Many of our elder law clients come to us because a spouse has taken the path from hospital to rehab to long term care despite their best efforts to get them home. This is not an uncommon situation. Most spouses have been raised with an ethic that calls them to virtually kill themselves in order to provide care for their spouses.
Of course, that ethic was developed in a time and place where people did not die of slowly debilitating illnesses where it took years to die. Nor did they die in a time when their spouse, un-afflicted by anything else, are none-the-less afflicted with great age themselves.
The problem is not just one of will, it is also one of WEIGHT. When an elderly husband falls on his wife it is a real life and death challenge to the wife. When an elderly wife falls in reach of her husband it can mean permanent debilitating injury if he thrusts himself out to catch her.
Saying to either of these spouses, “oh, you should just let them fall” doesn’t work!
We live in a new day and age where our bodies wear out long before our life gives out. Your children and grandchildren will thank you for carefully assessing the risks of continued home care and making decisions that are all based in reality, not in anachronistic expectations.
This article is written by an attorney at Attorney Donald Wyatt PC. Always consult an attorney before making any legal decisions. To make an appointment today, please click here to contact us.