What is Social Security Disability?

Yes, if the person qualifies. The Alzheimer's Association explains that Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) is paid to people who are insured, meaning they worked long enough and paid Social Security taxes, and to certain family members. It makes monthly payments to eligible disabled people and is a significant benefit for people with younger-onset Alzheimer's, who are often initially denied before Compassionate Allowances sped up decisions.

Yes. Several dementias are on Social Security's Compassionate Allowances list, which speeds up SSDI and SSI claims. The Alzheimer's Association lists early-onset Alzheimer's disease, frontotemporal dementia (Pick's disease type A), Lewy body dementia, mixed dementia, primary progressive aphasia, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, adult-onset Huntington disease and progressive supranuclear palsy, among others. The person must still meet SSDI's work and tax requirements.

Yes. Social Security added younger, or early-onset, Alzheimer's to its Compassionate Allowances list, the Alzheimer's Association says, giving people faster access to SSDI and SSI. Compassionate Allowances speed up claims for conditions so severe they clearly meet Social Security's definition of disability. The Association offers a checklist of information and resources to gather before applying for Social Security disability benefits.

Some forms clearly are. The Alzheimer's Association says the conditions on Social Security's Compassionate Allowances list, including early-onset Alzheimer's, frontotemporal dementia, Lewy body dementia and mixed dementia, are severe enough to clearly meet Social Security's definition of disability, so claims are processed faster. Benefits still depend on the program's other rules, such as work history for SSDI or financial need for SSI.

The Alzheimer's Association lists Social Security Disability Insurance for workers younger than 65, Supplemental Security Income, Medicaid, veterans benefits, and tax deductions and credits. Workers in the early stages may also have paid sick leave or short-term disability through an employer. Its Medicare page notes that people who have received Social Security disability benefits for 24 months generally become eligible for Medicare before 65.