Hello there, I'm Diane. I'm wondering if there are any other people out there like myself. I was a caregiver for 15 years and my mom passed in 2011. Prior to her passing I was never able to pay into social security during this whole time so I have no work credits paid towards my own record now and disabilities. To be clear, I don't have enough work credits built towards my own record within the amount of time I myself became disabled. I am now going through a divorce and this has been a huge hurdle for me now. If anyone else is in the same boat, I'd like to talk. God bless you all. Please remember to take care of yourselves and reach out for help when you need it. Caregiver burn-out is more real than you can ever imagine.
Always my best!
Diane
I always advise people on this forum who are thinking to take on the care of their elders that it takes a LIFETIME of hard work, good luck, good timing, coupon clipping and hard savings to come to a point where you are comfortable and prepared for the costs of your own retirement. I was taught this at my parent's knees, and they sure were right about it. People simply cannot afford to do this for their parents; it is consigning themselves to a slow death sentence without good care.
I am hopeful that a good social worker can assist you in finding access to every single thing you have a right to in these dire circumstances. There are so many things people do not understand. For instance, in my own city, the transit costs 3.00 per bus ride. Yet there is a FREE program to those whose incomes fall below a certain level, and it isn't advertised and so few people know about it.
I wish you the very best of luck and am so sorry about these circumstances you find yourself in. I hope others can give you some better guidelines. Remember, you CAN call APS for yourself and there are Local Agency (or Council) on Aging everywhere.
Good luck.
"Are there any other "sandwich generation" caregivers who was a caregiver prior to the "paid self-directed care for blood relatives allowance?"
Are you talking about the Medicaid program where a family member is trained and works for an agency but is allowed to care for a LO and be paid? And if so, what does that have to do with you now? From what I see is you did caring since 1996. For the last 14 years you have been disabled and not able to get Social Security disability because you don't have 40 qrts (10 yrs) of work earnings? How old are you? Is your husband collecting Social Security? If so, you are at least 62 u get the eqivalent of half of his SS. So if he gets 2000 you get a 1000. He still keeps his 2k though. If you are 65, you can get Medicare based on his earnings. If he is not elligible for these yet, I don't think u can collect yet. But in the divorce, depending how long you have been married, I would think he would have to support you.
Your County should have a Disabilities dept. Call them to see what you may be entitled too.