My spouse and I have spent our lives together, and now that I need more help, my spouse is the one who takes care of me. I’m comfortable with them, I trust them, and most of all it means I can stay in my own home.

If my spouse could no longer be my paid caregiver, finding someone else wouldn’t be as simple as it sounds. If we couldn’t find reliable help, I could eventually end up in a nursing home. That would completely change both of our lives and could mean being separated after all these years.

The small income my spouse receives for caring for me also helps with medications and other medical costs that our insurance doesn’t cover. When you’re living on a limited income, that little bit of extra money really does matter.

I just hope the people making these decisions think about what this actually means for older couples like us. I want to stay in my home with my spouse, for as long as we can safely make that work. I don’t think a change in policy should make that harder just to make a politician pass on expenses.