Home Instead Senior Care sponsors Jim Miller's Savvy Senior column

Dear Savvy Senior,

Can you write a column on fall prevention tips for elderly seniors? My 81-year-old father, who lives alone, has fallen several times over the past year. What can you tell us?

Concerned Daughter

Dear Concerned,

Falls are a big concern for millions of elderly Americans and their families. In the United States, roughly one-third of the 65-and-older population will suffer a fall this year, often with dire with consequences. But many falls can be prevented. Here are some steps you can take to help keep your dad up on his feet and reduce his risk of falling.

Check his meds: Does your dad take any medicine or combination of medicines that make him dizzy, sleepy or lightheaded? If so, gather up all the drugs he takes – prescriptions and over-the-counter – and take them to his doctor or pharmacist for a drug review.

Schedule an eye exam: Poor vision can be another contributor to falls. If your dad wears glasses, check to see if he’s wearing the correct prescription and beware of bifocals. Multifocal glasses can impair vision needed for detecting obstacles and judging depth.

Check his balance: Balance disorders – which can be brought on by a variety of conditions like inner ear problems, allergies, a head injury or problems with blood circulation – are also a common cause of falls. If you dad is having some balance issues, make an appointment with his doctor to get it checked and treated.

Start exercising: Improving balance through exercise is one of the best ways to prevent falls. Strength training, stretching, yoga, tai chi are all great for building better balance. Some simple exercises that he can do anytime are walking heel-to-toe across the room, standing on one foot for 30 seconds or longer, or getting up from a chair and sitting back down 10 to 20 times. For more balance exercise tips, call the National Institute on Aging at 800-222-2225 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting            800-222-2225      end_of_the_skype_highlighting and order their free exercise DVD and free exercise book or you can see it online at go4life.niapublications.org.

Modify his home: Because about half of all falls happen around the home, some simple modifications can go a long way in making your dad’s living area safer. Start by picking up items on the floor that could cause him to trip like newspapers, books, shoes, cloths, electrical or phone cords. If he has throw rugs, remove them or use double-sided tape to secure them. In the bathroom put a non-slip rubber mat or self-stick strips on the floor of the tub or shower, and have a carpenter install grab bars inside the tub and next to the toilet. Also, make sure the lighting throughout the house is good, purchase some inexpensive plug-in nightlights for the bathrooms and hallways, and if he has stairs, consider putting hand rails on both sides. And in the kitchen, organize his cabinets so the things he uses most often are within easy reach without using a step stool. For more tips, call the Eldercare Locater at 800-677-1116 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting            800-677-1116      end_of_the_skype_highlighting  and order a free copy of their “Preventing Falls at Home” brochure.

Other pitfalls: Believe it or not, the improper use of canes and walkers sends around 47,000 seniors to the emergency room each year. If your dad uses a cane or walker, be sure it’s adequately adjusted to his height and that he’s using it properly. A physical therapist can help with this, or see the Mayo Clinic slide show on how to choose and use a cane (mayoclinic.com/health/canes/HA00064) and a walker (mayoclinic.com/health/walker/HA00060). Another possible hazard is pets. If your dad has a dog or cat, he needs to be aware that – because they can get under foot – pets cause a lot of falls. Shoes are another issue to be aware of. Rubber-soled, low-heeled shoes are the best slip/trip proof shoes for seniors.

Savvy Tip: Consider getting your dad a home monitoring system which is a small pendent-style “SOS button” that he wears that would allow him to call for help if he fell. Available through companies like lifelinesys.com and lifealert.com these systems cost around $1 per day.

Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.

About Jim Miller

Jim Miller, creator of the syndicated Savvy Senior column

Jim Miller is the creator of Savvy Senior, a syndicated information column for older Americans and their families that is published in more than 400 newspapers and magazines nationwide. Jim is also a contributor on NBC’s “Today” show, and is the author of The Savvy Senior, The Ultimate Guide to Health, Family and Finances for Senior Citizens, (Hyperion, 2004).

