You were disabled. You're stuck laying down most of the day. What do you do to earn a living and survive?
You were disabled. You're stuck laying down most of the day. What do you do to earn a living and survive?
You were disabled and realize it is not getting better, and no one seems to be able to fix the issue. You're stuck laying down most of the day, you have enough mobility to function at home, but anything outside of home leaves you in bad shape beyond your control where you are not professionally functional. What do you do to earn a living and survive?
This is not a hypothetical for me.
I'm lucky enough that I'd be able to just continue to do what I currently do, and write code.
Anything on the phone and or computer.
There are also services in 1st world countries that help you get setup
Anything from Programming to helpdesk to customer service to ASMR and anything else in between is possible.
You can do it. This is good first step to ask.
If you can divulge your country and or state there may be people on Lemmy who can direct you to specific resources
Southern California
You file for government disability. Hopefully during the filing process you can struggle through survival for a few years because the govt disability filing process takes a few years until MAYBE being approved, but everyone is always denied the first time, then you have to appeal and go through the several years process again. This is one reason why so many people are homeless by the way.
I tried that. I'm in a weird position where it is impossible to prove what is actually wrong with me in a way that I can get through disability. I did it once and was denied because I can't prove anything conclusive. I've been to everyone reputable and a few less reputable; 12 neurosurgeons or specialists. They all spend 5 minutes reading the radiologist's report, don't see a thing they want to operate on, and spend another few minutes talking you out of the room. None of them seem willing to solve problems and look deeper.
Well fuck this sounds familiar.. I fucked up my shoulder 12+ years ago but didn't really notice how bad it got over time and now my arm hurts with most things I do. However, I'm not old enough for them to want to risk anything.
Everybody isn't denied the first time. Some disabilities are blue-lighted which means automatic approval. I had a hemorrhagic stroke back in 2020 and I was trying to return to work till I found out I needed brain surgery. I applied for disability and it was backdated to the date of my stroke,
One of my disabled friends does tech writing. Basically takes the documents the nerds make and wordsmith it so its understandable by laymen. IDK what it takes to get into that field now though. But it is something that might help give some ideas :)
Communications or English degree usually. My boss used to do copywriting which is not far off and also doable for a person with a mobility disability. Doesn't pay very well though.
Job #1 is researching all available disability programs you can apply for.
Aight. Since you are in California, get connected with the Department of Rehabilitation (DOR). In a general nutshell, their main goal is to help people with disabilities get gainful permanent employment.
You will need verification of disability and from your attempt at claims you don't have any, but any disability will work to include anxiety that raises to the level of disability, depression, anything already verified by medical professionals.
They can also provide funding for college to help you get a job. They can pay for tuition, fees, parking passes, school materials.
Also I think all states have a department similar to DOR.
I feel you friend, this isn't a hypothetical for me either. That's literally just my life now. I used to work delivery, 12+ hour days walking 10+ miles per day. Buy after a dog attack standing for more than an hour a day just flat out hurts. Enough that I can't really focus on anything productive. Thankfully I can still cook and tidy up while my partner makes enough to support us.
Mostly I read. Libby was an absolute game changer for me. I spend too much time on lemmy for sure, but it is what it is. I wish I had a better answer for you friend.
there was a guy 25+ years ago who was drunk driving and got in a big accident. ended up quadriplegic, and killed a couple leaving an orphan behind. he devoted his life to making up for it. he got a job as a financial advisor, cold calling strangers 200+ times a day, dialing with his face, until eventually he made like $7Million at UBS.
cold calling strangers 200+ times a day
oh wow he became a different kind of asshole
Citation needed.
Pirate a CAD program, learn how to use it, then pay for the certification test.
After passing, you apply for CAD designer jobs or do Freelance CAD. You'll have a leg up on everyone else if you have that certification. Many of these jobs are remote and don't require college.
CAD programs may seem daunting at first, but they are actually pretty straightforward. If you can do basic math and play video games, you can do CAD.
What CAD program is most useful nowadays? Would that als apply for a program like Fusion 360?
Fusion 360 is a watered down version of Inventor, so kinda?
Top CAD programs are: Solidworks, Creo, Pro-E, and Autodesk Inventor. Solidworks is probably the most in-demand.
I work in an office typing on a keyboard all day. I could easily do this job from home.
Any job that fits that description will suit you. There are quite a few of them nowadays.
This can't help in the short term, I would consider learning steno. It used to cost thousands to rent specialized equipment to do it. Now with Plover (foss), the software component is free. You just need a keyboard with n-key rollover to do it.
I wouldn't actually recommend learning on a standard keyboard. I personally use an ortholinear for typing, and that's what got me into plover.
One way this would help one disabilities to make money is that with high-speed internet, you can caption internet broadcasts or remote company meetings. There are nonprofits that you would work for to find companies that need your service.
It's not a mystery what you can do to earn a living. Anything that is remote desktop work is your beat bet.
This is what I would do as a EU citizen.
