It may take everything in you to keep from putting a pillow over his head to stop his snoring and her nagging may drive you batty, but there’s still no one else you’d rather be with. So, in honour of National Spouses Day, January 26th, let’s celebrate your union and all the wonderfulness that comes with being married.
Being married is good for the heart
We’re not just talking about the warm fuzzies you get from being with the one you love, but actual cardiovascular benefits!
Studies have shown that married people have fewer heart attacks and strokes compared with those who are single.
In 2016, a large-scale study found that married people more 14 percent more likely to survive a heart attack and get out of the hospital a couple days sooner than single people having a heart attack.
Other health benefits of having a spouse
The health perks of marriage don’t just stop at your heart. People who are married are less likely to develop mental health issues, including depression. Married seniors are also less likely to suffer loneliness and isolation, which has become an epidemic among the older population.
Research shows that married people also:
- enjoy better sleep
- have lower stress levels
- are physically fitter over the age of 60
- survive major surgery more often
- are less likely to engage in risky behavior, such as substance abuse or drunk driving
- live longer
Staying healthy and happy, longer
Together is definitely better, especially in our later years. In-home care is one way to help ensure that you can stay together and enjoy the perks of marriage, longer.
Senior couples are among the best candidates for in-home care because it allows you to continue to live together, even if mobility issues and chronic illness arise.
A caregiver can take on some of the pressures of caregiving so that you and your spouse can age in the comfort and privacy of home. While we’re on the subject of privacy, it’s a lot easier – not to mention more enjoyable – to enjoy your private time together at home than when one or both of you is in a retirement facility.
A caregiver can help with tasks like shopping and errands, light housekeeping, and meal preparation freeing up more time for you to enjoy together.
If you’re struggling to care for each other due to illness or simply the natural changes that occur with aging, our caregivers can assist with more advanced home health care needs, too.
Oh! And another perk of having a spouse: home care is also more affordable when you’re sharing!
Happy Spouses Day!
David Porter, CPCA
Director
Living Assistance Services – Senior Home Care
Article Resources
The health advantages of marriage. (2016). Robert H. Shmerling, MD. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/the-health-advantages-of-marriage-2016113010667
Natasha Wood, Anne McMunn, Elizabeth Webb, Mai Stafford. (2019). Marriage and physical capability at mid to later life in England and the USA. https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0209388
Wiley/Science Daily. (2016). Being married may help prolong survival in cancer patients: Varying effects by race and place of birth. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/04/160411101111.htm