News and Press
‘I Lost My Husband, But He’s Still Here’
She was ready for retirement, travel, and time with the grandkids—until one sudden moment turned her husband from partner to patient, and her world upside down.
Featured: The Flow Space
By Lana Wilhelm, as told to Lauryn Higgins
November 5, 2025 9:30 am
Former ICU Nurse: Family Caregiver Support Is In Infant State
Former intensive care unit and home health nurse Lana Wilhelm has founded an organization to aid family caregivers of seriously ill loved ones, particularly those who have suffered a stroke.
After 40 years in nursing, Wilhelm’s life was transformed in 2021 when her husband Rick suffered a stroke. All of a sudden, she was a 24-hour caregiver in her home as well as a professional nurse. She was instantly struck by the differences in providing those modes of care and how impactful such illnesses are on the patient’s family.
In response to the lack of available resources for caregivers, Wilhelm established the Stroke Caregiver Connection to provide additional support. Initially focused on families affected by stroke, the organization has since branched out to include those who have experienced other types of adverse health events.
Hospice News sat down with Wilhelm to discuss her work and the challenges families face while providing care in the home.
By Jim Parker | January 5, 2026
Mizzou alumna brings national spotlight to caretakers of stroke patients
After Lana Wilhelm was suddenly thrown into the role of caretaker when her husband had a stroke, she was driven to educate other caretakers with similar experiences by writing a book called “Stroke and the Spouse.”
The book follows the Wilhelm’s’ journey, beginning with the initial emergency room trip to the stages of outpatient rehabilitation at home. Now, her contributions to caregivers have been nationally recognized, leading her to speak across the U.S. and to eventually have her work embedded into classrooms at the University of Missouri College of Health Sciences.
Featured: The Columbia Missourian
By Abrah Taggart
December 10, 2025