Step 1. Register at the unemployment office.
Step 2. Have a meeting with the unemployment office and see what they have for you.
Step 3. While they help you find work you are capable of doing. You will recieve a social benefit check each month. It's not much. But you will survive.
Step 4. Go to the interviews they set up for you.
Step 5. Repeat Step 4 until you have a job.
Programming (React, JavaScript, Python and anything AI are hot and tend to pay well once you're in the industry), 3D Modelling, 3D Animation, Game Development, Digital Design, IT / InfoSec work (may need a few certificates to be competitive), Call Taker (these can be brutal, but good companies exist).
If you're able to walk around somewhat and can sit for very long periods of time, truck driving may be an option (again, depending on your disability specifically). Truck driving is in extremely high demand and pays pretty well, and may even hook you up with hotel rooms if you get the right benefits. You will need to be able to sit in one spot and drive for many hours sometimes though, like 12+ hours.
Writing is also an option, as is drop shipping / starting a print-on-demand company on Etsy (though these will take a while to get rolling).
Work from home customer service
In that situation I would try to be a vtuber.
I'm told what typically takes place is that the person ends up on disability and works a part time call center style job though.
Edit: might wanna check with your local churches to see if they have a support network you can lean on if you're ok with religion.
I continue designing and making websites.
If you have the puppet manipulation technique you could transmit your self into a mechanical robot that fights cursed spirits - or even become a baseball server!
Try not to be a dick, though.
Arts come to mind immediately: drawing (mainly furry porn), modelling/sculpting (3D or clay), painting (painting minis for nerds is more lucrative than painting canvases), music, writing.
Programming and web design also don't require physical labor other than you being able to type on a keyboard or equivalent.
There's also video content you could try, either as creator or editor. Video editing is a skill needed by both big time and internet creators
I could continue my current job, working from home as a software developer.
The problem I run into is not knowing what it takes professionally. I've learned a lot but I'm just a hobbyist and have no clue how to get past that phase. I struggle with complexity, but I know hardware fairly well at the registers/stack/ALU level and can make a gagillion IF statements do anything wrong for a radar proximity triggered cat toy in Arduino. I just don't know where to go with that and without any networking potential it seems a little hopeless.
Make projects for a portfolio, throw them on a public GitHub repo and shop that around to employers.
Make sure to have neat, commented and mostly polished code that covers a decent breadth of topics. Like authentication or low level hardware handling.
Also try your hand at submitting contributions (and getting them accepted) to larger open source projects and point to those as well
NGL, the employment scene for junior devs...isn't the best rn, expect to have to put in hundreds of applications with few if any call backs for a while. BUT companies are always hiring for good hardware devs junior or not, so you might get lucky
Alongside what cm0002 said, I've found that finding recruiters manually and putting yourself out there has significantly increased my callback rate. They really know how to pitch you a lot of the time, and I wish I knew this as a junior.
Basically, look for postings by TekSystems, Jobot and other recruiting companies and put in applications to their systems (make sure to only apply for a few so as to not seem like a "spray and pray" job seeker). Hopefully, you will get a callback and / or emails about positions. Eventually, you will get a call from a recruiter from one of the recruiting firms and they will ask you a bunch of questions about your tech stack, experience, what your preferences are for positions, etc and they will basically file you away for later. When they find a fit, they reach out.
It's great to have like 5 - 10 of these recruiters (from different companies) since you know you'll be getting calls even in dry periods like this one.
Also, I really cannot emphasize this enough - LEARN DATA STRUCTURES AND ALGORITHMS. It sucks to get a call from a company, have them set up a technical interview and then fail it and lose out on the opportunity.
This Udemy course is a great place to start if you know JS and it regularly goes on sale for $15 like every two weeks (not sponsored, it's just genuinely a fantastic course and it's worth every penny at any price, but for $15 it's a steal if you know JS): https://www.udemy.com/share/101WNk3@wU2BBFJCNjPisNOAOq7G4IopJulzdWP6mkQD_4_vkOPjMfs8zL8f8CUVsevYRvCjBg==/
You can also do temp work, English language teaching, proofreading, data entry.
Trick question: I am and have already given up.
That's my reality with Long Covid. But by now I can't even function at home. I moved back to my parents who provide me with food and handle my paperwork.
That sounds extremely difficult. I'm so sorry.
I have struggled with long covid and it's interaction with my hypermobility EDS for a little over a year now. Derailed my entire life...
Lost my job, strained my marriage so bad and caused my wife (who just doesn't understand) to resent me...
I'm finally getting my life back on track. I am finally going to graduate school, and I am very close to working an in-person job again.
I still am not back to my old self, and I'm not sure I ever will be. Not just with the chronic fatigue and stuff, but my brain function/thinking still doesn't feel normal...
I don't even know how to describe long covid or where to begin. I was someone who never got sick. I was so close to dying for so long. I'm convinced I wouldn't have survived if I wasn't fully vaxxed. For a long time, I wished I hadn't survived.
