For those who have some type of disability and cannot work, it’s common to feel alone. However, it’s also very inaccurate. The truth is that disability impacts many people in the United States, and you’re far from alone. If you consider how wide that impact net spreads — taking into account spouses of people with disabilities, for instance, or their children — it’s clear that everyone is affected in one way or another.
To help show how and why this is true, let’s break down some of the key statistics.
It starts with 26% of all Americans
First of all, consider that about one out of every four Americans has a disability. It’s technically 26%, which is slightly higher than one out of four. This makes it clear that you are far from alone in this and you have a wider support network than you may have realized. There are also millions of people just like you who are searching for solutions, such as SSDI benefits.
Percentages of disability types
Disabilities themselves are also very wide-ranging, so it can be interesting to look at the types that are most common. Here are a few percentages that help paint the picture:
- 7% of disabilities: Mobility
- 8%: Cognition
- 8%: Independent living
- 9%: Hearing
- 6%: vision
- 7%: Self-care
In some cases, there can be overlap between these groups. For instance, someone who has a disability that impacts their mobility may also have trouble doing certain tasks to care for themselves or to live independently. It’s important to consider exactly how lives can be changed, which in turn leads to thinking about what type of support various individuals need as they strive to find health and financial success in a way that may be hard to do on their own.
Exploring the options you have
To this end, you may want to think about the various options you have to seek disability benefits. This can be a complicated process, so you need to know exactly how to navigate this area of the law from the moment you begin.