Jim is frequently quoted in articles about issues affecting senior citizens and has been featured in numerous high profile publications, including Time magazine, USA Today and The New York Times.  In addition, he has made multiple appearances on CNBC, CNN, Retirement Living Television and national public television.

The Savvy Senior column is brought to you by Home Instead Senior Care of Richmond and Tappahannock

Home Instead Senior Care provides extraordinary senior home care, personal care and companionship services to seniors in the Richmond area which includes the counties of Chesterfield, Goochland, Hanover, Henrico and Powhatan.  We also serve all of the Northern Neck out of our Tappahannock office.  For more information, please visit our digital brochure or call our office at    804.527.1100 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting            804.527.1100      end_of_the_skype_highlighting  anytime.

Home Instead Senior Care sponsors Jim Miller's Savvy Senior column

Dear Savvy Senior,

What kinds of programs are available to help low-income seniors with their Medicare costs and other expenses? My 81-year-old mother has gone through her savings and is having a tough time getting by on her Social Security benefits. What can you tell us?

Worried Son

Dear Worried,

There are actually a variety of under-utilized programs that can help lower-income seniors with their Medicare costs, grocery bills, utility expenses and more. Here’s what you should know.

Medicare Savings Programs

For millions of seniors who are having a tough time paying their out-of-pocket healthcare costs, help is available through Medicare Savings Programs (MSPs). These are Medicaid-administered programs that pay Medicare Part B premiums and depending on your mom’s finances may even pick up the tab on her Medicare copayments and deductibles. To qualify, her income must be under $1,246 per month (or $1,675 for a married couple), and her assets must be below $6,680 ($10,020 per couple) not including her house, vehicle, burial fund, furniture or other household items. To find out if she qualifies, or to apply, contact her local Medicaid office – call 800-633-4227 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 800-633-4227 end_of_the_skype_highlighting for contact information.

Extra Drug Help

If your mom is eligible for a MSP, she’s also eligible for “Extra Help” in paying her Medicare prescription drug plan costs. If, however, she’s not eligible she can still get Extra Help if her annual income is below $16,335 ($22,065 for a married couple living together), and her cash assets are under $12,640 ($25,260 for married couples) excluding her home and vehicle. For more information, call Social Security at 800-772-1213 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 800-772-1213 end_of_the_skype_highlighting www.ssa.gov/prescriptionhelp.

Food Assistance

In addition to the Medicare programs, your mom may also be able to get some help with her grocery bills. Food assistance programs like SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) are available to seniors, age 60 and older, with cash assets under $3,000, and a “net income” below $903 per month ($1,215 for a family of two). Net income is figured by taking your mom’s gross income minus allowable deductions like medical expenses, rent or mortgage payments, utility costs, insurance, taxes and more. The average monthly SNAP benefit is currently around $101 per person. To find out if your mom qualifies, use the SNAP pre-screening tool at www.snap-step1.usda.gov or contact her local SNAP office – call 800-221-5689 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 800-221-5689 end_of_the_skype_highlighting

Utility Assistance

There are also resources available that can help low-income seniors reduce their utility bills. The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, as well as local utility companies and charitable organization help millions of Americans each year with their home heating and cooling costs. To search for help go to energynear.org, a web portal that provides information on all energy assistance programs in each state, along with qualification details, how to apply and who to contact. You can also call the National Energy Assistance Referral project at 866-674-6327 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 866-674-6327 end_of_the_skype_highlighting

Supplemental Income

Another program to check into is SSI or Supplemental Security Income. Administered by the Social Security Administration, SSI provides monthly payments to very low income seniors (age 65 and older), as well as to those who are blind and disabled. To learn more or find out if she’s eligible, visit www.ssa.gov/ssi or call 800-772-1213 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 800-772-1213 end_of_the_skype_highlighting

Savvy Tip: To search for other assistance programs go to benefitscheckup.org, a comprehensive web service developed by the National Council on Aging, that contains a database of more than 2,000 federal, state and local programs that can help seniors in need. The site will help you locate programs that your mom may be eligible for and will show you how to apply. This service is only available online.

Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.

Jim Miller, creator of the syndicated Savvy Senior column

About Jim Miller

Jim Miller is the creator of Savvy Senior, a syndicated information column for older Americans and their families that is published in more than 400 newspapers and magazines nationwide. Jim is also a contributor on NBC’s “Today” show, and is the author of The Savvy Senior, The Ultimate Guide to Health, Family and Finances for Senior Citizens, (Hyperion, 2004).

Jim is frequently quoted in articles about issues affecting senior citizens and has been featured in numerous high profile publications, including Time magazine, USA Today and The New York Times.  In addition, he has made multiple appearances on CNBC, CNN, Retirement Living Television and national public television.

The Savvy Senior column is brought to you by Home Instead Senior Care of Richmond and Tappahannock

Home Instead Senior Care provides extraordinary senior home care, personal care and companionship services to seniors in the Richmond area which includes the counties of Chesterfield, Goochland, Hanover, Henrico and Powhatan.  We also serve all of the Northern Neck out of our Tappahannock office.  For more information, please visit our digital brochure or call our office at 804.527.1100 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 804.527.1100 end_of_the_skype_highlighting anytime.

Home Instead Senior Care sponsors Jim Miller's Savvy Senior column

Dear Savvy Senior,

What resources can you recommend to help seniors learn how to use technology devices? I am particularly interested learning how to text, e-mail and Facebook so I can keep up with my grandkids.

Tech-Shy Senior

Dear Tech-Shy Senior,

Keeping in touch with the younger generation these days is a lot easier if you know how to use basic cell phone and computer technologies. Here are several tips and resources that can help you get started.

Hands-On Help

While seniors make up the fastest growing group of Internet and e-mail users in the U.S., they still lag way behind the younger generations. One of the best places seniors can turn to for help using their cell phone or computer is their own grandkids who have grown up with these technologies and are practically experts at operating them. If that’s not an option, ask your friends or other family members who are tech-savvy to help you.

Depending on where you live, you may also be able to get help through your public library, local senior center, schools or community college – many of which also offer basic computer and personal technology classes to seniors. To find out what’s available in your community, call your Area Agency on Aging (call 800-677-1116 to get your local number) or your public library.

Also check out SeniorNet (seniornet.org, 571-203-7100), a national organization that offers a variety of basic online computer courses as well as instructor-led workshops at around 60 learning centers throughout the U.S. A first year membership fee of $40 is required. 

How-To Resources

Another nice resource that can help you is Eldercare Locator’s new publication called “Staying Connected: Technology Options for Older Adults.”  This simple six-page guide will take you through the basic facts about how to use tools like Facebook, e-mail and texting, including privacy and safety information. The guide also introduces YouTube, Twitter, Skype, Instant Messaging and blogging – all tools that seniors can use to stay connected. To get a free copy, call 800-677-1116 or you can read it online at www.eldercare.gov.

There are also a wide variety of how-to books you can purchase that are very helpful. The “For Dummies” books (see dummies.com), for example, offer dozens of technology guides for seniors like “Computers For Seniors For Dummies,” “Facebook and Twitter For Seniors For Dummies,” “Instant Messaging For Dummies” and many others. These books can be found in book stores nationwide or online at sites like amazon.com.

And some great online resources to check out are seniorconnects.org, which provides basic computer, Internet and e-mail training materials tailored to seniors that can be viewed online or printed out for free. And teachparentstech.org, a site created by Google that offers a number of simple videos that explains how to do many computer functions.

