My husband had a severe stroke. I went back to work to help pay for his roughly $5,000 a month care costs.
Brenda Eicher-Beard details her return to the workforce in her 70s to cover the high costs of home-based care for her husband following his stroke. The story underscores the financial strain placed on families when medical insurance coverage for long-term care is exhausted.
Why it matters
It highlights the growing economic burden of elder care in the U.S. and the limitations of current Medicare coverage for chronic conditions.
Brenda Eicher-Beard's husband had a stroke in 2023. Courtesy of Brenda Eicher-Beard Brenda Eicher-Beard quit working once her husband had a stroke in 2023. She returned to the workforce after Medicare stopped covering care. She thinks assisted living wouldn't meet his needs, and it's cheaper to care for him at home. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Brenda Eicher-Beard, in her 70s and living in Virginia. The following has been edited for length and clarity. I spent most of my career life in Maryland, but I moved to Virginia a decade ago because my daughter lives and works there. We kept our home in Maryland because we intended to return after helping with childcare . However, we ended up staying due to my husband's health declining, to be near my daughter for her assistance, and for the medical facilities and physicians.
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