Honoring the Beneficiaries of Social Security
Reading Time: 2 MinutesLast Updated: October 26, 2017
Social Security is committed to the principles and spirit of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which improves the lives of our beneficiaries and our employees who have disabilities.
We also want you to see and hear from the people who rely on Social Security disability benefits to thrive as active members of our communities. Our Faces and Facts of Disability website highlights the real life stories of people who have disabilities.
One person we are featuring on our Faces and Facts of Disability website is Lynne Parks. She is an artist from Baltimore, Maryland. First diagnosed with metastatic fibrosarcoma at age 14, she has lived with this illness for nearly 35 years. It started in her face and moved to different parts of her body, including her abdomen and leg. She also has various tumors on her shoulder and arm.
Inflammatory responses, infections, and new tumors are complications that Lynne deals with every day. “Because of the tumors, I have limited use of my left arm,” Lynne said. “I have weakness in my legs. There’s fatigue because my immune system has taken such a big hit from the cancer and the cancer treatments. I get sick all the time. There might be a day that I can be at home and resting and I’ll try to make the best of it. I’ll wake up, fix breakfast and eat, and that takes a while because of my physical limitations, but also because of my first tumor that was in my face.”
Having been helped by Social Security, Lynne tries to help others. “I’m also helping people who have issues learn to cope with them, because they see in me someone as a role model, essentially. Life without Social Security benefits, it’s a horror story, because I imagine myself on the streets.”
The disability benefits Lynne receives are a crucial resource for her quality of life. Our disability programs continue to be a mainstay in the lives of many people — people just like you. Social Security disability beneficiaries are among the most severely impaired people in the country. It’s something that can happen to anyone.
We invite you to learn the facts about the disability insurance program, and see and hear these stories of hardship and perseverance at www.socialsecurity.gov/disabilityfacts.
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Tags: Disability
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Jim Borland, Acting Deputy Commissioner for Communications
Jim Borland, Acting Deputy Commissioner for Communications
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Chiquita W.
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betty E.
my husband was in the military in the 50’s, but not on disability. I am now 82. Can I file for any benefits from my husbands service now that he’s deceased.
V.V.
Hi Betty, thank you for your question. Please check out the Veterans Administration Family Member Benefitsweb page for details. We hope this helps.
Robert M.
I’m eligible for a Schedule A appointment with the Spokane Washington Social Security Administration field office. There are currently vacant positions. I’ve applied under the Schedule A recruitment. I’m well qualified for a Claims Rep or Service Rep. I’ve passed the Meet and Deal. What’s the next step? Looking forward to utilizing my Ticket and returning to this line of work.
Leslie W.
Does my wife keep on receiving the same amount of social security when I pass on?
L.A.
Hi Leslie. If your wife is eligible for both, her own retirement benefits and benefits under your earnings record, we always pay her own benefits first. If your wife’s benefits as a surviving spouse are higher than her own retirement benefits, she will get a combination of benefits equaling the higher surviving spouse’s benefit. Visit our Benefits Planner: Survivors | Planning For Your Survivor for more information, or call our toll-free telephone number at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778), Monday through Friday between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. if you have additional questions. We hope this helps.
Jerry b.
Could not undone understance! Call !!!! 412 596 8163. jerry bortman. Jbortman1@gmail.com
Angela L.
I think it’s dumb that you have to have a payee if you’re married and have your husband and just because he’s not born from here don’t have papers that he was injured himself here from the other states and he can’t be my payee she’s only person I trust and anybody else and I think that Social Security is being discrimination with me that’s how I feel and they keeping all stressed out because of them I get in trouble for my doctors from losing too much weight throwing up and sick all the time and little said that Social Security is already killing me little by little it’s too much stress by then
Kate L.
Hey SSA, if you’re so committed to respecting the ADA, why is it that neither of the two SS offices I’ve dealt with were at all handicapped-accessible? The main one I’ve been to not only doesn’t have automated doors, it also is a block or more away from parking, and the only lot near it is a paid lot. The SSA local office info mentions neither of these things. The last time I was there my mom and I watched multiple people either in wheelchairs or with strollers struggle to get through the two sets of manual doors. I got up to get the door a couple of times but no one closer seemed interested in stepping up. For a place that deals with a large number of disabled people and/or people who may have babies or toddlers that they have to have with them, every single office should be fully accessible.
David R.
Did not receive 2019 benefit statement yet. Wife got hers over a week ago. Mailing showing 2019 how much I get statement.