The ability to support refers to a person's capability to follow through with their normal financial and physical obligations. For the average person, to be able to support oneself, a person must be able to complete everyday tasks and chores. This person should be able to take care of all of their financial obligations.
Specifically, the Social Security Administration is very concerned with a person's ability to be self supportive. The Social Security Administration provides a person who is not capable of self support. However, before the Social Security Administration is willing to provide a person with this type of support, they want to see whether a person is capable of self support.