Senior-Friendly Technology

Having the right tools can also make technology a little easier. Senior-friendly cell phones like the Jitterbug J (jitterbug.com, 800-733-6632), Doro phones sold through Consumer Cellular’s (consumercellular.com, 888-345-5509), and Just 5 (just5.com, 800-709-0509) are all easy to see, hear and operate, and they all have texting capabilities.

For computers, Hewlett-Packard’s SeniorPCs (enablemart.com, 888-640-1999), the Go Computer (thegocomputer.com, 877-671-5846) and KiwiPC (kiwipc.com) are three options developed specifically for older adults.

Simpler Options

If you find that the technology is too confusing, there are other products and services available today that can help you stay connected to your younger tech-using family members. One example is PostEgram (postegram.com), a service that will turn your family’s Facebook news and photos into stamped letters that you could receive in the mail every week.

Or, consider a Celery (mycelery.com; 866-692-3537) or Presto (presto.com, 866-428-0970), two companies that turn e-mails into printed faxes almost immediately. All of these services cost under $15 per month, but if you opt for a Celery or Presto you’ll need to purchase a fax machine too, which will run around $100.

Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org.  
 

Jim Miller, creator of the syndicated Savvy Senior column

About Jim Miller

Jim Miller is the creator of Savvy Senior, a syndicated information column for older Americans and their families that is published in more than 400 newspapers and magazines nationwide. Jim is also a contributor on NBC’s “Today” show, and is the author of The Savvy Senior, The Ultimate Guide to Health, Family and Finances for Senior Citizens, (Hyperion, 2004). 

Jim is frequently quoted in articles about issues affecting senior citizens and has been featured in numerous high profile publications, including Time magazine, USA Today and The New York Times.  In addition, he has made multiple appearances on CNBC, CNN, Retirement Living Television and national public television.

The Savvy Senior column is brought to you by Home Instead Senior Care of Richmond and Tappahannock

Home Instead Senior Care provides extraordinary senior home care, personal care and companionship services to seniors in the Richmond area which includes the counties of Chesterfield, Goochland, Hanover, Henrico and Powhatan.  We also serve all of the Northern Neck out of our Tappahannock office.  For more information, please visit our digital brochure or call our office at 804.527.1100 anytime.

Home Instead Senior Care sponsors Jim Miller's Savvy Senior column

Dear Savvy Senior,

Do I have to pay income tax on my Social Security benefits? I just turned 62 and am seriously considering early retirement. What can you tell me?

Ready to Retire

Dear Ready to Retire,

When you start collecting your Social Security retirement benefits, a portion of it might be taxable depending on your total income level and marital status. Here’s what you should know.

Crunch Your Numbers

About one-third of people who get Social Security have to pay income taxes on their benefits. To figure out if your benefits will be taxable, you’ll need to add up all of your taxable income from pensions, wages, interest, dividends and other sources, plus any tax exempt interest you earned (such as interest on municipal bonds) and one-half of your Social Security benefits. (You’ll receive an SSA-1099 form in the mail each January reporting your Social Security benefits for the previous year.)

To help you with the calculations, get a copy of IRS Publication 915 “Social Security and Equivalent Railroad Retirement Benefits,” which provides detailed instructions and worksheets. You can download it at www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p915.pdf.  Worksheets can also be found in the IRS 1040 (www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/i1040.pdf) and 1040A (www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/i1040a.pdf) instruction booklets. To receive any of these publications via mail, call the IRS at 800-829-3676 and order them.

Taxed or Not

After you do the math, Uncle Sam says that if you’re single and your total income from all of the listed sources is:

• Less that $25,000, your Social Security will not be subject to federal income tax.
• Between $25,000 and $34,000, up to 50 percent of your Social Security benefits will be taxed at your regular income-tax rate.
• More than $34,000, up to 85 percent of your benefits will be taxed.

If you’re married and filing jointly and the total from all sources is:

• Less that $32,000, your Social Security won’t be taxed.
• Between $32,000 and $44,000, up to 50 percent of your Social Security benefits will be taxed.
• More than $44,000, up to 85 percent of your benefits will be taxed.

