How often do couples die within days of each other?

Nurses General Nursing

Published

I'm just curious about others' experiences. I had a patient that passed away. He had been married 60 years to his wife. Four days later, his wife was admitted and passed away within 24 hours, after seeming perfectly healthy up until her husband's death.

It seems to happen fairly regularly, that couples die very close in time. Does that seem common, in your experience?

Personally, if my ball and chain passes away, I sure hope I get to enjoy his insurance money. Especially since he's been such a PIMA.:lol2:

Specializes in ortho, hospice volunteer, psych,.

my great aunt lost several babies and when my dad was born the same week that she'd had another stillbirth, he became just like a son to her. when my healthy athletic father suddenly dropped dead from a mi at 52, she was 104. before she was told, the family made sure her cardiologist was nearby. she was gently and carefully told, she grabbed her chest, and died.

sharpeimom:paw::paw:

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Specializes in med/surg, telemetry, IV therapy, mgmt.

i heard dr. laura state on her program not so long ago that the statistical average was 18 months between the deaths of spouses. my sils parents went 18 months between them almost precisely to the statistics. in my family the wives have outlived the husbands by 10+ years so maybe they are the ones responsible for skewing the stats! :lol2:

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There are many couples in my extended family who made it to 50, 60, even 70 plus years of marriage, some of them devoted, some of them not so - and none of them died close on following the death of their spouse.

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My ex-boyfriend's grandmother died one week after her husband passed away. It was very hard on the family - they had to plan and attend 2 funerals (the latter unexpected) in a week.

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Specializes in Cardiac, Adolescent/Child Mental Health.

"there is no doubt in my mind, this will happen...

and hope it happens.

i cannot imagine, after 60 yrs of marriage, them being apart.

it's heartbreaking for the children and loved ones:

but as the article states, they wouldn't have it any other way."

I was moved to tears when I read the MSN article. I think it's beautiful that two people can love each other that much.

Kind of like June Carter and Johnny Cash....

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