As New York Social Security disability lawyers, we see many kidney failure patients choose to pursue disability benefits once they have started dialysis. Although dialysis generally allows patients with chronic kidney disease a better quality of life, many people also find that the frequent treatments and general progression of disease make it extremely difficult to continue to work. It can be difficult to make the choice to start dialysis because you see it as limiting your independence; however, chronic renal failure patients do have some options.
Types of Dialysis for Chronic Renal Failure
- Hemodialysis: For hemodialysis, you will go to a hemodialysis unit where your blood will be filtered with a dialysis machine. Most patients need to have this done 3 times a week, and it does not require as much work by the patient. In fact, many people are able to read, sleep, or work on other things during the procedure.
- Peritoneal dialysis: The patient has an active hand in peritoneal dialysis. This will require you to use special dialysis fluid at home, which is connected to a catheter site in the abdomen. This is either done manually or handled by a machine that you use at night. Peritoneal dialysis can be done at home, but it must be done each day.
The good news is that it is generally fairly straightforward to get approval for Social Security disability benefits for kidney failure if you are receiving either type of dialysis treatment. If you would like to learn more about applying for disability benefits in New York, give us a call today at 1-855-614-4351 or 866-205-2415 to schedule a completely free, no-obligation legal consultation.