If you’re married and file a separate return, you probably will pay taxes on your benefits.

How to File

If you find that part of your Social Security benefits will be taxable, you’ll need to file using use Form 1040 or Form 1040A. You cannot use Form 1040EZ. You also need to know that if you do owe Uncle Sam, you’ll need to make quarterly estimated tax payments to the IRS or you can choose to have it automatically withheld from your benefits.

To have it withheld, you’ll need to complete IRS Form W-4V, Voluntary Withholding Request (www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw4v.pdf), and file it with your local Social Security office. You can choose to have 7 percent, 10 percent, 15 percent or 25 percent of your total benefit payment withheld. If you subsequently decide you don’t want the taxes withheld, you can file another W-4V to stop the withholding.

State Taxes

In addition to the federal government, 14 states – Colorado, Connecticut, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont and West Virginia – tax Social Security benefits to some extent too. For details, check with your state tax agency or visit retirementliving.com – click on “Taxes by State.”

Savvy Tip: For more information on taxable Social Security benefits call the IRS help line at 800-829-1040, or visit an IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center (see www.irs.gov/localcontacts) where you can get face-to-face help.

Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit http://SavvySenior.org.

About Jim Miller

Jim Miller, creator of syndicated The Savvy Senior column

Jim Miller is the creator of Savvy Senior, a syndicated information column for older Americans and their families that is published in more than 400 newspapers and magazines nationwide. Jim is also a contributor on NBC’s “Today” show, and is the author of The Savvy Senior, The Ultimate Guide to Health, Family and Finances for Senior Citizens, (Hyperion, 2004).  

Jim is frequently quoted in articles about issues affecting senior citizens and has been featured in numerous high profile publications, including Time magazine, USA Today and The New York Times.  In addition, he has made multiple appearances on CNBC, CNN, Retirement Living Television and national public television. 

The Savvy Senior column is brought to you by Home Instead Senior Care of Richmond and Tappahannock

Home Instead Senior Care provides extraordinary senior home care, personal care and companionship services to seniors in the Richmond area which includes the counties of Chesterfield, Goochland, Hanover, Henrico and Powhatan.  We also serve all of the Northern Neck out of our Tappahannock office.  For more information, please visit our digital brochure or call our office at 804.527.1100 anytime.

 Dear Savvy Senior,

What tips or products can you recommend to make a bathroom more senior-friendly. My husband and I are looking to adapt our home for our elderly years and would like to start with the bathroom. What can you tell us?

Aging Gracefully

Home Instead Senior Care sponsors Jim Miller's Savvy Senior column

Dear Aging,

Because more accidents and injuries happen in the bathroom than any other room in the house, this is a great place to start seniorizing.

Here’s what you should know.

Small Changes

To avoid hygiene hardships as you get older, let’s start with some simple tips and a few low-cost add-ons that can make a big difference in making your bathroom safer and easier to maneuver.   

• Floor: To avoid slipping and tripping, get non-skid bath rugs for the floors or secure existing floor mats or rugs with double-sided rug tape. 
• Lights: The older we get the more light we need, so install the highest wattage bulbs allowed for your fixtures, and get a plug in nightlight that automatically turns on when the room gets dark.
• Entrance: If the doorway into the bathroom is not wide enough to accommodate a wheelchair or walker, you can easily widen your doorways (two inches) with inexpensive offset door hinges.
• Bath/shower: To make bathing safer, buy a non-slip rubber mat or put down self-stick strips on the tub/shower floor, and install grab bars for support. If you use the shower, it’s a good idea to put in a shower curtain rod that screws or bolts into the wall (versus a tension-mounted rod), so that if you lose your balance and grab the shower curtain, the rod won’t spring loose. Another safety precaution is to put in a water-resistant, wall-mounted phone in or near the bath/shower in case of a fall. And many seniors with mobility or balance problems need to shower sitting down. If this applies to you, install a hand-held, adjustable-height shower head, and buy a portable bath/shower chair.
• Toilet: Install grab bars next to the toilet too if possible, or purchase a toilet seat riser. This adds two-to-four inches of height making it easier to sit and rise. 
• Faucets: If you have twist handles on the sink, bathtub or shower faucets, replace them with lever handles. They’re easier to turn, especially for seniors with arthritis or limited hand strength. Also be aware that it takes only 130-degree water to scald you, so turn your hot water heater down to 120 degrees or get anti-scald devices for your faucets.

