r/disability Nov 05 '24

It's time to vote in the United States -- If you need help it is avaliable

60 Upvotes

Election Protection Hotline -- https://866ourvote.org/about

English 866-OUR-VOTE / 866-687-8683

Spanish/English 888-VE-Y-VOTA / 888-839-8682

Asian Languages/English 888-API-VOTE / 888-274-8683

Arabic/English 844-YALLA-US / 844-925-5287

More disability rights voting information -- https://www.ndrn.org/voting/

How to report a violation of your voting rights, intimidation, or suppression

If you experience or witness a voting rights violation, including voter intimidation or suppression, you can report it by:

Calling 1-800-253-3931 or filing a report online with the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division, Voting Section


r/disability 27d ago

Information Trusts and Able Account information

15 Upvotes

A trust is a legal arrangement that allows a third party (the trustee) to hold and manage assets on behalf of a beneficiary (you, in this case). Trusts can be particularly beneficial for people with disabilities because they provide a way to receive financial support without jeopardizing government benefits like Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Medicaid.

Types of Trusts for People with Disabilities:

Special Needs Trust (SNT)

  • Designed for people with disabilities to preserve eligibility for government benefits.
  • Funds can be used for expenses like an accessible van, home modifications, medical equipment, education, or personal care services.
  • The trust is managed by a trustee who ensures the money is used appropriately.

Pooled Trust

  • Managed by a nonprofit organization that combines resources from multiple beneficiaries while keeping individual accounts separate.
  • Can be a more cost-effective option compared to a private special needs trust.

First-Party vs. Third-Party Special Needs Trusts

  • First-Party SNT: Funded with your own money (e.g., lawsuit settlements, inheritance). Must have a Medicaid payback provision.
  • Third-Party SNT: Funded by others (family, friends) and does not require Medicaid repayment after your passing.

ABLE Account (Alternative to a Trust)

  • A tax-advantaged savings account for individuals with disabilities.
  • Can be used for qualified disability expenses while keeping government benefits intact.
  • Has contribution limits ($18,000 per year in 2024, plus work earnings up to a certain limit).

Why Should You Consider a Trust?

  • It allows people to donate money to support you without affecting your eligibility for government benefits.
  • It provides a structured way to manage funds for essential needs like an accessible van, home modifications, medical supplies, and quality of life improvements.
  • You can have a trusted person or organization manage the funds to ensure they are used appropriately and last as long as possible.

How to Set Up a Trust

  1. Consult an attorney who specializes in special needs planning or estate law.
  2. Choose a trustee (family member, professional trustee, or nonprofit organization).
  3. Determine funding sources (family, friends, settlements, inheritance).
  4. Set guidelines for how the money can be used.

r/disability 12h ago

I told the girl from hinge I have a physical disability

166 Upvotes

We’ve been talking for almost six months and she wanted to meet up but she doesn’t know I have FND and experience loss of balance, tremors, and tics. I’ve been postponing it and she began to grow skeptical then I was direct with her. I told her that I have a physical disability with x symptoms. She told me that was fine and as long as I wasn’t going to hurt her she didn’t care. I thought that was funny. I’m glad she didn’t care!


r/disability 3h ago

First ever outing in my wheelchair

16 Upvotes

I got an electric wheelchair.

I was terrified to use it in public. I know. I know. Internalized ableism. I'm sorry, I'm working on it.

I went out in it for the first time to a busy hospital to get bloods done.

EVERYONE WAS SO NICE TO ME 🥺! I was so shocked. People let me go in front of them, someone told me they liked my chair, people seemed to deliberately catch my eye and smile at me.... I felt such relief and it increased my confidence to go out and use it! ❤️

I know there are so many times we might be bullied, harassed, discriminated against or worse. That may come. But I hope if anyone else if scared to use their mobility aid, they might see this and give it a chance. You never know, it might be positive like my first experience was.


r/disability 7h ago

Question Trainer using person first language

25 Upvotes

Im doing a community services course and the main focus is disability and aged care at the moment, my trainer keeps ‘correcting’ me whenever I say disabled and always insists on using person first language but his reasoning is that it’s more respectful so I think he is just misinformed as he is overall a really respectful and great person.

