services

housing

• Subsidized housing may be available through your local housing authority or city.
• When house-hunting, look for ADA-compliant units that may have things such as grab bars in the bathroom, wider doors for wheelchairs and the like.

transportation

• Free bus passes may be available via your regional transit authority.
• DSHS or local services may provide free transport to medical appointments.
• For travel out-of-state for medical appointments, free flights my be available - inquire at your hospital

food

• Food stamps are administered through states - you apply through your dept of social and health services (DSHS).
• check locally - often through churches - for food banks. Many deliver free food to people who are homebound.
• Many cities have "soup kitchens" or other like programs where free meals are served.

medical

• Ask your doctor about help with prescription (RX) drug costs. Some states have RX programs for low-income households. If you work part-time you may be able to "buy into" your state's Medicaid program.
• You may qualify for free or subsidized passes for exercise facilities or physical therapy via the YWCA, YMCA, or foundations for particular medical conditions such as the Arthirits Foundaion.
• Adaptive devices such as wheelchairs, scooters and walkers usually require a doctor's RX and may be available at no cost via your medical insurance or MediCare.

other

• "Disabled" parking signs not only allow you free parking in spaces labeled for the disabled, but any space anywhere. Apply via your state Department of Motor Vehicles.
• local programs, hospitals and DSHS often provide "chore workers" at no cost who can provide shopping, cooking, housecleaning, bathing, rides and other services.
• Your state library system may have free home delivery. In addition to books, they have movies and music. They also have audio books available for people with visual impairment.
• The Department of Vocational Rehabilitation or it's equivalent in your state offers free functional assessment, job training and provides adaptive devices to enable you to work.

Help with this list was provided by Ellen Jablow, former social worker. Thanks, Ellen.

budgeting

True, many of us must work. And true many of us can't. In the past I've found that I would often overestimate my actual financial needs or overlook creative ways to stay minimally employed so that I could retain healthcare benefits and some wages. Can you work fewer hours? If you said "no" too fast, I urge you to get out pen and paper and go over all of your actual and necessary expenses. Few people are without flexibility here.

Get a handle on what your financial situation really looks like. Many of us have a 'feeling' that we need lots of money or at least every penny of what we earned before we got sick. Remember, when we make more, we always expand our expenses accordingly and these expenses naturally begin to feel like necessities. What is your bottom line, really? Below is a handy formula you can follow. Get out some paper!

• needs and wants: Begin with an assessment of your monthly needs versus your wants. It helps to make a list. A roof over your head is a need, a cell phone is most often a want. Groceries for the home are a need, eating out - a want. Cable tv would be a want, but if you might stop working altogether, it may become a priority want to help keep boredom at bay! :) Some of our most basic needs, which may or may not fit your personal situation, are rent/mortgage, utilities, transportation, food, medical, debt and saving. Some of you may share these expenses with others (in which case you would factor in only your share of these costs). For transporation you may own a car and have payments, fuel, insurance and maintenance costs - or you may use public tranportation. Consider other needs that you have that I haven't mentioned here. Continue to write down all of your needs and wants.

• adjustments: Now, consider whether any of the items in your needs column might be adjusted in any way. For instance, perhaps you can have your rent or mortgage subsidized, shared or covered by someone else, like a spouse, or by getting a housemate. If you have a lot of debt, consider if any of it can be consolidated, renegotiated, deferred or forgiven. Many utilities have special programs for people with financial need that you may be able to apply for. Can you get health insurance through a working spouse?
• needs total: Now, add up the cost of your needs. How much money is necessary to meet just your needs? Adjust this amount based on any adjustments you can make, as mentioned above.
• other income: Subtract any non-work income you have, if any, such as social security, reversible mortgages, stock dividends, royalties, alimony payments, etcetera from your $ needs. This is roughly the amount of income you need to bring into the home each month.
• wants: Let's visit your 'wants' list now. Note the cost of each of your wants separately and prioritize them using numbers, with #1 being the highest priority. Once your needs can be met with your income, additional monies can be spent on your wants in the order of priority you have assigned.
• cost of working: Lastly, determine the expenses you incurr when you have a job. This will vary by where you live and the type of work that you do. Transportation usually figures in - it might be bus or subway fares, it might dictate the type of car you drive or whether you even own a car or not. If you do own a car there is the cost of fuel, maintenance and insurance that can vary due to your mileage and usage. Also consider wardrobe, hairstyling, manicures - this will all depend on the job. This figure is important to note and would be added to your needs list should you stay or become employed.

This hopefully helps you to get a handle on your financial situation and to broaden your vision of what might be possible. Your health must be put first now that you are ill. As I said earlier, if you quickly say "I can't," examine the belief that underlies that fast response. Maybe you will see that what you truly mean is "I don't want to." That is fine, just be clear and careful with what you tell yourself.

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