If the ASA was any good at all, they would be working on the proper solution! 100% recovery! But there IS NO LEADERSHIP THERE AT ALL!
They would have distributed the recovery protocol that Pedro Bach-y-Rita used to recover fully back in 1958 with only a partial brain!
A stroke can cost $78K a year in home care that Medicare won't cover. Returning to work carries own hidden costs
In the U.S., someone has a stroke every 40 seconds. Sadly, survivors are often forced to cope with both long-term medical needs and brand new financial worries.
The American Stroke Association estimates the lifetime cost of ischemic stroke (the most common type) at $140,048 for in-patient care, rehab and follow-up care. And for those who also must go into a nursing home or who need help at home from a caregiver, the costs are much higher — $111,325 for a semi-private room in a nursing home or $77,792 annually for a home health aide.
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These expenses can quickly eat through a retirement nest egg, which is a big problem not just for the stroke survivor but also for their spouse.
Let's pretend, for example, that Amanda and Jimmy are both 66 and they've been retired for a year. They have a 401(k), Social Security, and Medicare coverage, but now that Jimmy has expensive care needs, Amanda isn't sure they can cover everything.
She's thinking of going back to work, but does she have to?
What are the costs they're looking at?
Before Amanda and Jimmy make any big decisions, it's important to look at the actual costs they're facing.
Medicare will cover the costs of rehabilitation, as well as durable medical equipment like a walker or a wheelchair. However, long-term custodial care isn't generally covered at all. So, if Jimmy needs a nurse to come to the house to help him perform basic life tasks, the costs must come out of the couple's retirement funds.
With aforementioned estimated costs of $77,792 per year, Amanda and Jimmy are looking at paying almost $6,500 per month, not including any equipment or home adaptations.
"There's a lot of medical expense that comes along with just retrofitting your house, not to mention the extra nursing care and vehicle conversions to allow for wheelchair access, depending on the severity of the stroke," Christopher Walsh, a financial advisor at Capital Choice Financial Group, told Moneywise.
Even with a 401(k) and Social Security, most retirees really can't afford to just shoulder that burden.
What will working do to their Social Security?
With bills piling up, Amanda may feel like returning to work is the best move. But there's something she must consider first. Since she hasn't yet reached full retirement age for Social Security (which is 67 based on her 1960 birth year), going back to work may come at a cost.
"If your earnings are above $24,480 in 2026, Social Security will withhold $1 of benefits for every $2 earned above $24,480," Domenick D'Andrea, founder of DanDarah Wealth Management, told Moneywise.
This is the rule if you won't reach FRA all year. In the year you'll reach full retirement age, you can earn $65,160, and once you reach FRA, you can work as much as you want.
Eventually, the money you forfeited comes back. "The federal government withholds some of your Social Security benefit for a time and then brings it back to you as a bigger monthly check once you reach full retirement age," said Walsh. But that won't do the couple any good now, since Amanda's return to work will cost them income elsewhere.
And that's not the only reason a return to work could be costly. "You also need to look at the Medicare earnings threshold, because with an increase in income you could end up paying a higher Medicare monthly premium," D'Andrea warned.
Consider working vs. caregiving responsibilities
It's also worth considering whether caregiving costs would go up if Amanda does return to work. Amanda might not be capable of providing all the care Jimmy needs, but she'd inevitably end up doing less if she was out of the house at work all day.
"If you need to hire a caregiver while you are at work, are you making more than enough to cover those costs?" D'Andrea said.
He also pointed out that if the caregiver takes time off, or doesn't show up for some reason, Amanda might have to call out from her job. This could make earning enough to justify the costs of the extra care even more difficult.
"The last thing you want to do is spend more on a caregiver than you are earning at work," D'Andrea warned.
Think about quality of life
Ultimately, Amanda and Jimmy must think about what they want their life to look like now that they've been thrown this curveball, and find a solution that truly makes sense.
"Health before wealth is something I say to my clients," said Walsh. "What's the severity of the stroke, and how is quality of life impacted by you being there for recovery and going forward? I had a grandparent who had a severe stroke, which forced him into permanent retirement. My grandmother could have worked, but quality of life for him severely downgraded, so they opted to be more frugal in retirement."
Walsh advised that Jimmy and Amanda should look at the consistent, reliable income they have and see if it can cover their expenses without Amanda having to go back to work. If they can, even with a few lifestyle changes, it may be better for both of them if she stays home, can be there for Jimmy, and doesn't have to face working late into her life.
Of course, if they truly can't afford for Amanda to stay home and get the care Jimmy needs, then working at least part-time may be necessary. But if they can swing it, Amanda's presence at home, and her ability to spend time with her husband during their later years, could be worth more than any extra pay she'd bring in.
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