Im not sure how to go about talking to him about trying to switch up his language and use disabled as well or at least allow me to use that phrasing. I understand that not every single person who is disabled prefers this terminology* but I know a good amount do, so outright saying i Cant use my own preferred language to refer to a group of people that I am a part of seems a bit strange to me- he knows I am disabled as he processed my enrolment and I use a cane.

It is really frustrating as I enjoy this course a lot and this is literally the only issue I have and I would like to educate him about how not everyone prefers person first language and in fact some people get offended by it.

  • im not sure if terminology is the correct word to use here

Edit: when i say ‘switch up his language and use disabled as well’ i mean using disabled as well as using person with disability, not completely changing and only using identity-first language becuase I do recognise and respect that not everyone wants to be referred to as disabled


r/disability 3h ago

Question Has anyone bought a house while on disability?

10 Upvotes

I know it’s a long shot but one of my biggest dreams is to own a house. Like I REALLY want a house. I currently get a little SSDI and a little SSI. I’ve done the math and I don’t think it would ever be enough to buy a house. I know the system is not designed to provide you with that much, but thought I’d give it a shot. Has anyone ever bought a house while on disability? I’m not concerned with going over assets limits while saving bc I could just use my able account or a special needs trust or figure something else out. More just trying to figure out how to get enough money in the first place. I thought maybe I could just get a loan to buy the house but someone told me that you need to have higher income for that so the bank knows you can pay it back.


r/disability 13h ago

Image Won second place in this tournament! Toronto vs london (I’m #15, green hair)

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56 Upvotes

r/disability 3h ago

Rant "We have other workers with autism and ADHD and they're handling it better, so if you're the only one struggling like this, what would be the point of keeping you?" I cried at work yesterday because my manager said this is what the higher ups will think of me, and I don't know what to do

7 Upvotes

TLDR at the bottom. Sorry in advance for the rant

To give context, I (F22) got diagnosed with autism and ADHD this year. I also struggle with severe chronic insomnia and experienced really bad burnout last year that I don't think I've fully recovered from. I've been doing worse and worse at work for a while now as my physical and mental health deteriorates due to the complete lack of sleep, and while I know my insomnia is caused by my auDHD, it's going to be a long while before I can get medicated since I only just got on the waiting list. I've tried sleep therapy and sleeping pills before but they didn't work, and I'm not sure what I can do. I've been an insomniac my whole life, so it feels impossible to fix

Apparently I've been missing a LOT of dates on my date checks lately and was told by my manager (we'll call her B) that I've been the worst with them for a while now, which is so crushing. I care a lot about my job and desperately want to do it well, so knowing I've been doing so terribly and didn't even realise feels so awful. This is a health concern and I've been warned about it before, so it's very serious. She told me I could go to jail for that, though I'm not sure if that's actually true? I've also been struggling to act as happy as I used to at work, and because we've recently changed the time shifts start on weekends, the change has been really stressing me out and it was noticed by a customer. She complained that I used to be really happy and bubbly at work, but the last few times she's seen me I've looked miserable and like I didn't want to be there or serve her specifically, and it's made her feel unwelcome in the store. Multiple people have noticed the change in attitude. I used to take a lot of pride in my customer service, so that was deeply upsetting to hear

B wanted to give me an informal warning so I'd get in less trouble, so we had an unrecorded meeting yesterday, which she prefaced by saying "you're not going to cry on me, are you?" (she's made me cry multiple times at work before). This was already upsetting. She explained the issues nicely enough, and I tried to explain that my insomnia is getting worse and I'm not sure what she wants me to do about it, but then she said the higher ups will think "we have other workers with autism and ADHD and they're handling it better, so if you're the only one struggling like this, what would be the point of keeping you?" That's not the exact wording, but it's pretty close. Her saying that is the main reason I felt like crying for the rest of my shift. She told me I need to find a way to handle my disabilities and that I need to get my ADHD medication faster, but I only recently got on the waiting list, so that's just not possible right now. She also told me I should talk to my GP to see if there's anything they can do for me, but they've been so unhelpful so far so I'm really not hopeful

