‘Kick-Ass Kinda Girl:’ Caregiving During Middle Age Inspired Author to Help Caregivers in Need

When people think about caregiving spouses, they often think of older adults. We only have to look at a young mother diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS), a young husband diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), or in this case, a woman whose healthy husband had a sudden, massive stroke, to know differently. Care partners come in all ages.

Kathi Koll, author of “Kick-Ass Kinda Girl: A Memoir of Life, Love, and Caregiving” knows the drill. She and her husband, Don, lived a life of glitz and glamour, working and playing alongside friends who were celebrities and politicians.

One seemingly normal day, Don, healthy and energetic, had just bounded up the stairs of the couple’s historic home to tell Kathi that he was on board with the remodeling project they’d discussed, when he suffered a life-altering stroke. Kathi would become Don’s caregiver for the next six years before his death.

The Candid Caregiver was drawn to Kathi’s story because this was not an elderly couple but one in the prime of life. Additionally, Kathi recognized that while her position in life didn’t make her devastation any easier, she did understand that she had a financial advantage that many caregivers lack. This awareness inspired Kathi to…

Continue reading on HealthCentral to learn more about Kathi Koll’s foundation:

Minding Our Elders: Caregivers Share Their Personal Stories. “For anyone having to walk the last segments of life with a loved one, read this.” …Delores

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