Lynn was a fashion-conscious young flight attendant when she first met Michael on a blind date in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The two decided to wed after just a handful of dates, and so began a love story that spanned 57 years of marriage.

“They were very devoted to each other,” says the couple’s daughter, Dru Bernard.

Together they lived in the home that had belonged to Michael’s parents, raised their daughter and kept a busy social calendar. Lynn, a clothing buyer for a boutique, always wore makeup and earrings and looked after her appearance. But beneath the fashionable exterior, the young mother—who was once a waterskier at Cypress Gardens attraction in Florida—had an ongoing health struggle.

Since childhood, Lynn has dealt with a particularly brittle variety of Type 1 diabetes, meaning her blood sugar is prone to extreme, unpredictable swings. The condition became even more difficult to manage as the couple grew older, with Michael becoming Lynn’s primary caregiver when she lost her vision and was diagnosed with dementia.

“We always expected she would be the first to pass,” Dru says. “She was having seizures almost every other day from the diabetes at home.”

But fate had other plans. Michael, a strong and active 84-year-old, got lung cancer. With his own health problems to contend with, Michael was no longer able to care for Lynn, and the family decided to move her into Bickford of Marion, Iowa.

“He wanted to find a good place for her,” says April Gorton, health and wellness director at Bickford of Marion. “She was very upset. He had assisted with her care for so long.”

A year ago, Michael entered hospice care, and together the two moved into Bickford with their English setter, Carly. Just days later, Michael passed.

“He joined her there only for two days,” Dru says. “It was shocking.”

Lynn, now age 80, was left reeling. For a time, April recalls, she stopped dressing up and doing her hair. She would wake in the middle of the night to walk the dog, putting her at risk for falls. The Bickford team joined together in weekly HigherPath meetings to help Lynn start to heal emotionally and get her health on track.

At the beginning, Lynn’s caregivers would check on her hourly, to aid in fall prevention and in gaining her trust. They scheduled Carly for outdoor bathroom breaks at 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. so Lynn wouldn’t have to worry about letting her out. They tweaked Lynn’s medications to help her sleep better at night, and used CarePredict technology to monitor her activity levels and respond quickly in case of a fall.

“They’re just literally like family, they’ve been so good to her,” says Dru, who lives out of state. “She considers it her home.”

The other major obstacle that Lynn, her caregivers, and the onsite Curana Health team faced was getting her diabetes under control. With the help of a continuous glucose monitor, blood sugar checks eight times per day, and nuanced insulin administration, they have been able to avoid the extreme blood sugar fluctuations Lynn had suffered previously.

No more seizures. No more feeling lousy from low blood sugar. Lynn’s A1c—an indicator of average blood sugar over the past few months—has dropped 30 percent, from 12 (double what is considered normal) to a more reasonable 8. “They’ve just done amazing with managing her diabetes,” Dru says. “It’s far better than she’s done in years.”

Lynn has even found a way to feel closer to her husband. “She watches out the window for cardinals as a sign of her husband,” April says. “Whenever she sees a cardinal, she says, ‘Michael came to visit me.’”

As Lynn’s health has improved, glimmers of her old self have returned. She goes on branch outings to T.J. Maxx, shopping for new outfits. She roams the halls sporting a shiny black jacket and earrings, her hair pulled back in a ponytail, passing out hugs.

“Now she just shines,” April says. “She just sparkles.”

Contemplating the next chapter in your loved one’s story? Click here to learn more about Bickford Senior Living and to find a branch near you.