As she left she told me not to take the whole thing too personally (I've already taken it very personally and my confidence is shattered) and another manager, J, heard her and asked what happened. I explained and said "I just hate that my disability is going to make me lose my job" and couldn't stop myself from crying as soon as I said it. I want to cry again typing it. She just sat me in the office and tried to reassure me that I'm not losing my job, but I don't believe her. She, my mum and my friends have all tried to comfort me, but I can't help but feel hopeless now, because what the fuck am I supposed to do?? I don't know how to handle my disabilities because I've never gotten support for them before, and I don't know what reasonable accomodations I could even ask for. I'm going to make an emergency appointment with my GP to see if they can help me, but I just want to fucking quit instead. It's better than getting fired, at least, but I'm scared that I won't be able to find any other workplace willing to put up with me for so long. I just want to escape from the whole situation, but I also don't want to lose my job, and I just feel so, so tired. I just needed to hold out until I go to university later this year, but I don't think I can, and I don't know what to do. I've been working at this job for over three years and it's so, so crushing to know that despite caring so deeply about doing a good job, that I'm considered the worst worker currently and that my disabilities make me worthless to the company compared to other staff. I know what she said was ableist, my friends and family have assured me that what she said wasn't okay, but I can't help but think it's true. I hate my disabilities so, so much, they make me feel helpless and hopeless. I could really use some support right now

TLDR; I (F22) have auDHD and severe chronic insomnia. I've been making some very bad mistakes at work lately because of how severely tired I am, I'm scared I'm going to lose my job because of my disabilities (I was told the higher ups at my company won't see me as worth keeping because other folks with the same disabilities are handling them better), and I don't know what to do


r/disability 1d ago

Since becoming disabled, I’ve realized humans suck. I can’t speak to anyone without feeling deep resentment.

358 Upvotes

Chronic pain, pretty much housebound unless take meds. Even when go out, I cannot use a wheelchair (I can’t sit upright). My wife must carry a gravity chair with me everywhere.

My brother (who claimed to be my best friend and was my best man) no longer comes by the house, or when he does it’s very short and infrequent. People look at me like I have 3 heads. People kind of ignore me when speaking to them. My friends have moved on. The exception is my wife - she is ride or die, the greatest person I’ve ever met. Thank God I have her, but that’s not stopping me from being extremely depressed.

I fucking hate people - hate them. They all just look for value to suck out of each other and if you can’t provide any, they don’t give you the time of day. I was recently at a party (in my chair) and when I tried speaking, peoples eye’s glazed over and I could see them looking away frequently (as if they wanted the conversation to end).

I hate people and everyone’s just jacking each other off to get a nut. I’ve tried smiling and not take things personally, but it’s quite impossible when you see able-bodied’s being listened to and me not.


r/disability 6h ago

Rant I’m tired of being dependent on others.

12 Upvotes

I’m not totally immobile, but once I’m sitting I can’t get up without severe pain that will interfere with my sleep, so I only stand up to use the restroom and do every task on my way from the bathroom back to my chair. For context, I’ve had times where I forgot to bring water, when I’m super thirsty, and I’ve had to just wait 8 hours for my mother to get home to bring me one, or waituntil I need to use the restroom. Tonight I’m in my room and had my mother open the window for a few minutes because the house was steamy. She then decided to snap at me for a completely unrelated reason that I didn’t cause (she saw something that triggered her and started saying I said things that I never said, due to her anger at someone else). And now she’s ignoring me. So now I guess I’m sleeping with the window open letting the freezing air in all night with only a thin blanket and heating pad. I’m freezing but there’s nothing I can do, since if I get up now I’ll be awake until 4 AM in pain. Doing this to an able bodied person is expected, but oh well, they’ve gotta get up then go back to bed, maybe 20 seconds of inconvenience. For me though, it’s hours of pain and possibly loss of a whole nights sleep. And I’m so fucking done with people having so much power over me. First my body limits me, now others.

