Is Alzheimer’s Considered a Disability?

In some cases, Alzheimer’s is considered a disability, especially in the case of early onset Alzheimer’s. If the symptoms of Alzheimer’s will prevent the person from working for at least a year, then they might qualify for Social Security Disability or Supplemental Security Income benefits.

Qualifying for SSDI

In order to qualify for SSDI, patients must meet the requirements of a disability listing. For patients with Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia, neurocognitive disorders are the most common disability listing that they qualify for.

Patients will need to present medical evidence that they have declined in:

- Memory and learning

- Judgment and planning skills

- Language ability

- Social skills

The decline in these areas must be significant enough to cause the patient severe limitations in how they function.

The SSA will require documentation showing that the patient meets these qualifications. These documents can be obtained from a primary care physician or other specialists that the patient sees. They also take into consideration work evaluations and any attempts the patient has made to continue working.

Compassionate Care Benefits

In many situations, it can take disabled patients a long time to qualify for disability benefits, sometimes years. Compassionate Care allows patients with certain severe medical conditions to be approved quickly – sometimes in only a matter of weeks.

When it comes to dementia, patients who have been diagnosed with mixed dementia or dementia with Lewy bodies may be eligible for quick SSDI approval based on Social Security’s Compassionate Allowances initiative.

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