MS HOUSING

[palmtree]

I wish! This fall I had to come to terms with the fact that in a few years I will no longer be able to afford my apartment. I went through all the scenarios in my mind of what it would be like to be homeless with MS. Perishing in the sun in the summer and dealing with a bowel accident in a public restroom and a few other sundry disasters.

If anyone out there does not own a home I want to share what I learned. There are apartments subsidized by HUD that are not section 8 nor public housing projects. There aren't many and the waiting lists are long so if you are afraid you might not have money for the rent in the next 15 years, I recommend getting an application ASAP.

I hope this helps anyone in these shoes.

[tspaulding]

I live in low income housing and the do accept section 8, but my problem is the stairs. All of the apts here have stairs besides the one bedroom ones.

In Vermont, all apts are supposed to take section 8. And yes there is a 5 year of more wait list for that.

My hubby and I earn too much for sec 8 or food stamps, and we have 2 sons.

Good luck with your housing, Tasha RRMS dx '95 at age 21

[Tawanda]

Thank you. The Projects are not far from where I live and I get a sick feeling in my stomach every time I go through there. You get what you pay for, and boy does that ring true when I see those dilapidated buildings and endless tennis shoes strewn over the power lines. Nobody knows what the future holds, but I think I would rather die than live in a scary dump like that!

[sgrammied]

How does one goes about getting into low cost housing? Here in my area the section 8 is so scary. shooting, drugs, breakins, bugs, rats. oh so scary. Is there another way to go? I think I would rather live on the street than in those apartments.
I really at times do loose some sleep over this, thinking about the future. I may be a senior, but... I am not ready for a nursing home yet.

[dyin_myelin]

I wish there was MS housing too! I actually even asked an agency about it because I find myself too tired to go shop or dizzy to drive sometimes. Or lonely. : ( She said that someone could maybe come out and help with chores and errands.

I read before that a 55+ community can be up to 30% >55. I thought, why am I fantasizing about living in a retirement community?! Because it turns out my brain is 67 years old. I hate noise, masses of children, filth, chaos. My mom said I could move back in with her and go on SSDI. Don't think I'm there yet but sometimes it seems the mountain is too high to climb. If I can qualify for my pension I can use it for disability too, so would feel pathetic ruining that. There are 3 flights of stairs here but I don't have trouble with them yet.

[Tawanda]

Surprising I have seen so little posted on this subject through the years I have belonged to MSW. This disease grabs hold of most of us at the peak of our earning years! I just assumed I was the only one who was not independently wealthy!

When the time comes we can all pool our SSDI money together and get a house in a safe neighborhood in Delaware (where the cost of living is lower)!

[palmtree]

These places aren't perfect. Some have stairs and none have washing machines in the apartment. I don't know how they expect a person in a wheelchair carry laundry downstairs to the laundry room.

But they are different from "the projects". They are HUD subsidized and some are quite nice, even right on the beach. To look for them, go to HUD website. Where it says "I want to:" click on "find affordable housing". Then narrow it down according to your needs and contact the managers of the property individually to get an application. Don't bother with housing choice vouchers. That is section 8 and there is no more funding for it.

[Thinkimjob]

We have YoungCare apartments over here, for young people (obviously) who would otherwise have to go into an aged care/ nursing home.

There are not nearly enough of these units, they're only in capital cities and they are expensive. But at least you have a place of your own, and as much independence as you can muster.

And all started by a man whose wife has MS.

[Marie12]

Medicaid room in a "nursing home"

I'm not telling you what to do, but my friend has a "Medicaid room" in a nursing home. Yes, the room is not huge and she shares the room.

But there is an assistant who brings breakfast, lunch, and dinner to your room, if you choose not to eat at your reserved table in the main dining room.

And most of the time, there is room on the handicapped
accessible bus to take you to the outings, professional baseball games, professional football games, zoo, etc.

In the meantime, I am at home alone in my bed, with no expensive handicapped accessible vehicle, too expensive. And if I get hungry, I need to take my wheelchair into the kitchen for any food I want to prepare. I just need to remember to take it out of the microwave once it's ready.

I often forget about that one beep. And four hours later, is it still safe to eat?

I often think about having a button to beep what I want to request food from a nursing home staff member. So check this out, before you say no.