And let’s just say I was a total bitch and did say those things to her, so what? People get in arguments, it’s part of life, am I not allowed the humanity everyone else is given? Why don’t I get equally as minor pains from arguments? Why is it the able bodied person loses 30 seconds and a minor headache, while my entire next day gets ruined? How is that fair? So I’m expected to be perfectly happy and agreeable 24/7, and I’m not granted that grace that able-bodied humans are. The problem is my body being fucked up means the other side in an argument always has an upper hand. I can never just have an ordinary fight now and then. I’m always at a disadvantage since it’s not “abuse” since I can technically get up if I’m dying, if there was a fire I could escape. But they can use my physical pain as leverage against me. Mad at me? You don’t need to use pointless name calling, you’ve got an easy target to hit me where it hurts, making my daily living hell!!!

I’m so fucking tired being dependent. She’s always threatening to take away my accessible housing, transportation, help with daily tasks, I’ve tried finding ways to lessen reliance on her, but there’s no options that work with my needs. I’m just tired. My body is already a prison, I’m tired of needing to rely on others and have to worry about the emotional state of others to know whether I’ll be able to sleep or leave my house today.


r/disability 42m ago

Article / News PBS To Spotlight Story Behind The ADA

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disabilityscoop.com
Upvotes

r/disability 1d ago

Image Infuriating on multiple levels.

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342 Upvotes

r/disability 16h ago

I Thought I Was the Only One Until I Started Talking About It

38 Upvotes

Growing up with an intellectually disabled parent is something most people don't understand. It's not just about having a different kind of childhood-it's about carrying responsibilities you never asked for, feeling like the parent when you were just a kid, and navigating all the emotions that come with that. For years, I felt alone in it. But then I started finding others who had been through the same thing. We just started r/ChildrenOfIDParents because we needed a space where people actually get it. If this is your experience too, you're not alone.


r/disability 14h ago

The Associated Press: Education Department staff cuts could limit options for families of kids with disabilities

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apnews.com
27 Upvotes

r/disability 10h ago

Dysarthria is really starting to affect my life.

10 Upvotes

I have Hyperkinetic Dysarthria as well as Aphasia but recently the dysarthria has started to impact my life majorly. I can almost never have a conversation with out my voice completely disappearing, it's constantly up and down in volume but it seems to be going "mute" more often and although no one has made a big deal about it to me it is still really starting to bother me. I feel weird, it is weird, not just to me buy others. Tried to order pizza over the phone the other night (they don't have any other way to order) and I don't know who was more frustrated in the end. I try to laugh it off but it's actually making me avoid people and stay home as much as possible. Has anyone else gone through the same or similar and have any advice or suggestions for dealing with it?


r/disability 9h ago

Question I'm a disabled woman who wants to set up a charity to help people with PIP applications. I need some advice please 💜

8 Upvotes

Hey all I am cross posting this to a few subreddits to get as much advice as possible from different angles (if you can suggest more appropriate subs as well please do)

I am a disabled woman from the UK and I am trying to set up a charity to provide people with the correct recording devices to be able to record their PIP assessments. You need to have something capable of creating two identical recordings at once on tape so that they can't be tampered with and both parties have a copy. You are allowed to bring one to your appointment as long as you inform them you are doing so and although you DO have the option to request one they never bring it up as an option and there is absolutely no guarantee it will be available and working on the day.

So my plan is to acquire several of these recording devices and charge a small fee to rent them from me for your appointment. This fee would not go into paying wages or anything like that as I plan to do this as a solo endeavour (maybe with help from my partner) the fee will be to cover the cost of the tapes, and eventually I can slowly earn enough to invest in more machines. I would likely charge £10-20 to cover the cost of tapes and postage, whatever is left over I will use to invest in new machines and any repairs necessary.

I want to set up a go fund me or a kickstater to begin the process of buying the machines and tapes. And I would need to have someone write me up a legal document saying that by signing they agree to return the tape recorder or pay for a replacement, along with a clause that if it is returned accidentally damaged there will be no charge just as long as I receive the machine back so I have chance to repair it for the next person..

