The Well Spouse Association (WSA) is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is providing peer support to current and former spouses and partners of those with any chronic illness or disability. The WSA membership program offers support groups (both in-person and via telephone), an online chat room and forum, and mentors. WSA also offers a newsletter.
Well Spouse was founded in 1988 by author and spousal caregiver Zane Kotker, whose husband was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. With much encouragement, she wrote a book, Mainstay: For the Well Spouse of the Chronically Ill (using the pseudonym Maggie Strong), sharing her experiences as a well spouse. Since that time, Well Spouse’s mission has remained the same—to provide peer-to-peer support to the wives, husbands, and partners of the chronically ill and/or disabled. “Those caring for an ill or disabled life partner,” shares WPA, “face unique issues in addition to the concerns and stresses faced by other family caregivers. WSA unites these caregivers, so they can support each other.”
A key part of the organization’s mission is to help the general public and policymakers understand the challenges of the well spouse population, including increased funding for home care and reviewing Medicare stipulations.