At what age can people qualify for support?

Sometimes you have to let people totally fail, before the community will step in and pick them up. I hope the brother falls gently, and that there are people there when he needs them. There's usually a lot of places to go--homeless shelters, Social Services, churches, food shelves, Catholic Charities, Lutheran Social Services, Jewish Community Services, there's TONS of places that will help----but the person in need needs to go in their front door. Other people can spend some time inquiring, but, ultimately, the person in need needs to set foot inside the place (or someone like the police have to drag them in there).

Minding: Yes, hoarding is a mental illness.

He's probably barely making ends met. Does he live in section 8 housing?

I will tell you, at 57 he is not getting "quite a bit of support". At 62 I had worked f/t and p/t jobs. SS only goes back 35 years. I get about $800. Not enough to live on. So at 57? My nephew at 25 only gets about $400 SSD. He was born with physical and neurological problems. He can maybe get housing thur Hud (medicaid will not help with this unless on SSI), food stamps, help with utilities...he can only get this help if he signs up. If your brother is mentally challenged, you maybe able to get a conservatorship where you are in charge of his money. If he isn't, he is on his own. There is nothing you can do if he is of sound mind and an adult.

Your brother needs more services through his social worker. I'd call him/her and ask about financial management and perhaps subsidized housing. He's mentally ill and, unfortunately, in a situation where there are too few services, but perhaps your state offers more help than you know. I hope that you can find someone to intervene.

Please update us on how you and he are doing.
Carol

You do not mention the type of disability that qualified him for the SS disability benefit and whether it was earned through his own work record or a parents. It would be helpful to know this type of information to be able to suggest possible resources of support for him. Also which city and state he lives in as programs vary widely. Some cities have intervention programs before a person becomes homeless. If your state has a 211 helpline that would be a good phone call to make to find out about resources specific to your brother's situation.

Be kind.

He is already receiving SSDI, that is quite a bit of support. Maybe he needs to apply for subsidized housing, and a social worker could supervise him every other week. Or.maybe he would do better living in a Group Home. It's too bad he could not have gotten himself together earlier in his life, but it's not too late to change his ways now, and maybe become a productive member of a community instead of being so needy.