EP 158 :: Dementia Caregiving and the Well Spouse :: Laurel Whitman

When your partner or spouse has a dementia diagnosis it is so important to find support. That’s why Laurel Whitman joined Well Spouse, an organization that advocates for and addresses the needs of individuals caring for a chronically ill and/or disabled spouse or partner.  Join Bobbi, Mike & Laurel as they discuss the significant stress disability and illness can place on a marriage or partnership and how to find moments of joy and connection once again.

Laurel joined WSA as a member in 2014 and joined the Board in 2020 to focus on outreach for younger well spouses. She and her husband Eduardo have been married for 16 years. Eddie was diagnosed with MS in 1998 at the age of 24, and his disease course has been aggressive—he has needed 24-hour care for years. He currently lives at home but he also spent two years in an assisted living facility, so Laurel is familiar with a range of caregiving situations. Laurel has been a venture lender with Oxford Finance LLC since 2004, providing loan facilities to biotech, pharmaceutical, and medical device companies in the US, Canada, and Europe. She previously served as Treasurer for CLAW USA, a non-profit alliance of theatrical lady arm wrestlers focused on social justice. She has a BS in Commerce with a concentration in Finance from the University of Virginia. She and her husband reside in Falls Church, Virginia.

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