The Social Security Administration has added early onset Alzheimer's disease to its list of qualifying conditions to receive disability payments. However, the need for long-term care planning, no matter your age or level of health, is crucial.

The SSA has approved disability compensation for Alzheimer's patients who are younger than age 65. That makes up about five to 10 percent of all people suffering from the condition. Social Security officials define Alzheimer's as:

"...A degenerative, irreversible brain disease that usually affects older people and causes a dementia characterized by the gradual loss of previously attained cognitive abilities, such as memory, language, judgment, and the ability to function. Physiological changes in the brain include the rampant growth of two abnormal structures, amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles, which interrupt normal brain activity. The onset of AD is subtle; memory impairment is frequently its earliest manifestation, quickly followed by learning and language impairments. Because people with early-onset AD are often in the workforce, it is not uncommon for the disease to first manifest as a decline or loss in their ability to perform work-related activities. In the earlier stages of AD, depression is a common complaint. In later stages, agitation, changes in personality and behavior, restlessness, and withdrawal become evident. People with early onset AD decline possibly at a faster rate than those with late onset AD."
According to the Alzheimer's Association, the decision to allow disability for patients diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's is part of the Compassionate Allowances (CAL) initiative, which was created as a way to expedite the processing of Social Security Disability and Social Security Income. The following diseases would qualify a person for assistance:
Early-onset Alzheimer's disease
Adult-onset Huntington disease
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD)
Frontotemporal dementia (FTD), Pick's disease - Type A
Lewy body dementia
Mixed dementia
Primary Progressive Aphasia (PPA)
Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP)
The ALS Parkinsonism Dementia Complex
According to the Alzheimer's Association, there are between 220,000 and 640,000 Americans with early onset Alzheimer's disease and other dementias. The cost of care is expensive. Most older people with dementia are retired, but many people with early onset dementia are still working when their symptoms emerge. There often is a waiting period for SSDI, SSI and Medicare, and expenses in the meantime can mount to uncontrollable amounts. Long-term care planning is essential no matter who you are, to avoid problems for you and your family in the rare and unfortunate event you are diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's.

Not of no interest, bluedaze. Very informative. I vote you let it remain. There will easily be people who come by from time to time who will need this info, don't you think?

Hi bluedaze, Just because no one has commented does not mean the subject is of no interest. Your post is rich in information, which means it is valuable in and of itself without any response. It is not the kind of post that can be adequately answered by simple words of encouragement, e.g., "(((Hugs!)))." Anyhow, I suggest you give people a chance. Your post has only been up for 9 hours and people whose spouses have EOAD (under 65) are likely to be working 8 hour days. Not to mention having children still at home.

Another forum that I visit counts "views" as well as "comments". It is not unusual for threads to have many, many more views than comments. I'm sure that must be the case here as well. All the information that we can get is so helpful. Do keep posting things of this nature, especially current changes in thinking, legal status, or research. Those of us who post less often are grateful to those of you who do share experience and keep us informed.

Agree, and thank you, bluedaze.

Always glad to help as I was helped.

It was something like 23 and me dna testing. I don't know if it is confidential. I believe she has long term insurance.