.
milesaweek, I am a retired HR Director and may be able to guide you. It sounds to me that you are looking to receive company paid disability benefits for yourself due to the stress associated for caring for your spouse with dementia. You should first consult the summary plan description (SPD) regarding the disability leave benefits offered by your employer and the diagnoses and/or illness which would qualify you for. You should discuss any questions you have about the plan and its requirements with your HR department so you are clear about what diagnosis will/will not qualify for disabilty certification and payments. Typically stress, no matter what it is related to does not qualify an employee for disability payments, however there are a few cases with which I am familiar where the person's stress diagnosis was made and certified by a psychiatrist and it was documented that the level of stress resulted in the almost physical and mental shutdown of the person, rendering them incapable of normal activities, much less able to work. There is a VERY high threshold regarding a stress diagnosis because many employees try to claim stress to receive disability payments to avoid working. Like moorsb, I had to "retire" to care for my spouse after exhausting the 90 days FMLA leave. I was truly not ready to retire but had exhausted all options because DH had behavioral issues. Options you may want to consider are part-time help to care for your DW while you work, adult daycare for her while you work, speak to your employer about flex-time or a reduced work week, working from home a few days a week or every day, if possible. Unfortunately we as "young" caregivers for our spouses are faced with very difficult decisions. I stopped working before I was ready and not having the income means we are spending all that we saved for our retirement years earlier than we planned. Good luck. If I can be helpful, just let me know.