Bathroom Products

If you’re thinking about remodeling, there are a variety of practical and stylish products on the market that can make your bathroom more age-friendly.

For bathing, prefabricated “curbless showers” and “walk-in bathtubs” are two popular options today. Curbless showers have no threshold to step over so access is a breeze and ideal for wheelchair users. Theses showers also typically come with a built-in seat, grab bars, an adjustable hand-held shower head, and a slip resistant textured floor. Or, if you like to take baths, a walk-in bathtub with a front door may be the way to go. You can find these products at sites like Accessible-Showers.com and Premier-Bathrooms.com. 

If you’re interested in getting a new toilet, go with an ADA compliant “comfort height” toilet that’s 17 inches high, versus a standard toilet that’s only 15 inches. Kohler (Kohler.com) and American Standard (AmericanStandard-us.com) make a nice variety.

And if you’re putting in a new sink, install it at a level that reduces bending. For wheelchair access wall-mounted or pedestal sinks, or a sink built into a cabinet that’s open underneath will let you roll in nice and close. And if you get a new faucet, the single lever handle style is great for those with arthritis.

Savvy Tips: For more information on senior-friendly modification tips visit aarp.org/families/home_design/bath and Homemods.org. Also contact your nearby independent living center (ilru.org, 713-520-0232). These are nonprofit centers that provide modification information, and many even offer free or low-cost home assessments. Your Area Agency on Aging (800-677-1116) is also a good referral resource.

Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit http://SavvySenior.org.

About Jim Miller

Jim Miller, creator of syndicated The Savvy Senior column

Jim Miller is the creator of Savvy Senior, a syndicated information column for older Americans and their families that is published in more than 400 newspapers and magazines nationwide. Jim is also a contributor on NBC’s “Today” show, and is the author of The Savvy Senior, The Ultimate Guide to Health, Family and Finances for Senior Citizens, (Hyperion, 2004).  

Jim is frequently quoted in articles about issues affecting senior citizens and has been featured in numerous high profile publications, including Time magazine, USA Today and The New York Times.  In addition, he has made multiple appearances on CNBC, CNN, Retirement Living Television and national public television. 

The Savvy Senior column is brought to you by Home Instead Senior Care of Richmond and Tappahannock

Home Instead Senior Care provides extraordinary senior home care, personal care and companionship services to seniors in the Richmond area which includes the counties of Chesterfield, Goochland, Hanover, Henrico and Powhatan.  We also serve all of the Northern Neck out of our Tappahannock office.  For more information, please visit our digital brochure or call our office at 804.527.1100 anytime.

P.S. There are more helpful hints like this in the book, Stages of Senior Care.  Call us to inquire about how to get a copy.

Dear Savvy Senior,

What do I need to do to get Social Security disability? I’m 58 years old and have back problems that are keeping me from doing my job, but I’ve heard it’s very difficult to actually get disability benefits. What tips can you offer?

Disabled Dave

Jim Miller, creator of Savvy Senior column, answers your questions about senior life.

Dear Dave,

The process of getting Social Security disability benefits can be tricky and time-consuming, but you can help yourself by doing some homework and getting prepared.

Here’s what you should know.

