I heard a lot early on in this journey about creating a team and building your support network including family and friends. The reality is that our children are all working and have very busy lives, they can offer support and occasional help but don’t have time to come in on a regular basis. Most of my friends are also my age and facing similar challenges in their lives, they don’t have the time or the energy either. Thank goodness there are people who are willing to do this difficult work as paid caregivers and thank goodness we have our insurance that covers it!

We have been working with a local agency for about a year now and are on our second caregiver. The first one was adequate, she would come in and be with my husband, which allowed me to get out and take care of business or just go out and take a break from time to time. It was such a relief to know that I could leave the house for a few hours and he would be safe. As time went on however, I realized that we needed more than she was capable of giving. We now have a different caregiver and he is wonderful. Beyond being here with my husband, they have conversations, take walks in the neighborhood, and he does more household chores than I ever expected. This young man has fast become a vital member of our team. I cannot say it enough, if you have insurance coverage, don’t be afraid to use it. If you don’t, look at alternative options and take advantage of them. Those regular breaks, even for just a few hours, make me a better CarePartner and help preserve my mental and physical health.

My husband is a smart man. When we met and married, he knew that the day might come when one of us would need more care than the other was able to provide. He insisted that we sign up for long term care insurance when it was just becoming a thing, and it has proven to be a very good decision. I always felt we were betting against ourselves and our abilities to care for one another, he had a better understanding of the possibilities of aging and disease. Thanks to his wisdom, we’re both able to get the help we need now, I cannot thank him enough for that.