I'm sorry you're having to move back with family. I hope you start to notice positive change, even if it's so incremental it's almost imperceptible. It was an unbelievably slow change for me, but it eventually became more exponential.
IT work from home. You can get certs and take courses almost completely online and you can do it relatively quickly
Edit: A degree is also not mandatory as long as you have some certifications
I lived this for years.
First, you'll want to look into government disability support. The specifics will vary wildly depending where you are, but it's probably your most useful resource. For me, along with the money, they had tailored support for finding work I could do.
They ended up finding me a part time, WFH call center job. There were incentives for the employer to take me because of my disability and assistance (including financial) for setting me up for it. It was still extremely hard but the disability support checked in on me regularly to help me through it.
Before that, there are plenty of ways to make money online. Too many to list. If you've got the basic skills, the equipment and you're still able to function enough it's worth trying.
There is also going to be a variety of various charity and government support programs for people with disabilities, low income earners, etc. with the specifics depending on where you are. The harsh reality is surviving will mean learning to swallow your pride and enduring shame. Don't just look for "disability" support, take anything you might be applicable for. Make sure to look through every level of government you might come under as they aren't unified and can be difficult to find.
Community groups can be an invaluable resource. If there are ones that might apply to you - whether it be around ethnicity, sexuality, religion, whatever - you can find a wealth of assistance. At the very least they're going to have some free food.
I'm just coming around to the idea of trying again. My family will only be around for so long. After a 3 year court case against the responsible party, never getting better and instead coming to terms with declining more and more, then having disability fall through; it was all too much. I've been totally disenfranchised for far too long, but just fighting to barely survive in near total social isolation is not very motivating. Thanks for sharing.
It might be worth looking for a family practitioner (that's the American term for a general doctor right?) that advertises experience with mental health. Queer friendly and poor (and the many euphemisms they use) assistance is also a good sign. Talk about how your disability is effecting your mental health, ask if they have recommendations for both.
The reason I recommend this is you're looking for people with empathy. Bureaucracies are made of people first and foremost, checking the right boxes is second to having someone who will make sure the right box gets checked. People who deal with mental health, queerness and poverty are also far more likely to have the experience to point you in the right direction with government services. They probably wont be the end of your journey but they'll be a good guide.
For me personally, either WFH UX research or teaching asynchronous college classes online.
In my country I'm either on accident compensation or sickness benefit, both that will offer training to better my lot.
I don't struggle with disability like that, but I was job searching recently and found local job counselling to be extremely useful at helping me figure out how to approach new industries and positions when I felt completely lost doing so myself.
They would (hopefully) have good, up to date knowledge on what the local job market is like, and I would figure they'd have some insight into what would be available for someone in your position as well. Would probably be worth seeing if your city or county offers anything of the sort.
Most people i know in this situation become artists. And if their situation is worse, they might consult AI.
I am just able enough to do some company work, but I acknowledge some are not as good as that. Is there any way I can help? I have creations I don't mind others using to aid them.
Programming with a handheld keyboard/mouse combo. When my depression gets the better of me, I can still get a passable amount of work done lying down in bed.
As long as I can operate a computer, I'd get back into 3d modeling.
Doing it professionally takes a significant upfront investment in a good computer, pro-level software that has expensive yearly subscription, and time to learn how to work the program properly. So, idk how much help this idea is.
Also, AI is trying hard to break into the 3d modeling space.
Do you think that it will?
Do I think AI will do 3d modeling?
Yes, I think machine learning will break into 3d modeling, but will have clear limitations and have to mostly focus on rehashing what has been modeled before, or turning pictures 3d.
I have the comp and can already push freecad past its limits with assemblies, but not sure where to go with this. I know the topological naming issue completely, I learned with it, so I'm like the Solidworks grey beards in that fundamental understanding based approach that solves a lot of the underlying issues that arise as mysteries in CAD. I'm not sure how to turn my experience into a paying job when I have no connections.
Last time I had time to look into it, what I had found was entering contests online. Companies post a goal, stipulations, and a deadline. Lots of people upload their best 3d models, the company picks a winner, (and would often have fine print to own every entry received). The goal is to get noticed, get hired, and do 3d modeling and/or design for a company.
Now, idk if this is still a thing, but an open contest would be a great way to get started without connections.
Funny enough... Nothing really changes for me, except I'll assume I no longer have to be on video for calls. They can suck it lol. But really, I find my job rather supportive with this stuff.
Marketing is becoming increasingly work from wherever. Even with AI, demand for copywriting and written content is high, if you combine that with even moderate technical literacy (wordpress, html, adobe, etc.) and there is aways demand from smaller companies.
I have no degree in marketing, but got all the free certs from Google, Mailchimp, etc., signed up for some marketing focused newsletters to learn the buzz words and just started digging in and learning.
It can start as gig work if you can't find an in-house job, and I definitely didn't make great money, but it was survivable. And the skills open up other side projects like affiliate marketing, especially if you have a cool niche passion to share with the world.
