I know here in ND, there is all sorts of help avaiable and probable in WY there is also. Look for food pantries and have you talked to Council of Aging in your area. Food stamps depend on your income, not equity. You can own your own home, because I know people who do. Talk to your local electric company, about reduced rates. Again, Medicaid is avaiable depending on income. Are you over 65? Contact AARP if you are over 50 for help. Look in the paper for a bed. There is alot of help if you are able to reach the proper agencies in your area. Contact your state representatives also. Even the local churches, YWCA, etc will help.
Good luck.

mariend- thanks for some ideas. Here in WY, Medicaid is dependent on your equity- $5,000 is tops. I have food- my worst problem is heat- I have never had a furnace- I used wood/pellet. Now, my asthma/copd is so bed I can't anymore, so my house was 44*/night, 50*/day- which triggered more asthma attacks/pneumonia. My roof is leaking.(that is one reason I am looking for help).
My electric company is a co-op, and gives no help/discount.
I would dearly love to sell the house, but even if fixed up, realtors say nothing is moving. (I am pretty remote). I need a smaller place in a city now.
WY is a hard place to live when you can't work. I loved it when I was working, but now......

I will contact the senior center- I am in early 50's.

I have a disabled son and we use the site "Disaboom". All kinds of advice and information. Good luck.

Here is a link that might be useful: Disaboom

I wonder if the $5,000 in equity you have is worth staying in the house. Could you possibly move to a local apartment, even a studio apartment? I'm very concerned about you for this winter.

Could you sell one vehicle to repair the roof? Have you checked out available plug-in heaters which at least heat one room (don't know if you can afford and know elec. is expensive)?

Do you have family who could help? If not financially, at least help you plan, make phone calls, etc. It can be helpful just to talk things out. Don't forget to check local churches.

I apologize if my ideas are simplistic or if you've covered all this before, but my heart aches for you and I commend you for reaching out here. I encourage you not to give up, keep digging, and you'll find help.

I think the feasibility of giving up the equity in your home would depend upon whether the rent in town is more or less than any payments you have to make on your present home. If it's paid for, then moving and paying rent on ssi would not be equitable. If it's not paid for and the payment and rent are equal or less, then, moving to town would be beneficial. Contact the nearest United Way or Community Chest for a referral to member agencies that can help you or put you in touch with agencies that can help. There should be at least one of these that could also refer you to government agencies that can help.

Start planning now for the coming winter months by checking into room heating that you can move from room to room as needed. Also, have plenty of blankets and quilts on hand. You never know when your heating system will be out of order for a period of time. Especially in climates like yours. There are churches and charities who pass out blankets in winter and fans in summer. Locate these people and make sure they have you on their lists. Also, contact your county hospital. They sometimes have a person or department that deals with people needed financial assistance and can refer you to those organizations or agencies.

Just a few ideas. Maybe someone else can come up with others.

What about HUD helping to pay for a place that has good heat?
Or around here I know they have a county housing authority that will also help.

I found a link on finding rentals.

Here is a link that might be useful: HUD

Are you the injured nurse ,ilmbg? Do you have workman's comp?,
or any pay-off from your job?

OK, contact the local United Way. They can't do these things for you but work with the agencies that can. They would be able to tell you who to contact or may contact them for you. Won't hurt to call.
Now the thing is to winterize your home. It will also help in the summer. Do you have any areas where the wind gets in? Contact your power company or gas company for ways to help with your home. They may have a plan or an organization they work with.
Then there is the Salvation Army. If they can't do it, surely they know someone that can help.
You can contact the mayor's office. If the toad won't help, call the newspaper. You'll get help.
The economy has hurt everyone that usually helps but it doesn't cost anything to ask. When in the hospital, did the Chaplain come to see you and give you a card? Call the Chaplain.
You stated you were in a remote area. Do you have the yellow pages for the largest town close by like Laramie, Cheyenne, Rawlings or whateever? Look up organizations and see what is there. Look for the 800 numbers so not a call you have to pay for.
If you tell me what town you are close to I would be glad to help to try to locate some help for you. I can go online or call agencies here to see what they have in their records as to who to call. People in the Midwest have always been a help each other area and we can find something. Just let me know.
Lynn in Alabama