Last year, around 3 million people applied for Social Security disability benefits, but two-thirds of them were denied. Why the high denial rate? Because most applicants fail to provide sufficient medical evidence that prove they’re disabled and can’t work. While there are no magic tips to getting Social Security disability, there are several steps you can take to give yourself a better chance for a favorable decision.

Get Informed

Your first step is to know if your disability meets Uncle Sam’s criteria. Social Security strictly requires that you must be physically or mentally unable to perform “any” substantial work and have a medical condition that’s lasted or is expected to last at least a year or result in death. You must also have worked five out of the last 10 years and be under full retirement age. For more details, see ssa.gov/dibplan/dqualify4.htm and go through the five questions Social Security uses to decide if you’re disabled.

If you think you qualify, your next step is to learn all you can about how the program works. Your best resource is http://SocialSecurity.gov – click on “Disability.”  Or, if you don’t have Internet access, Social Security offers lots of free publications that you can have mailed to you including “Disability Benefits” (publication No. 05-10029) which provides a good comprehensive overview. Call 800-772-1213 to order publications.

Get Prepared

After you bone up, your next step is to gather up your personal, financial and medical information so you can be prepared and organized for the application process. You’ll need your Social Security number; birth certificate; names, addresses and phone numbers of the doctors, hospitals and clinics that took care of you and dates of your visits; names and dosage of all the medicine you take; medical records from your doctors, therapists, hospitals and clinics; lab and test results; documents stating your physician’s objective view of your condition, restrictions and limitations; a summary of where you worked and the kind of work you did; and a copy of your most recent W-2 Form or, if you are self-employed, your federal tax return for the past year.

How to Apply

After you get all your information together, you can then apply either online at ssa.gov/applyfordisability, or call 800-772-1213 to make an appointment to apply at your local Social Security office or to set up an appointment for someone to take your claim over the phone. The whole process lasts about an hour. If you schedule an appointment, a “Disability Starter Kit” that will help you get ready for your interview will be mailed to you. If you apply online, the kit is available at ssa.gov/disability.

Be Patient

It takes three to five months from the initial application to receive either an award or initial denial of disability benefits. The only exception is if you have a chronic illness that qualifies you for a “compassionate allowance,” (see ssa.gov/compassionateallowances) which fast-tracks cases within 10 days.

Be Persistent

If Social Security denies your application for disability, you can request a hearing to appeal the decision, and you’ll be happy to know that roughly 55 percent of cases that go through a round or two of appeals end with benefits being awarded. But the bad news is, with backlog of over 700,000 people currently waiting for a hearing, it will take a year or two for you to get one.

Get Help

If you are having trouble getting your applications in order or need help with your appeal, consider getting an attorney or a Social Security disability claims services company to represent you. A representative can only charge you if they’re successful in getting you benefits. If they do succeed, typical fees are 25 percent of past-due benefits or $6,000, whichever is less.  

Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit http://SavvySenior.org.

About Jim Miller

Jim Miller is the creator of Savvy Senior, a syndicated information column for older Americans and their families that is published in more than 400 newspapers and magazines nationwide. Jim is also a contributor on NBC’s “Today” show, and is the author of The Savvy Senior, The Ultimate Guide to Health, Family and Finances for Senior Citizens, (Hyperion, 2004).  

Jim is frequently quoted in articles about issues affecting senior citizens and has been featured in numerous high profile publications, including Time magazine, USA Today and The New York Times.  In addition, he has made multiple appearances on CNBC, CNN, Retirement Living Television and national public television. 

The Savvy Senior column is brought to you by Home Instead Senior Care of Richmond and Tappahannock

Home Instead Senior Care provides extraordinary senior care, personal care and companionship services to seniors in the Richmond area which includes the counties of Chesterfield, Goochland, Hanover, Henrico and Powhatan.  We also service all of the Northern Neck out of our Tappahannock office.  For more information, please visit our digital brochure or call our office at 804.527.1100 anytime.