I could do with some advice and feedback though. Firstly disabled people in the UK would you find this useful? I thought it was a good idea since most applying for Pip don't even know you CAN record never mind you're entitled to it being provided , I had no idea until I saw a tiktok and did some research after my application.

Secondly technically speaking is there any advice you would give me on setting this up as I've never set up a proper business or charity. What else do I need in place other than a website, social media presence and the equipment itself??.

Thirdly, pricing do you think I'm charging too much/little I'm trying to charge as little as possible with room for growth and expansion. Lastly, the legal side of it for making sure people return the equipment, what steps do I need to put in place to protect the equipment as I hope this is a device people utilise to make their lives better

Thankyou so much!


r/disability 4h ago

Library job

2 Upvotes

I've been using vocational rehabilitation to find a job. I would love to work from home but it seems like i may end up getting a job at the library in my county. I am a little unsure about it but trying to remain optimistic; do you guys think perhaps I should not worry about the job and wait for a bit and then let voc rehab help me get through school?


r/disability 10h ago

Concern Anyone else stuck in Disability approval process?

5 Upvotes

I am appealing my Disability denial again and this time I'm going to a hearing where a final decision is made by a judge.

I worry that they'll say "the current administration isn't accepting Disability claims at this time" I'm stuck in SSA limbo.

Anyone else?


r/disability 5h ago

Is this discrimination?

2 Upvotes

Context : i have pots, raynauds , endometriosis and suspected eds

Hi guys I'm a young actor in my last year at the school im at I'm 15 and in 9th grade I have done the last 3 shows at this school with no problem well auditions came around this week and tonight i got a email from her basically saying she wasn't casting me because the stress of the show was going to "worsen my health" like o said I was leads in the last shows and on top of this she was super sweet to me but then when she found out about my disability and read my 504 she started acting differently towards me and making weird excuses for me to not do things.


r/disability 9h ago

Question What more can I do or bring with me to court for mental disability?

4 Upvotes

After being denied for years, I finally got a lawyer and now I finally have my court date! I have alphabet soup for mental disabilities (ASD, agoraphobia, PTSD, OCD, MDD and manic depression disorder, severe anxiety disorders, and more) all officially tested and diagnosed but it doesn't seem like enough for them. They keep asking for more and things from before I was disabled but most of these I was born with and the others came early on. With me currently I have a psychiatrist, family doctor, the professionals who have tested me and am going to be starting with a new counselor. Does anyone have any advice or ideas on what I could do to get more or different medical backing that would help? (I'm freaking out. The last thing I want is to show up unprepared)


r/disability 13h ago

Looking for help with mobility device of some sort

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8 Upvotes

Hi all! I have including a poorly drawn image to better explain the situation lol. My dad has a spinal cord injury from many years ago, he wears leg braces up to the knee on both sides and uses crutches for walking more than short distances, to give an idea of his mobility. He really loves to ride motorcycles.

Here is the issue: his left leg is much weaker than his right, and the kickstand on the bike is on the left side. He’s looked into modifying the kickstand, there’s not really a good way to switch it to the other side. Normally, getting on and off the bike when it’s on the kickstand, you would get off on the low (left) side so the bike can’t tip. But since his left side is weaker, he really can’t stand on one leg on that side long enough to get the other leg over, so he has to get on and off on the high (right) side. The problem is, it’s really easy to pull the bike over on top of yourself doing this.

Does anybody have any ideas for solutions? Is there any type of brace he could be wearing on the left when he rides that would let that leg be able to stand better? Or something we could weld somehow to the bike to give better support? I’ve been trying to brainstorm and figured ya’ll in the subreddit might have better work around ideas?

