Retirement living partners may benefit from tips on helping each other

Since age-related conditions can sometimes progress at different rates, some loved ones in retirement living communities can benefit from their spouses' assistance. One health insurance company has outlined ways that elderly caregivers can accomplish that successfully.


First, educating oneself about a spouse's illness can help one become both an advocate during doctor's visits and provide a list of symptoms that may augur a need for more immediate service by healthcare professionals, according to SCAN in Arizona.


Going it alone may be one choice made by those residing in independent living communities, but there are resources available to those who may want a backup plan, including enlisting the aid of other family members in case of an emergency or other event.


Of course, home care from qualified nursing may also help, and Medicare supplemental coverage can pay for some of those costs, the company says.


"We know that caregivers have higher stress levels, risk of depression and chances of developing health problems themselves," said Tom Lescault, the insurance company's president.

"It is our goal to help make their loads a little lighter."


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