Oh my you guys- you do have some good basic ideas!
I was a nurse, and was hurt at work- so I have no affinity to that hospital!
I certainly (just like alot of other people never thought I would be in this position- I always had a good nursing job- until....)
I paid cash for my home when I bought it- I would LOVE to sell it, but here nothing is moving. The house is a very nice house- it just has to be heated by wood/pellet- something I can't do now with asthma/copd.
With living in rural country, I need the truck for ranch duties (it is an old truck- it is getting to not be too dependable, and isn't worth much. The car is needed because it IS safe. (I know absolutely nothing about vehicles- and couldn't work on them if I did!).
Our electric company does not help disabled/financial needs, and there isn't gas here. (I can't use propane due to the asthma/copd).
I have plently of blankets- I didn't come out from under them for 4 months last year! Our electric is horribly expensive- it is a co-op that serves only about 1,000 people, so just having electric 'to the post' is over $30/month!
One thing that makes using a portable electric heater is the cost, AND the fact that my ceilings are 23 feet high!
Salvation army/United Way is a good suggestion- churches, no, as this is a tiny town.
I am going to try to see if there is any help towards a furnace- that would be the best bet for my lungs.
Oh how I wish I were able to work again! The mind is ready- the body isn't!
I will find a way.

I wonder if you've looked into a "reverse mortgage". Sometimes people use these type of mortgages to help with expenses in their later years. You get $ every month & then when you die or you/your heir(s) go to sell the property, the money you've been advanced comes off the top of the selling price. This would help you meet your expenses, especially heating.

Just be very careful & do your research if you decide to look into reverse mortgage. These can be very tricky & you probably should contact a lawyer.

I really hate to think of you being so cold in the Wyoming winter.

She doesn't qualify for a reverse mortgage due to age. You have to be 62 or older and as she stated above she is in her early 50's.

One thing that makes using a portable electric heater is the cost, AND the fact that my ceilings are 23 feet high!
Please tell me that only part of the house has ceilings that high. Is it an A-Frame with an open concept or something? I cannot imagine any sort of heater being able to heat a house with 23' ceilings without it costing a fortune? Do 'some' of the rooms have lower ceilings? Can you shut off some rooms and just heat a much smaller space and be comfortable? I shut the bedrooms off and just keep heat in the main living area, ie living room/dining combo and kitchen off of that.

I paid cash for my home when I bought it- I would LOVE to sell it, but here nothing is moving. The house is a very nice house- it just has to be heated by wood/pellet- something I can't do now with asthma/copd.
If it was priced attractively enough it 'might' move....maybe?
Then with the proceeds you could find yourself something smaller and much more economical to heat.
Would taking in a room mate maybe be an option?

Might you know someone who might know of a good handyman who could look at and patch your roof against further leaking?

Sue

Until you get back on your feet with a job and adequate income, concentrate on the immediate needs. It's summertime right now but search out where the drafts are coming in, around windows and doors, etc. If you can't afford to caulk, get newspapers and plug up the holes as best you can. Get old blankets to hang over openings and have them ready for cold weather. You have time to find donation sources for these items. Search out help with your electric/utility bills. There are programs available for people who cannot afford the full price. Don't let some office clerk at the coop tell you otherwise. Allowing customers to freeze to death in winter is not good publicity. Having this cost reduced allows you to have at least two rooms made comfortable during the day and your bedroom warmed up before bedtime. Have at least one heater for this with a timer to shut off or thermostat to control it so that accidents are reduced at night while sleeping.

Call the local hospital rental supply company. (local could be in the nearest larger town.) Most towns with hospitals will have one. They can either help or point you in the right direction for getting a bed donated.

Did you say you have a son? If so have him locate the leaks on the roof. Get a bundle of shingles and patch the roof until you get to a point where you can have it replaced. If I have you confused with someone else concerning the son, there is always a friend or relative who will be happy to help you with this problem. A bundle of shingles is do-able right now whereas an entire roof is not.

Another thing you might try is instead of a couple of electric heaters, see if you can find a window heat pump a/c unit for your LR. Your bed can be set up in there and you have heating and cooling for one room. Your kitchen will be warmed up by the stove when in use and otherwise would only be an in and out situation the rest of the time. The heat pump is safer than space heaters IMHO.

I forget to answer your individual questions at times, so will try to do so and update what I have found out.

molly109- yep, I am the nurse who got hurt- it was not 'just' an injury- my back had advanced degeneration that I was unaware of. I just thought I hurt so bad after work because of 12 hour shifts/pulling patients up in bed/laboring and pushing with OB patients. Not so.
As far as Work Comp/settlement, etc,....NEVER get hurt at work- especially in Wyoming! Wyoming is one of the states that is not covered by government Work Comp. That means that there are no 'standards' that they have to follow. I did get a small settlement, but that was gone long, long ago- Work Comp does not pay for any 'aftereffects' that are related- example: due to the neck/back injury, I have lost major use of right arm. The medications/treatment/surgery that will be needed to the right arm will not be covered, I have to pay for that out of my own pocket. The medications/stress have caused a gastric ulcer- I have to pay for the treatment of that.
Sooooo.... the small settlement is long gone on medical bills.
Unless a new procedure comes up that can repair the damage of my neck/back, I am going to be in the recliner for a long time. (I have a fx at c4 that will not heal).

