After having been married to Nancy for 35 years, I got used to her taking care of everything. She clipped coupons. She organized the junk drawer. I’m telling you, that woman was a dynamo of organization. I got used to her running things. I never thought I’d be the one to have to figure out the details.

Nancy was the one who bought our life insurance policies. They were designed to provide financial protection for our beneficiaries in case we died prematurely. They also included benefits to help us pay for the cost for certain health care services, if we should ever need them.

I was caught off guard when four years later, Nancy began to forget the little things. Where the keys were. Who the gardener was. Then she forgot the groceries in the car. Then she forgot our address. Then our son’s name. Then the diagnosis came. Alzheimer’s. It was quite a shock. So, then it was up to me to navigate the complexities of the U.S. health care system and our policy. Frustrated and overwhelmed, I contacted our financial professional,* Mark, for help.

Turns out our life insurance policies offered professional care coordination services included at no additional charge. All I had to do was call the 800 number and there was a real, live person there to help me make sense of it all. Our case manager walked me through all the nuances of elimination periods, certifiable conditions, and claims forms. Then, she helped me locate qualified, affordable services in our area and coordinate their payment. Now, if I need help, I know who to call. I’m glad Nancy made the right choice with our life insurance policies.