A new study released by the University of Michigan and published in the Chronic Illness journal shows that almost 40 percent of chronically ill older adults in the U.S. live alone, and a majority of those who are married have spouses with at least one chronic illness.  Researchers found that 93 percent of the chronically ill older adults had adult children.  Unfortunately for half of those with children, those children lived more than 10 miles away.

"Family members have the potential to significantly help many patients with chronic illness manage their health conditions," says co-author Ann Marie Rosland, M.D., clinical lecturer in the Department of Internal Medicine at the University of Michigan Medical School and research investigator for the Center for Clinical Management Research in the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System.

For more information, visit the full news release.