I retired in my early 50s to care for my husband with dementia. We've exhausted his 401(k) and had to sell our house.

Wendy Rowland cared for her husband with early-onset dementia before he went into a care facility. Wendy Rowland Wendy Rowland returned to work in her 50s to support her husband with early-onset dementia. Her husband, once a printing worker, now resides in a costly memory care facility in Tennessee. Rowland navigated financial challenges like selling the home and managing expenses with limited aid. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Wendy Rowland, 53, who lives in Mississippi. Rowland, who was a stay-at-home mom , returned to work in her 50s to help pay for her husband's long-term care , as he suffers from early-onset dementia. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. My husband has early-onset Lewy body dementia . He is 59 and has been in a memory care facility for over two years now.