For those that don't have a job....

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The legal definition of "homeless" in the U.S. basically means you don't live in permanent housing. It's by that definition that they calculate the number of homeless people.

When I lived in the YMCA Residence, I was, by definition, homeless.

When I was in the military and lived in the barracks, I was, by definition, homeless.

The students that live in college dorms, are, by definition, homeless.

Although the employment statistics for those on spectrum are certainly disconcerting, I do believe they are somewhat misleading. I surmise that there are many individuals on the spectrum - without an official diagnosis, thus it's not recorded - who are functioning in society.

been unemployed for last 10 years. was on disability duty in civil service when shrub laid off a bunch of us, didn't have money to contest it, union no help. so I've been living in genteel poverty since then, in a tin can out in the woods.

I wonder what will happen when some scoundrel like cruz gets in office and proceeds to shred the social safety net down here?

The students that live in dorms are not homeless. They are being housed by the school (as, in effect, landlord). They (or their parents) are paying fees to live in those dorms.

The people living in barracks in the military are not homeless. They are being housed by their service.

In NYC, one cannot sleep in parks after dark; one, if homeless, is forced to sleep in the street or in the subways.

There must be a host of abandoned buildings in reasonable shape which could be fixed up to help alleviate the homeless/out on the street problem.

Auntblabby, I really don't think Cruz has a cat's chance in hell of getting elected.

^^^I SURE hope you're right about The Ooze.

Where I live, disability income can be an option if you really cannot work. I can't, I have Asperger's, mental illness, a hefty sleep disorder and a quite severe physical illness. It took time getting on disability which you can live on in my location even if you don't get rich... before I tried to get by on welfare for several years and that is less money here, actually barely enough to feed and shelter you.

I'm actually glad I got that upgrade. Sure it is not fun knowing my income is fixed and will not improve. But as long as I can get by I will not complain.

I am actually surprised how many aspies that are overall healthy go on disability without even trying to work.

I'm glad I'm not in a system that tells me I have to depend on my parents. They are elderly and we only get along if we don't mix too much. I'd rather find another solution then.

I'm unemployed, and I get $1588 a month from AiSH, the Alberta government's disability pension. I was deemed eligible for AiSH in late 2014, after I was assessed by a neuropsychologist and re-diagnosed with ASD. It's not a lot, but afaik it's the highest disability payout in Canada, and it's certainly better than what some of my American friends get on SSI.

if you don't mind answering, does the Canadian government give you subsidized housing?

I pay my rent out of my AiSH funding. And technically it's not the Canadian government giving me funding, since I didn't qualify for federal disability funding; AiSH is a program specific to Alberta, while other provinces have their own programs, like ODSP in Ontario.

is the amount you get in your view keeping up with the alberta cost of living?

If your benefit was in American dollars, you would have DOUBLE the money people on SSI have, and a good amount more than people on SSDI.

At the moment, I only volunteer 4-6 hours every Friday as a data entry clerk. Though the team is very small and generally friendly in the administration department, I still encounter difficulties because of my inability to concentrate when there are different noises overlapping each other. My world seems to be some kind of interminable cacophony and I hate it!

My employment coach - and now friend - has been working closely with me for over two years without success. Even though she believes I am more employable than most of her other clients, she is now beginning to worry that I will never get a job. I ALWAYS self-deprecate at interviews and cannot seem to identify anything positive about myself that may impress an employer.

In terms of benefits, here in the UK I am deemed eligible for ESA, which is just a smidgen over £114 each week. I personally feel the government is overpaying me as I don't honestly feel my difficulties should entitle me to that much.

From my calculations, I make a bit less than someone working a full-time minimum wage job. The minimum wage in Alberta is $11.20 an hour for most jobs, and $10.70 when serving liquor (I'm assuming because they're accounting for tips). In addition, people on AiSH are allowed to work part-time, but I'm not sure what all of the terms and conditions are.


In US dollars I get approximately $1231.49 a month. Afaik, this is quite a bit more than what SSI pays out. On top of that, I'm also eligible for expanded health insurance so that I don't have to pay for my prescriptions, and of course I have the standard Alberta health insurance everyone else has.

People on SSI get about $750 a month. They get Medicaid, which is free medical care all around. People on SSDI get more, but the amount depends upon how much a person has worked previous to being on SSDI. They also get Medicaid, I believe.

Whether they get their rent paid or not depends on a lot of things.

Do you get your rent paid, too? I'm thinking you don't.