Guide2Care, LLC

10/29/2026

Applying for Social Security Disability? Here's Something That May Help.

When your health changes and you can no longer work, the last thing you need is another complicated process to navigate.

Yet applying for SSDI or SSI often means explaining not only your medical conditions, but how they affect your everyday life and ability to work.

I've spoken with many people who struggle to put these changes into words, especially when their symptoms vary from day to day.

That's why I developed Guide2Care's SSA Functional Decline Workbook.

It's a practical resource with guided questions and worksheets to help you document what has changed, track symptoms and recovery time, organize medical evidence, and prepare for conversations with your doctors.

The goal isn't to add more paperwork to your life. It's to help you better explain what you're experiencing so that the people reviewing your application can understand how your health affects your ability to work.

📘 You can access the workbook here:
https://bit.ly/47HIh8P

If you have questions about disability applications or aren't sure where to begin, feel free to ask. I'd be happy to help point you in the right direction.

And if you know someone who might benefit from this resource, please share it.

Because no one should have to figure everything out alone.

10/28/2026

What happens when someone becomes too sick to work, but cannot get the help they need to live?

Most of us go through life assuming we'll be able to continue working, paying our bills, and taking care of ourselves. We rarely think about what would happen if our health suddenly changed and we could no longer do the things we once took for granted.

Throughout my years in social work, I've met people whose lives changed because of illness or disability. What often makes their situation even more difficult isn't only the health condition itself, but everything that follows. Loss of income, difficulties maintaining housing, navigating medical care, and trying to understand systems they never expected to need.

And then comes the disability application process, where people are asked to prove how their health affects their ability to work, often while they are still trying to understand what has happened to them.

I wrote this week's Threads of Care article around Anna, a fictional character whose story brings together experiences shared by people who reported becoming disabled following COVID-19 vaccination.

Her story raises a question that I believe deserves more attention: Are we doing enough to support people while they are trying to qualify for the assistance they need?

Along with her story, I share practical guidance for people preparing to apply for Social Security Disability benefits (SSDI or SSI), or facing a denial. This includes how to document changes in daily functioning, communicate with medical providers about work-related limitations, organize supporting evidence, and understand the next steps when an application is denied.

Because people need more than instructions, referrals, or another application to complete. They need someone who will listen, help them navigate what comes next, and stay involved when things don't go according to plan.

I invite you to read the article and share your thoughts: When Illness Changes Everything, Why Is Getting Help So Difficult?

https://alexeydmitriyev.substack.com/p/when-illness-changes-everything-why?r=33ad9o&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

If you find this article helpful, please consider sharing it with someone who may be navigating disability, applying for benefits, or struggling to find the support they need. Sometimes, sharing information is one small way we can help someone feel less alone.

When illness changes your life, applying for disability benefits can become another struggle you never expected.

10/22/2026

We often plan for retirement, finances, and other important milestones. But how often do we plan for changes in our health, independence, or caregiving needs?

I've spent years helping individuals and families navigate difficult situations, often after a crisis has already happened.

But what if we started these conversations earlier?

That's why I created the Living Well Plan™ through Guide2Care.

It's about understanding what matters to you, exploring your options, and preparing for life's changing needs before you're forced to make difficult decisions.

It starts with two simple questions:

How do you want to live as your needs change?

What would help you live that way?

I'd love to hear your thoughts. Have you had these conversations with your family, or are you waiting until the need arises?

Let's start with a conversation.

Whether you're planning ahead, facing a challenge, or simply unsure where to begin, I invite you to schedule a free 15-minute introductory conversation.

No obligation. Just an opportunity to talk about what matters to you and explore how I may be able to help.

👉 Visit Start With a Conversation | Free 15-Minute Call https://stan.store/Guide_2Care/p/15minute-intro-call-mktquzwb

Because we were never meant to do life alone.

Not sure where to start?Maybe you're thinking about the future, caring for someone you love, or facing a situation that's becoming difficult to navigate.You don't need to have all the answers or even know exactly what to ask.Let's talk about what's happening, what matters to you, and whether we can....

10/13/2026

We were never meant to do life alone.

Yet many of us have learned to measure independence by how much we can manage without help. As we age or our needs change, that belief can make accepting support feel like giving something up.

What if support could help us preserve the independence we value?

Having someone alongside you to listen, to, help you understand your options, and working with the professionals involved in your care can help keep your priorities at the center. Support can ease unnecessary burdens while protecting your voice, your choices, and your ability to live the life you value.

Have you thought about how you want to live as you age and what support would help you live that way?

Read more in “Rethinking Independence and Support” on my Substack, Threads of Care: https://alexeydmitriyev.substack.com/p/we-were-never-meant-to-do-life-alone?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=33ad9o

Rethinking Independence and Support

10/10/2026

Today is 10/10 and the digits of 2026 adding up to 10. If you find meaning in numbers, it is a sign of rebirth. For me, it is moment to press reset and bring an idea forward.

Through Threads of Care, I want to open conversations about aging, life and living well and to obtain meaning behind of what matters to us, how we want to feel and function as we age and what support would help us live that way.

A new beginning starts with a conversation.

🖲To support Threads of Care and join the conversation about aging and living well, subscribe here: https://substack.com/

09/06/2026

As a caregiver, I had forgotten my own 5-minute rule.

As a social worker, I kept coming back to it and sharing it with others.

It is not about “self-care.” When you’re caregiving, sometimes even self-care can feel like one more thing you’re supposed to do.

It’s simply about finding 5 minutes at a time to breathe and do something that feels like you.

Put those five minutes on your calendar. Listen to a favorite song. Step outside. Have a cup of coffee. Sit quietly. Whatever works for you.

Start with five minutes.

And once you find those five minutes, see if you can find another five.

Little by little, those minutes add up and you begin making a little more room for yourself, too.

Guide2Care, LLC

09/04/2026

This week, write down everything you're still responsible for and ask yourself:

What is one thing someone else could completely take off my plate and not just help me with?

09/02/2026

If a health or caregiving crisis happened in your family, what kind of help would you want? I’d love to connect and hear what support would actually matter to you.

08/29/2026

Today I wonder when did being curious about someone or someone's work became networking? When did every relationship need a measurable return?

Have you wonder why show Ted Lasso feels so far from real life?

In the world of Ted Lasso, kindness, curiosity and genuine support matters and where people support one another and want to see each other succeed.

Maybe we can make our world a little less about pitching and selling ourselves to others, a little less about constantly proving our value, and more about kindness, curiosity, and genuinely caring whether the person across from us succeeds.

So, let’s start every conversation with three simple questions:

✅️ What matters to you?
✅️ What are you dealing with?
✅️ How can I help?

08/26/2026

What does it mean to be a writer in the age of AI?

Since AI has become part of how we write, edit and communicate, I have been thinking less about who typed the words and more about where the ideas, experiences and purpose behind these words come from.

In my latest article, I explore authenticity, AI and whether using AI makes our writing less human or simply gives us another tool to help us to express what was already ours.

For me, AI helps me to check on my grammar, sentence structure and clarity; however, the experiences, advocacy, compassion and purpose remain human.

If this conversation interests you, I invite you to read the article https://alexeydmitriyev.substack.com/p/what-does-it-mean-to-be-a-writer and you can share your perspective and subscribe.

Your support also helps me continue providing independent advocacy and guidance to people who may not otherwise be able to afford it.

I haven’t written any articles since Father’s Day.