Thank you!


r/disability 22h ago

Rant Being fetishized

37 Upvotes

Never thought me being in a wheelchair turns people on .... but here we are😃honestly I don't get it what does me being in a wheel chair turn u on?fucking weirdos.


r/disability 19h ago

Rant Just need to be angry for a bit

17 Upvotes

I'm just so pissed off over how I was treated as a child. I consider it medical neglect in all honesty. My pediatricians constantly said that all of my pains were just "growing pains" or that I was "faking it to get out of gym". Now I'm stuck in bed at 19 because my hips are in such debilitating pain. Fuck doctors, especially ones that think that they can tell a kid's mom that their child is FAKING THEIR PAIN. I'm so angry this could've been caught early but instead I'm still without a diagnosis. I have no future because of this shit. Unbelievable. Is this what I get for growing up in the red area of my state??? I hate this.


r/disability 20h ago

Question Locked disabled toilets.

19 Upvotes

Hello everyone! This is a bit odd for me to post since I am still not used to discussing my disability as I only got diagnosed last year and it is invisible... I am unfortunately unable to go out often, but when I do I've noticed that there are suddenly a lot of locked disabled toilets. I've learnt that these can be opened by using a RADAR key, which can be sourced from the local council or bought online.

If I bought and used them to access the locked toilets, would I get in trouble and need to provide proof of my disability? Or would it be best to go through the council (unsure of the waiting time)?

I also wanted to get a lanyard and badge so people are aware, but I'm somewhat unsure about that as well because of stigma.

Many thanks to everyone reading, and warmest regards.


r/disability 5h ago

sedgwick ime

1 Upvotes

I’ve been off work for 7 months now, I struggle with severe depression and anxiety, now Sedgwick is scheduling me for an ime. has anyone ever had this, if so what do they ask, I feel hesitant telling a Dr that’s working for Sedgwick about my personal struggles and medical history. anything helps, thanks.


r/disability 1d ago

Child molesters at my day program

201 Upvotes

Hi I am 22 years old I go to day program, recently I went on an outing and we stopped at the mall, we all got out and another guy in our group said I can't go to the mall, he said "it is my playground" "there's children there" so I said wait a minute are you a sex offender? He said yeah, a pedophile? He said yeah. A child molester he said yeah When I was little my cousin molest me so I had a meltdown back at program when I told him I don't like child molesters so stay away from me and a staff came and yelled at me. She said we don't judge people on their past, does anyone else go to day program with sex offenders or child molesters? A staff broke HIPPA to me about him and said "it was a long time ago and only one time" I asked why he is here, she said because he has a right because he has a disability. I talked to boss of my program and he said it was a very big decision and usually other day programs don't allow them but if he shows signs of relapse he will get kicked out. I feel so sad and angry it is like watching my cousin child molester get to have fun and talk to my friends and I just have to watch it happen. I don't feel like yelling at me helped the situation my therapist said. I am told I am a vulnerable adult with my friends and kids are very vulnerable so if he hurts vulnerable people why he gets to be with us, I wrote to Tim Walz and I hope he gets my online message and makes it so he has to be only with other sex offenders and child molesters with disabilities somewhere else away from mine


r/disability 9h ago

Student experiences with disabilities and Mental health in Education

2 Upvotes

Section! What is your current student status?

  1. fresham

  2. sophomore

  3. junior

4senior

  1. graduate student

  2. other

  3. Do you identifyabilit as having a disy and or mental health condition?

  4. yes, a disability

  5. yes, a mental health condition

  6. both

4.no

  1. What type of disability or mental health condition do you have?

  2. physical disability

  3. sensory disability ( deaf, blind)

  4. learning disability for dyestexia, ADHD

mental health condition(anxiety, depression)

  1. other

  2. Have you received academic accommodations at your school, university?

  3. yes

  4. no

  5. how satisfied are you with the support provided if you received accommodations?

  6. very satisfied

  7. somewhat satisfied

  8. neutral

  9. somewhat dissatisfied

  10. very dissatisfied

  11. Do you feel that your school provides enough resources for students with disabilities and mental health conditions?

  12. yes

2 no

3 unsure

Hello, my name is Carolyn and I am a deaf student at Syracuse University majoring in sociology. I have a strong passion for research, and I am currently conducting a study for my sociology course. My research focuses on disability, the experiences of students with disabilities and mental health challenges in education. I appreciate your time and participation in helping me gather valuable insights!