chemocurl- IMy home is now too large for me to take care of- it has been for sale for quite awhile, even though it is a nice home, nobody is buying. The realtor suggested taking it off the market because they are getting about 18 listings a month and many months do not sell even one home!
Unfortuneately, the house is 'open'- I don't have a way to close off any rooms, except the bedroom, which I did last winter. I stayed in there the majority of the time- it does not have a window, so it is pretty dark, even with the lamp on. I used a portable heater during the day, none at night. The heat strip in the livingroom is not meant to heat the whole house, si keeping it at about 50* during the day is about all it can do- at a cost of $400/month for electric.

pris- I went to the electric company again yesterday and talked with the secretary- she said they have no program to help ANYBODY- not just myself, but no help at all. I thought there was a break for disabled/income, but they say 'no'.
As far as help with the actual fixing of the house, I have a sil (sort of) about 1500 miles away- he has never been here. I don't have ANY relatives who could help- none at all in Wyoming. As far as friends, I really know very few people because I do not go out since getting hurt- shucks, I haven't been to a restaurant in 10 years- really- for 2 reasons- I can't sit at a table without more pain, and I know I have to be frugal. I really know 3 people- 2 are in as bad shape as I am, and the other is 84 years old! My roof is so steep that it is too dangerous for me to try to get up there. Or anyone else!
There must be some way.... I just can't do any more cold winters!

Pris thanks for pointing out the reverse mortgage age requirement not being met for ilmbg. No sense going down blind alleys.

Have you tried applying for SS disability, ilmbg? It surely sounds as if you could qualify & that would probably give you more income than SSI ? But I know that it can take a long time to get SSD & it isn't an easy road to pursue.

According to the Wyoming Dept of Health, anyone qualifing for SSI automatically qualifies for medicaid. This is only one thing but might lead to others.

Here is a link that might be useful: EqualityCare/Medicaid check it out

Isn't there some kind of Workman's Comp that you are
eligible for? I think you said you were injured
at work.

Hi Tia, have you tried this disability link?
http://www.disabilityinfo.gov/digov-public/public/DisplayPage.do?parentFolderId=500.

Once in there, I selected WY for your state, and got this link:
http://www.disabilityinfo.gov/digov-public/public/FindSL.do?categoryId=null&stateId=45

You may want to browse in there and see if there are any other assistance that you're not awared of.

As for "reverse mortgage" as some had mentioned, I thought I read it somewhere that it is also available for disabled homeowners too. It doesn't hurt to check it out.

I, too, am a disabled homeowner and like you, used to work full time until my disability turned into a detiorating condition. I've been doing alot of research to see what assistance were available to me in case I ever needed it. To my surprise, if you are a homeowner, there are more help out there to assist you in order for you to keep your home.

You may also want to consider using your local Craiglist and tell your story (same story you told us) and advertise for free help. You never know. You may get a roofer or an a/c & heater company that may volunteer to assist you. Just need to be careful when you list anything on Craiglist and when they come over your home.

Good luck and wish you well! Keep us posted with the progress.

Ntt

Does one of your friends, even the older woman, have an extra bedroom? Maybe they would be willing to allow you to use a room for the winter and help with utility expenses.

Or even rent a room in town for the winter. You can also contact your local state representative or assemblyman. S/he will know of what benefits are available to you. Good luck.

I'm not familiar with how SSD works, but, if when it is approved (finally) do you get retroactive payment from date of disability or does it start from the day you applied? If from application date then it would be beneficial to apply as soon as possible. I don't know this either, but I think I read somewhere that if you hire an attorney to assist you in getting SSD, his fee is a portion of the back benefits. Either way, most first visits are free so it wouldn't hurt to find one that specializes in this.

There's some really simplistic ideas I have and I hope they're not taken as insulting or anything, but I'm trying to come up with quick, cheap ideas while you work on the long term. So here goes:

With these TV shows that rebuilt houses for deserving people, I'd suggest contacting them. Boy that would make for a great show and get some deserved help. And some publicity about the local deficiencies too.

Have you used electric blankets, heating pads, or electric mattress pads (under you). A blanket over it then will help insulate and keep you much warmer. A little camping trick.

