Caregivers Share Their Stories

My column on caregiving (see “Living in Retirement,” Feb.) generated a number of responses from readers who offered their own perspectives. “People not in this situation don’t have a clue, and that includes ‘experts,’ ” writes Ken Jarosch, sole caregiver for his wife, Kathy, who suffers from muscular dystrophy. “I went to several caregiving classes, where we were served a nice dinner and a sunshine talk. But the real help came from the people in attendance, who actually live this.”

- JANET BODNAR

I’m devoting this column to advice from people who have found ways to cope with caregiving, starting with the Jarosches. The pandemic and labor shortages have made it hard to find home care, and Ken and Kathy don’t want to be separated. Their solution: “A very good geriatric care manager who gives us emergency contacts,” says Ken. “We do the best we can, even if it’s not perfect.”

Allen Nixon was the caregiver for his wife, Eileen, who passed away of a rare disease. Nixon kept all of his wife’s information in a folder by the front door so he could grab it “if we had to run to the emergency room.” Because Eileen had lost her ability to speak and write, Nixon realized that if he had a health emergency, she wouldn’t be able to communicate with medical personnel. “So I put all of my information in an envelope and taped it to the fridge.”