Disability Benefits for Nursing Home Workers
Nursing home workers help with the care of patients who have been placed in a nursing home facility due to their inability to care for themselves. Oftentimes these workers are Licensed Practical Nurses or Licensed Vocational Nurses, although some nursing home workers are not licensed professionals and receive on-the-job training from other nursing home staff. The professionals who are employed as nursing home workers are responsible for day-to-day activities of caring for the patients who reside in the nursing home, such as bathing the nursing home residents, monitoring vital signs and ensuring that patients are properly fed. In some cases, these workers might also administer prescription medications or provide other forms of advanced care, such as providing intravenous fluids.
Work as a nursing home worker is both physically and emotionally challenging. The professionals who work in this field may be required to lift and carry patients. They must also be physically capable of pushing beds and wheelchairs and moving patients from one area to the other with minimal disturbance. These individuals must also possess the ability to solve problems and make decisions regarding the care of their patients, requiring advanced critical thinking skills.
Nursing home workers must also possess an extremely high level of patience. In some cases, the patients who these professionals care for are anything but agreeable. It is the nursing home worker's job to remain professional at all times and care for all patients equally, regardless of the patient's demeanor. On the other hand, nursing home workers must be emotionally stable enough to handle the harder parts of the job. While treating patients kindly, these professionals should take care not to become too close to those in their care, as some patients may pass away while residing at the nursing home.
While many people do not realize this, nursing home workers are at a significant risk of becoming ill or injured while on the job. Many of these professionals are overworked, which can impact their immune system. As these workers come into physical contact with medically ill patients, they may suffer contracted illnesses due to the contact with these individuals. Some nursing home workers may also suffer injury due to the physical demands of the job. It is not uncommon for a nursing home worker to suffer a back injury due to the movement of patients through the facility or even emotional disturbances due to the nature of the job.
Working with a Disability as a Nursing Home Worker
A long-term or permanent disability can land a serious blow to the career of a nursing home worker. Unable to perform the work activity they are accustomed to, they may be forced to cease full-time employment. Without any way to make ends meet, these individuals may face severe financial hardship. In some cases, Social Security Disability benefits may be able to help.
If you are suffering from a long-term or permanent disability that is preventing you from continuing your employment as a nursing home worker, you should apply for Social Security Disability benefits as soon as possible. If the Social Security Administration determines that you are completely disabled due to your condition, chances are that you will be awarded Social Security Disability benefits. For example, if you have a severe back injury that you suffered due to lifting patients during the course of your work activity and that injury prevents you from sitting and/or standing for extended periods of time, you may be determined to be completely disabled. If, however, the adjudicator reviewing your disability claim determines that you may be able to perform other types of work activity in the national economy, your application for Social Security Disability benefits will likely be denied. For example, if your back injury does not prevent you from performing desk work, the SSA may determine that you could be retrained to perform office work in the nursing field.
Applying for Social Security Disability as a Nursing Home Worker
When applying for Social Security Disability benefits as a nursing home worker, the Social Security Administration will look at the severity of your disability, your age, your work history and your vocational skills. They will also look at how likely it is that you could be trained to perform other types of work activity. If it is determined that you could perform another type of job, you will be
If you are denied Social Security Disability benefits, it is important that you do not give up hope. The majority of Social Security Disability claims are denied by the Social Security Administration during the initial stage of the application process. Instead of giving up hope of ever receiving disability benefits from the Social Security Administration, you should pursue a disability appeal.
Prior to filing your claim for Social Security Disability benefits, you may wish to consult with a qualified Social Security Disability attorney or advocate. These professionals can help you prepare your disability claim and can ensure that your application is submitted to the SSA in the best light possible. They will also help you gather sufficient medical evidence to prove your disability case and, if your initial claim is denied, can provide you with proper representation before an administrative law judge at your disability hearing. For example, if the Social Security Administration denies your claim based on the fact that you can learn to perform another type of work activity, your attorney may retain a vocational expert to discuss how the odds of you being able to adapt to another type of work is highly unlikely due to the nature of your disability.