Speaking of camping tips, people will think this is silly but... part of the issue is so much area that doesn't need to be heated. So the issue is to close off an area. Even pitch a tent for the short term. Especially with something on the top, tarps, blankets, etc, will insulate and keep the heat in there. Run a cord for your coffee pot and you'll have the heat from that too while you enjoy a warm beverage or a hot pot for some soup on a cold day. Every light you have in there will make the heat more useable to you.

I put quilts up over the door to my kitchen for both winter and summer. Just those quilts made a huge difference in temperature so I could keep the living room warmer than the other areas (also closed off the bedrooms) and kept the heating bill down. Blankets and quilts on the walls will help insulate. The plastic window insulator kits are very effective. Even the outlet insulators are cheap and effective, and dont forget the switches on outside walls too.

Even hanging a false ceiling in the area likely will help. Even if it's just blankets or tarps. Check with the scouts, churches and senior assistance places to see if there's some volunteer help to assist in the installation. Another thought is to put up some simple walls and a ceiling around a window (so you don't feel like you're in a closet) and that too would achieve the smaller area, but could still be quite cozy.

The goal is essentially 3fold. First, a smaller area to heat, less heat loss so the heater runs less, and also to make it so the heat is useful, ie not going up to the high ceiling and be lost.

I sure understand the situation of not being able to sleep in a bed. I've used a recliner for over 5 years. So I definitely know how it is.

With a lot of these things you can work on it now with occasional donated labor and be prepared before winter sets in. I realize, it's NOT that far away!

Hope I haven't offended. I understand your situation very well. I really admire your attitude of trying to take care of yourself. Few are that way today it seems. I truly hope you get the help you need and deserve. I'll see if I can think of anything else.

Wyoming is a bad place to be when you need help. They have very few services to help. My cousin lives there and she's had eight surgery's and needs two more. She's a single mother that works as a cook in a restaurant and has for years.She has tried everything to get some kind of help. She can't even get ssi. So i know where your coming from when you say you can't find help.

No- certainly don't feel that any ideas would be offending!! Not at all!!
Some won't work- the way my house is designed I just can't section off a room. It is an unusual house to say the least.
I might be able to appeal with LIEAP- I have a call in to a 'higher up' person. Because what heat source I have is not able to be used by myself someone said 'it is not adaquate- so they are supposed to make it adaquate'. Cross your fingers and toes.
For those of you who are trying to 'prepare' for the possibility of Work Comp/SSI/SSD....there are either 5 or 7 states that do not use the Federal Work Comp(AIG Insurance), these states have much less support and you may end up with alot less Work Comp settlement/payments.
SSD highest payment is $600/month. If you have worked steadily for 20 quarters, you can apply for SSI, which the monthly payments are dependent upon what your income was.
You don't get both- you get one or the other- depending what you qualify for.
Something I have learned the past 3 days of being on the phone solid...Salvation Army, United Way, do not serve all areas. There is a chapter in Billings, Montana, but they do not cross county/state lines. Here, where I live, there is neither.
As Patches said- there is very little help available in Wyoming. People do not seem to be in the mind frame to help others 'for free'. Whatever they do, they want to be paid for it.
If you and/or a sig. other are considering moving, retiring to another state, check out beforehand what services are available in case you get sick/hurt. In Billings, there seems to be ALOT of help- in Wyoming-zip.

Patches- you say your cousin may be needing more surgery. If she is close to me (Cody), maybe there would be something that I could do for her when the time comes. If so, I think you can email or pm me. I can imagine how hard it must be to be a single mom with kids and need surgery/recover, without help.

Right now it seems to be a waiting game for phone calls to be returned...

pris- maybe I forgot to say, but I have already been on SSI for 10 years. As I mentioned above, you don't get Work Comp and SSI. Even when you get a settlement, say for example, you get $25,000- it is doled(sp), out over a 3 year period- so you never get a 'chunk' of cash. You must live off it each month. You can never get anywhere with the Wyoming system.

cynic- it is good you are preparing also.
I LOVE electric mattress pad!! I try not to use space heaters, as they are 10 times more expensive to run than a regular electric system. I give in though in the bathroom- you just can't take a bath in a 45* room! Well, I guess you can- our anscestors did it....
cynic- have you thought about an electric bed? I slept in one when I 'dog sat' at a friends- it was a foam type- a little warm, but I could get fairly comfortable in it! I have an electric bed on my wish-list....

Maybe I will hear from someone tomorrow.

Oh- I talked to someone with the Wyoming Energy today. About solar energy. It would give me all my electric for spring/summer/fall....but Wyoming only gives a maximum of $5,000 grant- leaving a cost of about $20,000 for a small system. Well, I guess THAT won't be even a little dream...

The government needs to make solar available if they want us to use it so we use less fossil fuel... So far, it isn't even near to being available to a low income person.

Later...