How can I find agencies that will offer me financial help?

There are several places you can go to seek financial help. First, you can apply for Social Security Disability benefits. If you are physically unable to work now but you've worked in the past and your employers or you have paid Social Security taxes, you can be eligible for monthly Social Security Disability benefits. The amount of these benefits depends on how much you earned during your working years. It would be roughly the same as your Social Security retirement benefits would be if you had reached full retirement age, possibly more than $2,000 a month. You can apply for these benefits at your local Social Security office. To find out more about Social Security Disability benefits, including where to apply and what documentation you'll need, go the Social Security Administration web page on disability. If you qualify for Social Security Disability benefits, after 24 months receiving those benefits you would also qualify for all Medicare programs.

If you have low income from sources other than work, and very few savings or other assets other than the house you live in, you might be eligible for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) based on your disability. This provides a small monthly benefit ($637 is the basic monthly amount, but it's higher in some states). If you qualify for SSI, you would also qualify for Medicaid, which would pay almost all your medical bills. You can apply for both SSI and Medicaid at the same time and in the same place, your local county Social Services office. To find out where to apply, go online to any search engine and enter the word Medicaid and the name of your state. Or, you can call the Eldercare Locator toll-free at 800-677-1116 and ask for the contact information of the local Medicaid office nearest you.