Publisher's Synopsis
Dementia and loss of bodily functions and limbs are a familiar part of aging and nursing homes and assisted living facilities. The two most dramatic changes to impact American society in the next fifty years will be, the browning of the American population, and the aging of that population, and for the first time in our county's history, most the nation's population will be both, nonwhite, and over the age of sixty simultaneously. Even now, we're moving towards it, as the increasing need for someone to care for patients continuously declines.
This book is an intimate, behind the curtains look at the current situation. It covers my final three years in geriatric nursing and is derived from the weekly notes I kept of my duties. Autobiographical in nature, it is written to both educate those seeking insights into the profession as a career, and for informing those who are considering placing their family members in a facility what they should know before they do.
Growing old and frail is the last struggle we must deal with in life, so a focus on how it often unfolds seems appropriate, and much of what you're about to read will shock and anger you; even make you cry and question what you thought you knew about aging and long-term care in America. But it will also help you, and those you love, make informed decisions.
